D'Angelo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids D'Angelo
D'Angelo performing in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Michael Eugene Archer
Also known as	D ("Dee") Mike
Born	(1974-02-11) February 11, 1974 (age 51) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Genres	Neo soul funk hip-hop soul R&B progressive soul
Occupations	Musician singer songwriter record producer
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano keyboards drums
Works	D'Angelo discography
Years active	1991–present
Labels	EMI Virgin J RCA

Michael Eugene Archer (born February 11, 1974), known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American musician. He is a talented singer, songwriter, and record producer. He first became known for helping to create the song "U Will Know" for the R&B group Black Men United.

His first album, Brown Sugar, came out in 1995. It was a huge success and was praised by music critics. Many people say this album helped start the neo soul music style. One of his songs, "Lady", became a top ten hit.

D'Angelo then worked with other famous artists like Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill. His next album, Voodoo, was released in 2000. It went straight to number one on the US music charts and also received great reviews. The song "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" from this album won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The album itself won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.

After a long break from the public eye, D'Angelo released his third album, Black Messiah, in 2014. This album was also highly praised by critics and reached number five on the US music charts. In the same year, GQ magazine called D'Angelo the next Marvin Gaye, a legendary musician.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Michael Eugene Archer was born in South Richmond, Virginia. His musical talent was clear from a very young age. When he was just three years old, his older brother found him playing the piano in their home.

In 1991, when he was 17, D'Angelo and his group from Richmond performed in the Amateur Night competition at Harlem, New York's famous Apollo Theater. They won three times in a row and earned a cash prize. This success inspired D'Angelo to work on his own music. He decided to leave school and move to New York City to pursue his music career.

Music Career Highlights

Early Success with Brown Sugar

At 17, D'Angelo met Jocelyn Cooper, who signed him to her music publishing company. She heard a demo from a hip hop group D'Angelo was part of and produced. Cooper then introduced D'Angelo to other musicians like Raphael Saadiq and Angie Stone to write songs together. In 1993, after a great audition, D'Angelo signed a recording contract with EMI Music.

In 1994, D'Angelo had his first big hit with "U Will Know". He helped write and produce this song for the R&B supergroup Black Men United. The group included popular singers like Usher and Boyz II Men. "U Will Know" was featured on the soundtrack for the movie Jason's Lyric. It became a top 5 hit on the R&B charts and reached number 28 on the main Billboard Hot 100 chart.

His debut album, Brown Sugar, was released in July 1995. At first, sales were slow, but the album quickly became very popular. It reached number four on the US R&B Albums chart and stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for over a year. By February 1996, the album had sold over one million copies in the United States. It was certified platinum, meaning it sold a lot of copies. The album had four hit singles, including "Lady" and the title track "Brown Sugar".

Voodoo Album and Its Impact

After the success of Brown Sugar, D'Angelo took some time before releasing new solo music. He toured for two years and then found it hard to write new songs. During this time, he released cover songs, like "Your Precious Love" with Erykah Badu and Prince's "She's Always in My Hair". He also sang a duet called "Nothing Even Matters" with Lauryn Hill.

His second album, Voodoo, was released in 2000. Music critics loved Voodoo, calling it a "masterpiece". The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 320,000 copies in its first week. By 2005, it had sold over 1.7 million copies in the US. In 2001, Voodoo won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.

The album's third single, "Untitled (How Does It Feel)", was its biggest hit. It reached number 25 on the Hot 100 Singles chart and number two on the R&B Singles chart. The music video for "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" was very popular and helped boost the song's appeal. It received three nominations at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.

Challenges and Return to Music

After his worldwide tour for Voodoo, D'Angelo stepped away from the public eye for a while. He faced some personal challenges during this period. Plans for new music were put on hold.

Despite his break from solo work, D'Angelo still collaborated with other artists. He appeared on albums by J Dilla, Snoop Dogg, Common, and Q-Tip. He also worked on new music for his next album, trying to play every instrument himself, like Prince.

D'Angelo performing at Brixton Academy in London, 2012

In late 2011, D'Angelo announced he would go on a European tour in 2012. He performed songs from his past albums and introduced four new songs: "Sugah Daddy", "Ain't That Easy", "Another Life", and "The Charade". These new songs were well-received by fans. In June 2012, he performed in the US for the first time in nearly 12 years at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

Black Messiah and Recent Work

D'Angelo released his third studio album, Black Messiah, in December 2014. He decided to release it earlier than planned due to important events happening in the world. The album was released digitally on December 15. Its unexpected release was compared to Beyoncé's surprise album release in 2013.

Black Messiah received excellent reviews from critics. In its first week, it debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 117,000 copies in the United States. D'Angelo supported the album with a tour called The Second Coming. His band, "The Vanguard", included talented musicians like drummer Chris Dave and bassist Pino Palladino. The tour had 57 shows across Europe, Asia, and North America.

At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards in 2016, Black Messiah won Best R&B Album. The song "Really Love" from the album won Best R&B Song and was nominated for Record of the Year.

In June 2015, D'Angelo told Rolling Stone that he was working on new music for another album, calling it a "companion piece" to Black Messiah. In April 2016, he performed Prince's "Sometimes it Snows in April" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as a tribute to the late musician.

D'Angelo also contributed to the soundtrack for the 2018 video game Red Dead Redemption 2. He sang on the song "Unshaken", which was produced by Daniel Lanois. "Unshaken" was released as a digital single in January 2019.

In February 2021, D'Angelo performed at the Apollo Theater in cooperation with the American webcast Verzuz. This event, called D'Angelo VS Friends, featured D'Angelo performing with guests like Keyon Harrold and H.E.R.. In June 2021, he performed "Unshaken" at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.

In 2024, D'Angelo was featured on the song "I Want You Forever" with Jay-Z for the film The Book of Clarence. As of July 2025, there are reports that D'Angelo is working on a new album.

Musical Style and Influences

D'Angelo has been influenced by many great musicians. In a 1995 interview, he talked about how Prince inspired him to write, produce, and perform all his own music. He also mentioned that hip hop groups like A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr influenced the sound of his first album.

D'Angelo has explored different music styles, including gospel, blues, and old soul. He has also been inspired by artists like James Brown, early Sly and the Family Stone, and Jimi Hendrix. He also studied the music of soul artist Al Green, funk artist George Clinton, and Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti.

In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine ranked D'Angelo at number 75 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Personal Life

D'Angelo has three children. In the 1990s, he had a son with soul singer Angie Stone. He also has a daughter born in 1999 and another son born in 2010.

Discography

Studio albums

• Brown Sugar (1995)
• Voodoo (2000)
• Black Messiah (with The Vanguard) (2014)

Tours

• Brown Sugar Tour (1996)
• The Voodoo World Tour (2000)
• Occupy Music Tour (2012)
• The Liberation Tour (2012)
• The Second Coming Tour (2015)

Awards and Nominations

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards

Grammy Awards

MTV Europe Music Awards

Pollstar Concert Industry Awards

Rober Awards Music Prize

See also

In Spanish: D'Angelo para niños

• Neo soul
• Soulquarians