D’Angelo, trailblazing neo-soul singer, dies at 51, reports say

(Corrects date for “Black Messiah” album in paragraph 7 to 2014)

By Jasper Ward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Grammy-winning R&B artist D’Angelo, a pioneer of neo-soul music, died at the age of 51 on Tuesday “after a prolonged and courageous battle with cancer,” according to media reports citing a family statement.

“We are saddened that he can only leave dear memories with his family, but we are eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind,” his family said in a statement to multiple media outlets, adding that “the shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life.”

News of his death sent shockwaves across social media, with fans and fellow artists sharing tributes reflecting on the influence he had on their lives and music.

American rapper Doja Cat described him as “a true voice of soul and inspiration to many brilliant artists of our generation and generations to come.”

D’Angelo, who was born Michael Eugene Archer, launched his career in the 1990s with his debut album “Brown Sugar,” which peaked at number four on the Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1995. The album’s song, “Lady,” reached the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100, with songs “Cruisin’” and the title track, “Brown Sugar,” gaining critical acclaim.

In 2020, Rolling Stone hailed “Brown Sugar” as one of the greatest albums of all time, calling it “a visionary fusion of seventies soul and nineties R&B that paved the way for neo-soul.” It ranked the album 183 out of 500.

D’Angelo released two other studio albums during his lifetime: “Voodoo” in 2000 and “Black Messiah” in 2014. His sophomore album spent two weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top 200 list. Throughout his career he collaborated with other notable R&B and neo-soul artists such as Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill on her critically-acclaimed 1998 debut album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”

D’Angelo also became known as a sex symbol for his 2000 hit, “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” in which he released a popular video that featured him shirtless. It was a title D’Angelo largely rebuffed, instead often saying he preferred to focus on his music.

A four-time Grammy Award winner and 14-time nominee, D”Angelo is considered by many critics to be one of the greatest singers of all time.

“Few modern singers so freely display their church roots — but rather than a showboat, his phrasing is often understated, building patiently to torrid screams that could make the stoutest church lady feel positively sinful,” The Rolling Stone wrote of him in 2023. “And with arrangements that mirror and embellish his vocal melodies, D’Angelo’s subtle phrasing makes his music deeply durable, just like his gorgeous natural instrument.”

D’Angelo, who had become more reclusive in recent years, died months after the death of singer Angie Stone, with whom he shared a son. He had two other children.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward, Editing by Nick Zieminski)