Roberta Flack

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Roberta Flack collaborates with AI soundscape company Endel to release reimagined versions of her classic hit, ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song,’ to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roberta Flack’s legendary hit, “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” the retired singer has collaborated with AI sound company Endel to release three reimagined soundscape versions of the song for focus, relaxation, and sleep.

“Killing Me Softly With His Song” is frequently cited as one of the greatest songs of all time, a definitive interpretation of a song that has been covered over 130 times — including the iconic 1996 version by The Fugees. Together with Rhino Entertainment and Roberta Flack, Endel has released three soundscape albums built from the original stems of the song, each with a distinct sonic style according to its function.

By respectfully repurposing the wealth of sounds in Flack’s original recording via AI, the soundscapes bring out new facets of a beloved classic, enabling fans to experience the song in an entirely new way. In November last year, Roberta was diagnosed with ALS, and subsequently retired from performing, as the disease has made it “impossible to sing.”

“Roberta Flack’s song is a Soul masterpiece, and this is the first time that Endel has reworked a classic song in this way,” says Oleg Stavitsky, CEO and co-founder of Endel. “We strived to treat the source material with the utmost respect and wanted to create something special for the song’s 50th anniversary. We love the end result, and we see this as further proof that Endel can create functional music that benefits both artists and their listeners.”

“Roberta has always believed in the power of music to shape and inspire change. In 2010, when she created the Roberta Flack Foundation, she never dreamed of a world where she could participate in a functional music program that could help people improve the quality of their lives,” adds Roberta’s personal manager, Suzanne Koga. “The new frontiers of AI and functional music give Roberta a new door of opportunity to step through as a part of the future of music and technology in a way that helps the world to grow.”

The three soundscape releases in collaboration with Rhino Entertainment are further fruits of the strategic partnership between Endel and Warner Music Group, with Endel reworking iconic music past and present from WMG’s expansive catalog. More reimagined classics from Rhino Entertainment will follow, with Endel releasing three new versions of WAR’s 1972 album, “The World is a Ghetto,” on November 10, part of the album’s 50th anniversary celebration.