Aaliyah (born Aaliyah Dana Haughton; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer, dancer, actress, and model. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Detroit, she exploded onto the scene at just 15 with her debut album Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number (1994), produced by R. Kelly, which went double platinum.

After cutting ties with R. Kelly amid controversy, she teamed up with Timbaland and Missy Elliott for her groundbreaking sophomore album One in a Million (1996), blending smooth R&B with futuristic beats and selling over eight million copies worldwide. She followed it with her self-titled final album Aaliyah (2001), led by hits like “We Need a Resolution” and “Rock the Boat.”

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaliyah/

Aaliyah also starred in Romeo Must Die (2000), earning praise for her action scenes and contributing the Grammy-nominated smash “Try Again” — the first song to top the Billboard Hot 100 based solely on radio airplay. She was set to star in Queen of the Damned and the Matrix sequels before tragedy struck.
On August 25, 2001, at age 22, Aaliyah died in a plane crash in the Bahamas along with eight others after filming the “Rock the Boat” video. The pilot was unlicensed and had drugs in his system.

With her effortless cool, tomboy style, and innovative sound, Aaliyah redefined R&B and pop. She’s sold 24–32 million records worldwide and is forever known as the Princess of R&B and Queen of Urban Pop. Her influence still runs deep more than two decades later.