Thought you were done being emotional about Prince? Not so fast.
D’Angelo, whose progressive, eclectic blend of soul, funk and R&B owes a tremendous debt to Prince’s influence — he’s said as much in interviews for years — appeared on The Tonight Show on April 26 to pay tribute to the icon.
i wanna thank @FallonTonight staff for letting that happen. us fans are hurting because we didn't have a "goodbye" or a chance to mourn.
— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) April 27, 2016
Performing a beautiful rendition of the Prince ballad “Sometimes It Snows In April,” D’Angelo had the support of Princess, the Prince tribute band comprised of comedian Maya Rudolph and singer-songwriter Gretchen Lieberum.
But aside from their voices, D’Angelo is alone in a spotlight at the piano, dressed in a vest that would have made his musical hero proud. So it’s all the more heartbreaking when his voice begins to crack with emotion near the end of the song.
One take-away: In case there was any doubt, real men definitely cry. And also: We’re really lucky to have D’Angelo.