Biography

Aaliyah was born January 16, 1979 in Brooklyn, New York. Later she moved to Detroit where she developed and honed her angelic falsetto and smooth vocal timbre that would become the hallmark of her legendary style. At the age of 10, she appeared on the TV show Star Search and performed in concert alongside Gladys Knight. At the age of 12, she signed with Jive Records. Her uncle and manager at the time, Barry Hankerson, introduced her to R. Kelly, who became lead songwriter and producer of her debut album, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number. The album went on to sell three million copies and was certified double platinum by the RIAA. After allegations of an illegal marriage with Kelly, Aaliyah's parents took over her management, and ended her contract with Jive and signed with Atlantic Records. Aaliyah worked with record producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott for her second album, One in a Million. It sold three million copies in the U.S. and more than eight million worldwide. In 2000, Aaliyah made her film debut in Romeo Must Die. She contributed to the film's soundtrack, which spawned the single "Try Again". The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 solely on airplay, making Aaliyah the first artist in Billboard history to achieve this goal. In 2001, Aaliyah filmed the titular role of "Akasha" in Queen of the Damned, and released her chart topping, self-titled, third and final studio album the same year. On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah passed away at the age of 22.