For Swayvo Twain, February 1, 2026, will serve as an eerie yet fulfilling moment.
The son of singers D’Angelo and Angie Stone was on hand to witness a tribute to his father during the 68th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. However, despite lauded performances from his father’s longtime collaborators in Lauryn Hill and Anthony Hamilton, Twain, real name Michael Archer Jr., looks at the moment differently.
“It’s bittersweet,” Archer said. “In my mind I can’t help but [to] put mom and my father together. So in my mind, I’m like, why not honor them both together?”
Archer spoke out in a new ABC News special about D’Angelo that aired on Friday (Feb. 20). Hosted by Rocsi Diaz, the episode, titled “Love & Neo-Soul: Honoring the Legacy of D’Angelo” captures the R&B legend’s rise from adolescence in the pentacostal church, to solo success with his debut album and becoming a global superstar with “Voodoo” and “Untitled (How Does It Feel)”. Lucky Daye, Ari Lennox, D-Nice and others lend their voices to the effort.
In various clips from the special, Archer can be seen going through old photos of his parents, speaking glowingly about both. D’Angelo passed away from pancreatic cancer in October 2025, while Stone died in a car accident last Spring. He commemorated both of their birthdays with touching posts on Instagram.
After seeing a photo of him following his high school graduation, Archer laughs. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen my dad smile this hard,” he said.
Despite feeling “cheated” about the future with his father due to his death, Archer explained that when he first found out about his father’s illness, he knew things were taking a turn.
“I had just called him, his voice sounded weak,” Archer said. “But he was still trying to talk to me. I’m like, ‘Pops, you good? What’s going on?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, son, I’m in the hospital.”
He later added, “I feel cheated in a sense. Especially with my father. I was excited for what the future held for us.”
Watch the special above.
