A celebration of Roberta Flack‘s life took place Monday at the New York Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, featuring a surprise appearance and performance by Ms. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean.
“We weren’t formally asked to do this because I think they were a little shy in asking us to attend,” Hill said, according to Billboard. “So we kind of bum-rushed the service because it really wouldn’t be possible for us to just stand by and not participate.”
She continued, “The artistry of Ms. Roberta Flack was beyond trailblazing. … She didn’t just write about the beauty; she was the beauty. She didn’t just write about resistance; her existence was a form of resistance. … Roberta Flack is legend.”
Hill performed her rendition of Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and, with Jean’s help, sang the Fugees‘ hit “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” which samples the Lori Lieberman song Flack helped to popularize.
Stevie Wonder played the harmonica during that performance, before singing “If It’s Magic” and “I Can See the Sun,” which he wrote for Flack.
“The great thing about not having the ability to see with your eyes is the great opportunity in being able to see even better with your heart,” he said. “So I knew how beautiful Roberta was. … And Roberta, I want to just say to you in spirit, I thank you for letting me hear your voice, letting me know your spirit, letting me know your heart and letting me be able to share with you songs that I was writing.”
Phylicia Rashad, Dionne Warwick, Alicia Keys and India.Arie were also in attendance.
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