Lauryn Hill made a surprise appearance at the memorial service for soul legend Roberta Flack at New York’s Abyssinian Baptist Church on Monday afternoon (March 10). Hill was joined by music legend Stevie Wonder and her Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean on stirring performances of Flack’s classics, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” which famously earned Fugees a Grammy in 1997 for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group. “Her existence was a form of resistance,” Hill said of the late singer. “I adore Ms Roberta Flack. Roberta Flack is legend.”
Wonder accompanied Hill on harmonica, and also performed “If It’s Magic” and “I Can See the Sun in Late December,’ which he wrote for Flack. “The great thing about not having the ability to see with your eyes is the great opportunity of being able to even better see with your heart,” Wonder said. “And so I knew how beautiful Roberta was, not seeing her visually but being able to see and feel her heart. I love you, Roberta. And I will see you.” Dionne Warwick, Alicia Keys, Clive Davis, India.Arie Simpson, and actress Phylicia Rashad also paid tribute to the legendary singer during the memorial. (Rolling Stone)
