Introduction:
There’s no doubt about it.
Michael Jackson was one of the most mesmerising musical talents to ever grace the 20th century.
Even as a youngster, fronting the The Jackson 5 with his brothers, everyone could tell he had something special.
As we know, he evolved into the ‘King Of Pop’, arguably the greatest star in popular music history.
Not only did he have an incredible voice, but he possessed the songwriting genius and forward-thinking dance moves to match.
As a child and later a young teenager however, singing was his stand-out characteristic, as he became the focal point of The Jackson 5.
What was most miraculous about Michael, that his immaculate, heavenly voice conveyed the kind of emotion of someone twice his age.
That was precisely what happened when a 15 year old Michael performed a mature, spine-tingling cover of Roberta Flack’s heavy-hearted classic ‘Killing Me Softly’.
Appearing on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1974, the night The Jackson 5 performed Bill Cosby took over duties as a guest host.
It meant that the Jackson brothers, including the youngest Randy Jackson, got in on the showbiz fun by cracking jokes and messing around alongside Cosby throughout.
That sense of informal fun ran through the Jackson brother’s electrifying cover of ‘Dancing Machine’ which they played on the night.
But they brought the studio audience – and everyone watching at home – to a stand-still soon after.
The Jacksons took to the stage to perform a beautifully gentle medley which featured ‘Killing Me Softly’, the song that transformed Roberta Flack into a soul icon.
They blended ‘Killing Me Softly’ with a gorgeous rendition of Glen Campbell’s ‘By The Time I Get To Phoenix’ which his brother’s shared vocal duties on, as well as the traditional folk song ‘Danny Boy’.
Of course, Jermaine, Tito, Jackie and Marlon all had immense talent themselves, which they all displayed throughout the tender, acoustic set.
But Michael stood head and shoulders above his brothers, in a performance that captured him in a pivotal transition.
Michael was only days away from celebrating his 16th birthday, yet his musical talent suggested he was wise beyond his years.
Perhaps because he had been in showbusiness since his early childhood, he had to grow up fast.
His cover of ‘Killing Me Softly’ offered the world a rare glimpse into his evolving artistry, where he began to move away from high energy Motown and toward more emotionally complex solo music.
What’s magic about his performance, is that despite being just the tender age of 15, his voice hints at a sense of regret.
Given Michael missed out on much of his childhood to pursue a career in music, it’s this added meaning which makes his performance so powerful.
Funnily enough, that same year Michael was fortunate enough to duet with Roberta Flack, a singer he evidently admired.
They duetted on the song ‘When We Grow Up’ for the television programme Free To Be… You and Me, which was written to promote self-acceptance among children.
In 2017, Roberta Flack recalled the opportunity to sing alongside Michael, saying it was a “joy”.
“I always felt that Michael Jackson was one of the people who didn’t have to prepare that much, even from the time he was a very little kid,” she told The Huffington Post.
“I mean, I think I’m sweeter than he is in the video with my ponytails. (laughs) But I’ll tell you, it was such a joy to work with him because he was so bright and sharp.”
“We didn’t have to do it a bunch of times. We did it a few times, and it was a lot of fun. When you have that sort of innate and instinctive gift, you can sort of relax and let it flow.”