NEW YORK, USA — Just months before his death, the acclaimed neo-soul musician D’Angelo was privately grieving the loss of his former partner and collaborator, Angie Stone, who died in a car crash in March 2025.
Sources close to the artist told People that the singer, born Michael Eugene Archer, was “extremely overwhelmed” after learning of Stone’s passing.
“Losing Angie was devastating to him,” one source said.
“He never arrived at her funeral service. They’d moved on with their lives romantically of course, but the idea that both of them would be gone within the same year is sad.”
The two artists shared a long history — both personal and professional.
D’Angelo and Stone began dating in the 1990s and welcomed their son, Michael Jr., in 1998.
They collaborated frequently during that period: Stone toured as a background vocalist on D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar tour, and the pair co-wrote “Everyday,” a track featured on Stone’s debut album Black Diamond in 1999.
In later interviews, Stone reflected on their early connection.
Speaking to GQ in 2014, she said that when she met him, she “knew a superstar was on the rise.” In 2023, during an appearance on VladTV, Stone discussed their 13-year age difference, clarifying that their relationship developed naturally.
“He pursued me, I did not pursue him,” she said. “At the time, we were just the best of friends. As time grew, we ended up falling for each other. All I can tell you is s— happens.”
Stone, a Grammy-nominated R&B singer known for hits such as “No More Rain (In This Cloud),” died on 1 March near Montgomery, Alabama, after her vehicle overturned and was struck by another. She was 63.
Seven months later, on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, D’Angelo died in New York City at 51 following a private battle with pancreatic cancer.
His estate confirmed the news in a statement: “The shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life… After a prolonged and courageous battle with cancer, we are heartbroken to announce that Michael D’Angelo Archer, known to his fans around the world as D’Angelo, has been called home.”
The statement continued, “We are saddened that he can only leave dear memories with his family, but we are eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind.”
D’Angelo’s impact on soul and R&B music was transformative.
His 1995 debut album Brown Sugar was hailed as a defining work of the neo-soul movement, going platinum within a year.
His follow-up, Voodoo (2000), debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and the R&B chart, earning two Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Album.
After a long hiatus, he returned in 2014 with Black Messiah, another critically acclaimed project that reaffirmed his artistry and social consciousness.
Despite living largely out of the public eye in recent years, D’Angelo remained a revered figure — known as much for his soulful genius as for his introspective, elusive persona.
For many, the closeness of his death to Stone’s feels almost poetic — two lives deeply intertwined through music, love, and history. As one source put it, “They were forever tied as this pop culture couple.”
Both artists leave behind an enduring legacy that shaped the sound and spirit of modern soul music — and now, a shared absence that the industry will feel for years to come.
