D'Angelo

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 50) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Genres	Neo soul funk hip hop soul R&B[1] progressive soul[2]
Occupations	Singer songwriter multi-instrumentalist record producer
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano keyboards drums
Works	D'Angelo discography
Years active	1991–present
Labels	EMI Virgin J RCA
Formerly of	Soulquarians The Vanguard
Children	3

Michael Eugene Archer^[3] (born February 11, 1974), better known by his stage name D'Angelo (/diˈændʒəloʊ/), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He first garnered attention after co-producing the single "U Will Know" for R&B supergroup Black Men United. His debut studio album, Brown Sugar (1995), was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and received widespread acclaim from music critics, who have credited the album for ushering in the neo soul movement. His third single, "Lady", reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

D'Angelo would then collaborate with artists such as Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and then-girlfriend Angie Stone. His next album, Voodoo (2000), debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and continued to receive critical acclaim. The album's lead single "Untitled (How Does It Feel)", earned him the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance; likewise, Voodoo won Best R&B Album. Following this period, D'Angelo became increasingly uncomfortable with his growing status as a sex symbol. This was followed by numerous personal struggles, including alcoholism, which resulted in limited musical output for several years.

After over a decade spent mostly out of the public eye, he then released his third studio album, Black Messiah, in 2014. The album was met with critical acclaim and peaked at number five on the US Billboard 200. The same year, D'Angelo was hailed as the next Marvin Gaye by GQ.^[4] D'Angelo also contributed to the soundtrack for the 2018 video game Red Dead Redemption 2, performing the song "Unshaken".