Michael Eugene Archer, globally known as D’Angelo, the Grammy-winning R&B singer and neo-soul pioneer, has died at 51 after battling cancer, his family confirmed Tuesday.
They described his passing as the loss of a “shining star” and encouraged fans to remember “the gift of song that he has left for the world.”
D’Angelo’s music reshaped modern R&B, combining elements of jazz, hip-hop, and soul into a signature sound that influenced a generation of artists.
His three albums earned him four Grammys, while the music video for Untitled (How Does It Feel) captured widespread attention for its bold, one-shot performance featuring him singing unclothed.
“The shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life,” his family said in a statement shared with CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
Born in Richmond, Virginia, to a Pentecostal minister, D’Angelo taught himself piano at the age of three.
As a teenager, he performed with local groups including Three of a Kind, Michael Archer and Precise, and Intelligent, Deadly but Unique (I.D.U.). At 18, he won a talent contest at Harlem’s Apollo Theater three weeks consecutively, securing a publishing deal with EMI.
He first rose to fame with his 1995 debut album Brown Sugar, which featured the hit single Lady that reached number 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1996. His follow-up, Voodoo, released in 2000, earned him two Grammy Awards and cemented his position as a leading voice in contemporary music.
Despite his success, D’Angelo faced personal challenges, including struggles with alcoholism, and survived a serious car accident in 2005. \
After years away from the spotlight, he returned with Black Messiah in 2014, completing the album inspired by nationwide protests over the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. The album later won the Grammy for Best R&B Album in 2016.
Tributes flowed from fellow artists, including hip-hop producer DJ Premier, who collaborated with D’Angelo on Devil’s Pie. Premier wrote on social media: “Such a sad loss. We have so many great times. Gonna miss you so much. Sleep Peacefully D’ Love You KING.”
D’Angelo’s artistry and influence endure, with fans and fellow musicians remembering his innovative sound, emotional depth, and the profound mark he left on music.