RIP Angela Bofill: ‘I Try’ singer dies at 70

Angela Bofill, the artist known for such singles as ‘I Try’ and ‘Angel of the Night’, has died. She was 70.

The jazz musician’s friend and manager Rich Engel announced her death in two posts Friday on her Facebook page after Bofill died on Thursday.

‘ON BEHALF OF MY DEAR FRIEND ANGIE, I AM SADDENED TO ANNOUNCE HER PASSING ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 13TH,’ wrote Engel.

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He announced that the funeral would be held on June 28 at 1pm at St. Dominick’s Church in Valejo, California. 

‘JUST TO CLEAR UP THE CONFUSION,’ he added in another post. ‘ON BEHALF OF SHAUNA BOFILL, HUSBAND CHRIS PORTUGUESE, WE ARE SADDENED BUT MUST REPORT THAT THE PASSING OF ANGELA YESTERDAY IS INDEED TRUE.’

Angela Bofill, the artist known for such singles as ‘I Try’ and ‘Angel of the Night’, has died. She was 70; seen in 1960

The jazz musician’s friend and manager Rich Engel announced her death in two posts Friday on her Facebook page after Bofill died on Thursday; seen in 1984

Engel wrote, ‘WE THANK MELBA MOORE AND MAYSA FOR THEIR EARLY CONDOLENCES. THANKS FOR YOUR MANY POST. RICH ENGEL friend and Manager.’

Her cause of death was not immediately made clear. 

Bofill previously addressed false reports of her death in 2020 to Essence after she found out when she got ‘a lot of calls confirming [if] it’s true.’

‘Friends calling up, “Oh my God, am I talking to the ghost of Angela Bofill?!”‘ she recalled at the time. ‘Thank God it’s not true.’

Following premature tributes from fans, Bofill said, ‘Of course, you always must welcome love. I figured, “They really like me!” [I’m just] laughing at it, really. It’s better to have a sense of humor.’

‘My daddy always told me growing up, “When I die, you have a big party,”‘ Bofill said in the interview. 

‘I understand that now… But you’re not [burying] me yet,’ she continued. ‘I have to stick around and see all those grandchildren I have to graduate high school and college. I love life.’

Bofill suffered two strokes in 2006 and 2007, which left her paralyzed on her left side, requiring speech and physical therapy.

She is survived by husband Chris Portuguese, daughter Shauna and her grandchildren.  

Bofill previously addressed false reports of her death in 2020 to Essence after she found out when she got ‘a lot of calls confirming [if] it’s true’

Following premature tributes from fans, Bofill said, ‘Of course, you always must welcome love. I figured, “They really like me!” [I’m just] laughing at it, really. It’s better to have a sense of humor’

Bofill suffered two strokes in 2006 and 2007, which left her paralyzed on her left side, requiring speech and physical therapy; seen in 2022 with producer Narada Michael Walden

Born May 2, 1954 in Brooklyn, the Cuban-Puerto Rican singer grew up in the Bronx and sang with NYC’s All City Chorus in high school before studying at Manhattan School of Music.  

Bofill was known for such songs as ‘This Time I’ll Be Sweeter’, ‘Under the Moon and Over the Sky’ and ‘What I Wouldn’t Do (For the Love of You)’.

She was nominated for an American Music Award in 1984 for Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, and she was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2023..

After Denzel Washington said Bofill was one of his favorite artists, she told Essence that he ‘went to one of my Blue Note [shows] in New York, and I’d never heard of him before. 

‘My assistant was fainting: “Oh my God!” Denzel told me I was his favorite singer, [and I said], “Really? Thank you so much!”‘ she recalled. 

Comedian Loni Love also paid tribute to Bofill after her death. ‘Sad to hear about the passing of Angela Bofill,’ she wrote Friday on X, adding: ‘Thank you for the wonderful music. Rest now Angela.’