D’Angelo Gives First U.S. Performance In 12 Years [Video]

D’Angelo hasn’t performed in the United States for over a decade. But last night at Bonnaroo the famous R&B singer hopped up on stage to join Questlove during a “Superjam” session.

MTV reports that D’Angelo has done a few shows in Europe this year but this is the first time he’s played in America in the last 12 years. D’Angelo joined Questlove for about an hour on stage, singing songs like Jimi Hendrix’s “Have You Ever Been (to Electric Ladyland),” the Beatles’ “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window,” and Led Zeppelin’s “What is and What Should Never Be.”

Questlove said while introducing the reclusive singer:

“I’ve been waiting 12 years to say this — ladies and gentlemen, D’Angelo!”

The Consequence of Sound reports that this won’t be D’Angelo’s only US performance this summer. The singer, who is currently working on his long-awaited third studio album, will playing in New Orleans this July at Essence Festival, and in Philadelphia in September for Jay-Z’s Made In America Festival.

Questlove told the SF Gate that D’Angelo’s new album is finished but the singer is reluctant to send it out to the public. The Roots drummer said he wanted to get D’Angelo back on stage to show him that he still has fans that are anxiously awaiting his new album.

Questlove said:

“I wanted him to see that… That’s a green light. Me doing it wasn’t, like, running out of jam partners. Me doing it was basically showing him, `Look, you are so missed you don’t even realize how much you are missed,’ hoping that this will be the adrenaline boost that will finally get him to turn his record into the label. It’s done, it’s brilliant. I played on it. I know it’s brilliant. Now it’s just time to let his kids go and show it to the world. That’s what I’m here for.”

Here’s D’Angelo singing at Bonnaroo with Questlove.