Stanisland Magazine

Fellow musicians remember singer D’Angelo’s legacy following shocking news of his death

D’Angelo (real name Michael Eugene Archer) has passed away at the age of 51. His musical legacy lives on through three albums widely accepted as works of art. His craft was a fine tuned mix from a place of personal introspection, leading instrumental patterns infused with jazz, soul, R&B and beyond.

Style of Music

There was a familiarity to the sound D’Angelo projected, with a slick, jazz to blues undertone wrapped within a sail cloth of R&B/neo-soul. It was unique for the time, and continues to endure, with few able to imitate his sonic identity.

Brown Sugar was the linchpin for the musician, a seminal work blending elements of soul, jazz and hip-hop to create an indelible work of music. Its title track is the most notable single—and a breakout one at that.

His sophomore album, Voodoo, is most famous for its widely cited work Untitled (How Does It Feel), a song full of sultry moods with a video to match with more than 37 million views on YouTube alone. The way he carries himself in the album’s music videos showcases an empathy for authenticity and a mode of thinking few can comprehend.

His third and final album, Black Messiah, was released following a fourteen-year hiatus from the industry. Part of this was due to both personal struggles and a longing to master his craft. He learned guitar and worked with session musicians to the point of fully leaning into a fluid work of brilliance. His work is free of a clinical finish, yet enriched with soul.

Cause of Death

D’Angelo died from complications of pancreatic cancer, a battle he had long fought. His family described him as “the shining star” of their family and requested privacy during this time. He was hopsitalised for several months before being transferred to hospice care shortly before his death.

Pancreatic cancer has no known single cause, though regular check-ups with a doctor can imrpove chances of survival through early detection.

Authentic Music

The vocalist was as authentic as they come, having gone out of his way to learn instruments to ensure he could understand his message through an organic sound.

When asked about it, he said:

“I played a lot of keyboards, but I really wanted to produce the sound that was in my head that I was trying to emulate on the keys. I wanted to do it for real. And it makes me look at the keys in a different way.”

His producer, Russell Elevado, described his process as a remarkable asset to his work, saying it sounded like “Parliament/Funkadelic meets the Beatles meets Prince, and the whole time there’s this Jimi Hendrix energy.”

Celebrity Reactions

Many have paid tribute to the neo-soul pioneer, including Beyoncé who said: “You were the pioneer of neo-soul, and that changed and transformed rhythm and blues forever,”…”We will never forget you.

Rapper/singer, Lauryn Hill also remarked on the scale of his talent, saying his “beauty and talent were not of this world”, while Doja Cat said: “A true voice of soul and inspiration to many brilliant artists of our generation and generations to come.”

Fellow singer Jennifer Hudson highlighted Archer’s contribution to the scene, stating: “we lost a true original today”. “D’Angelo, your voice will live on forever. Rest well, King!!!”