Users Flood Social Media With Tributes After Roberta Flack, Legendary Voice Behind 'Killing Me Softly with His Song', Passes Away at 88

Roberta Flack has died at the age of 88.

The musician and singer who is best known for her hits "Kill Me Softly with His Song" and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" died on Feb. 24 with no cause of death being listed at this time.

A statement released to People shared the news of her passing and revealed that the singer passed with her family by her side.

"We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning February 24, 2025. he died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator," the statement read.

Her passing comes after Flack was diagnosed with ALS in 2022 and was hospitalized at the time to be treated for it. The disease had affected Flack's ability to sing and to speak, but she shared a statement that showed she was determined to continue forward.

"It will take a lot more than ALS to silence this icon. Miss Flack plans to stay active in her musical and creative pursuits. Her fortitude and joyful embrace of music that lifted her from modest circumstances to the international spotlight remain vibrant and inspired," the statement per People read.

Since the news of her passing was announced, social media has lit up with reactions mourning the loss of the music icon.

"Rest in peace to Howard graduate, classically trained pianist, songwriter, singer, & the first artist to ever win a Grammy for Record of the Year in two consecutive years, Miss Roberta Flack. Her & her fellow songwriter Donny Hathaway are now reunited," one person wrote.

"What a powerful, synchronized, beautiful instrument you were...Thank you," Bernice King shared.

"So sad to hear of Roberta Flack's passing. One of the great soul singers of all time. Rest well, Ms. Flack. Your legacy lives on!!!" Jennifer Hudson added.

"RIP queen Roberta Flack," someone else shared.

Flack rose to prominence in the early 70s with her Grammy-winning song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," which became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1973.

She followed this success with "Killing Me Softly with His Song," another chart-topping single that won the same award in 1974, making her the first artist to win Record of the Year two consecutive times.

Flack continued to dominate the charts with hits like "Feel Like Makin' Love," which also reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1974. Her duets with Donny Hathaway, including "Where Is the Love" and "The Closer I Get to You," further cemented her status as a powerhouse in soul and R&B.

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Roberta Flack, Dead, Death