Aaliyah Haughton was born January 16, 1979 in Brooklyn, New York. At the age of five, her family moved to Detroit where she started what seemed to be a promising* career. Only time would tell if this upcoming star would live up to that aspiration* and her name, which means “highest, most exalted* one” in Swahili*. This bright and rising star started her career with a voice that could be compared to that of Janet Jackson.

　　A star in the makingAaliyah’s talent was recognized at a young age. She first realized she could sing at the age of six. She was auditioned* for the school play of Annie at age nine, and then auditioned for TV show Family Matters at the age of 11.

　　Age means nothingIn 1992, she met with R&B artist R. Kelly, who quickly took Aaliyah under his wing as they started working on various songs and recording projects. Aaliyah’s debut album* was launched in June, 1994. Titled Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number, it topped the charts with the single Back and Forth.Rumors were spreading that the young singer had something going on with Kelly, an allegation* that both parties eventually denied. She toured the world pulling big crowds in Japan, Europe, South Africa, and in the U.S. She decided to return home and pursue her studies in performing arts, while majoring in dance.

　　A star on her ownReleased in the summer of 1996, One in a Million, her second album, brought Aaliyah to the next level in the industry standards, and she was not considered a side act anymore. She reached No. 1 on the R&B singles chart with her single If Your Girl Only Knew. The album was certified* double platinum* after only 10 months on the market, putting Aaliyah among the superstars of the music industry.Her acting debut was in 2000’s Romeo Must Die, in which she portrayed the daughter of a mobster* and costarred action hero, Jet Li. The movie wasn’t a blockbuster*, but the budding actress received critical acclaim, and it was evident that more film roles were on the way.

　　A life cut shortHer hit single from the Romeo Must Die soundtrack, Try Again, garnered Aaliyah two Grammy nominations. Aaliyah had just completed filming for the title role in The Queen of the Damned when she was killed in a plane crash that took the lives of eight others August 25, 2001, on the way to Miami from the Bahamas. The 22-year-old singer/actress was in the Bahamas shooting a music video. The self-titled Aaliyah, the singer’s third album, was released July 2001, and debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard magazine album chart. (SD-Agencies)

　　“I’m the interpreter. I’m the one who takes your words and brings them to life. I was trained to sing and dance and laugh, and that’s what I want to do.”

　　—Aaliyah Haughton