Ms. Lauryn Hill was a fitting choice to lead the 2026 Grammy Awards’ tribute to Roberta Flack and D’Angelo: she had a direct musical connection to both artists, and the performance brought those connections together. The Recording Academy announced Hill as the performer honoring both artists, but did not publish a reason for its selection. The case for calling it “only right” comes from Hill’s music and her history with Flack—not from a stated Academy rationale.
What happened at the 2026 Grammys?
The Recording Academy announced on January 28, 2026, that Hill would perform in honor of Flack and D’Angelo during the ceremony’s In Memoriam segment. The Grammy Awards took place February 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The announcement named CBS as the broadcast network and Paramount+ as the streaming service; those details describe the 2026 event, not current subscription terms. Recording Academy announcement
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The performance itself was reported by the Los Angeles Times during the ceremony. Hill opened with “Nothing Even Matters,” her song with D’Angelo, and said, “Make time for the people you love while you can,” as reported by Times staff writer Cerys Davies. Lucky Daye, Leon Thomas and Jon Batiste joined as the set moved through D’Angelo songs including “Brown Sugar” and “Devil’s Pie.” The tribute then turned to Flack: Chaka Khan and John Legend joined Hill for “Where Is the Love?” before the performance ended with the Fugees’ “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” Los Angeles Times report
Why Hill’s connection to Roberta Flack mattered
Hill’s link to Flack was more than a familiar song choice. At Flack’s “Celebration of Life” memorial on March 10, 2025, Hill and Wyclef Jean appeared together. The Associated Press reported that Hill performed “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” two songs closely associated with Flack’s legacy. Associated Press memorial report
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The Fugees’ version of “Killing Me Softly With His Song” also gives the connection a generational dimension: AP noted that it won the group a Grammy, decades after Flack’s recording received the Record of the Year award. Hill’s performance of the Fugees’ version at the 2026 ceremony therefore linked a celebrated interpretation to the singer whose recording made the song a landmark.
How the tribute connected Hill to D’Angelo
Hill’s opening song, “Nothing Even Matters,” made her connection to D’Angelo immediate. Their collaboration gave the tribute a personal musical bridge before the ensemble moved into D’Angelo’s own catalog with “Brown Sugar” and “Devil’s Pie,” according to the Times report. The choice also made the pairing of the two honorees coherent: Hill could lead a set that began with her shared work with D’Angelo and then honored Flack through songs tied to her influence and the Fugees’ history.
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What “only right” means—and what it doesn’t
Calling Hill the right person to lead the tribute is an editorial judgment supported by those musical connections and her prior appearance at Flack’s memorial. It is not a reason given by the Recording Academy; its announcement confirmed the selection and the honorees, but did not explain how it chose Hill. The distinction matters: the set list and guest appearances come from the Times’ report after the ceremony, while the Academy’s announcement established the plan beforehand.
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