Aaliyah from the beginning.........

Aaliyah was born as Aaliyah Dana Haugton in Brooklyn, New York on January 16, 1979. Aaliyah is Arabic, meaning "the best," "the highest, most exualted one". At the age of 5, Aaliyah moved to Detroit with her family; mother, Diane and brother, Rashad. Aaliyah's family was very close-knitt.

Aaliyah began performing professionally at the age of 9, auditioning regularly for record companies and television pilots, and singing on Star Search. By the time she was 11, Aaliyah was singing with Gladys Knight in Las Vegas.

At the age of 14, in 1994, Aaliyah released her debut album entitled "Age Ain't Nothing But A Number," which sold over 1,000,000 copies, and boast gold singles such as "Back and Forth" and "At Your Best (You Are Love)". The album was produced by Robert Kelly, who also wrote numerous songs and sang background vocals. Aaliyah was married briefly to R. Kelly in 1994-1995.

In 1996, Aaliyah's sophomore album "One In A Million" was released. It included the always popular hits "One In A Million," "The One I Gave My Heart To," and "Four Page Letter".

In 1997, Aaliyah graduated from Detroit's School of Performing and Fine Arts with a 4.0 G.P.A., proving that she was not only beautiful and talented, but an intelligent young woman as well.

Two years later, Aaliyah debuted in her first starring movie role along side Jett Li in "Romeo Must Die." Aaliyah also had two songs on the soundtrack and was a co-producer on the album. One song from the soundtrack, "Try Again" earned Aaliyah a 2000 Grammy nomination for Best R&B Female Vocalist.

Aaliyah's third, and final, album was released in July of 2001. The self-titled CD debuted at #2 on the Billboard Charts.

Aaliyah was at the height of her career, enjoying the success of her last album, "We Need A Resolution" single, and two upcoming new movies [Queen of the Damned, Matrix Reloaded]. Sadly, after filming her latest video, Rock the Boat, Aaliyah was killed instantly in a tragic plane crash on August 25, 2001 in the Bahamas after takeoff from Marsh Harbour Airport.

Aaliyah's death was devastating to family, friends, and fans. She was a crucial loss to the entertainment world, and her presence will be missed greatly. Aaliyah was one of the most sweetest and respected young musicians, and her kindness affected everyone that she met, and some that simply watched her on television.

Aaliyah's body was laid to rest on August 31, 2001 in her birth home of New York. The funeral was private, but fans were able to watch on as horse and carriage pulled Aaliyah's casket to the graveyard where she was to be buried, and 22 white doves-each representing a year of her life--were released into the air...

When considering Aaliyahs track record, its befitting that her name means the highest, most exalted one, the best. Her parents, Diane and Michael, decided on this name long before Aaliyah (Aah-Lee-Yah) was even conceived based on the high hopes and expectations they had for their daughter. Her success as both a recording artist and actress actually makes the name a self-fulfilling prophecy. Aaliyah has made her parents dreams come true and has also fulfilled many of her own. At 21, she not only has a very successful recording career and has established herself as a motion picture actress but has also proven to be an accomplished businesswoman.

Aaliyahs motion picture debut in Romeo Must Die, produced by Joel Silver for Warner Brothers, is spectacular by any standards. Co-starring Jet Li, the film is a box office success and has led to Aaliyahs huge hit record, Try Again. The Romeo soundtrack is expected to sell in the millions and has spent weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Soundtrack Chart. What makes this even more extraordinary is that she is the executive producer of the soundtrack! Aaliyah has three other cuts on the record including one with DMX. Currently, Aaliyah is working on her third studio album and selecting her next film roles from the many offers that she is receiving. She plans to continue her collaboration with Timbaland and is also hoping to work with other outstanding producers and artists.

In 1998 Aaliyah had a huge hit with Are You That Somebody from the Dr. Dolittle soundtrack. Produced by Timbaland, the song is infectious, known for its clever sampling of a baby crying. Fans particularly enjoy the classy Flamenco dance moves in the video. Also that year, Aaliyah performed Journey To The Past for the motion picture Anastasia. Journey To The Past was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. Aaliyah performed it on The Academy Awards Show that year.

In 1996 Aaliyah released her second record, One In A Million. The first single, If Your Girl Only Knew, went double platinum and contains Timbalands signature syncopated beats and Missy Misdemeanor Elliots poignant lyrics. 4 Page Letter and Hot Like Fire were also well received. I love working with Timbaland, Aaliyah says. He understands what I can do and always wants to try new things. We have great chemistry; were musical soulmates.
Jermaine Dupri, Rodney Jerkins, J. Dibbs, Daryl Simmons, Kay-Gee, Vincent V.H. Herbert and Craig King were also involved with producing One In A Million. The album was multi-platinum and an international hit. Aaliyah performed throughout Europe, Japan and South Africa. In Tokyo, concertgoers sang the words to all of her songs. In Paris, eager fans chanted her name before she took the stage.
In 1994, at the age of 14, Aaliyah released her first album, Age Aint Nothing But A Number. It was an instant success.

The first single, Back And Forth, was a Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and a No. 1 R&B song. The follow up single, a remake of the Isley Brothers At Your Best (You Are Love), reached Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was No. 2 at R&B radio. I still remember how nervous I was right before Back And Forth came out, she says. I kept wondering if people would accept it. When it went gold, I had my answer, and it was just such an incredibly satisfying feeling. The acceptance of her music inspired other female teen singers to follow in her footsteps. Her taste in fashion influences millions of her fans. Her trademark baggy pants and oversized shirts simply reflect the sense of style she developed as a child. She always loved wearing her father and brothers clothes.

From an early age, Aaliyah has been finding satisfaction in her music. When she didnt win the youth vocal competition on Star Search as a preteen, she did not let it deter her from continuing to sing. In fact, at age 11, she landed a five-night sting performing with Gladys Knights troupe in Las Vegas. Born in Brooklyn, NY, she was raised in Detroit. She graduated from the Detroit Performing Arts High School in 1997 with a 4.0 GPA. She credits her success to the support of her family.
When I told my parents that I wanted to embark along this path, says Aaliyah, who last year got her first apartment, they were with me all the way. Theyre the ones who shuttled me back and forth to my vocal lessons. What could be more important?

Here is a little more about Romeo Must Die. Aaliyah portrays Trish ODay, a headstrong teen desperate to disassociate herself with the perils of her fathers life as an Oakland, California crime boss. A film highlight is her big fight scene in which she and Jet Li confront a female villainess. In this climatic struggle, Jet Li holds Aaliyah up and uses her as a weapon against their nemesis. Aaliyah is proud of the way the scene turned out, especially since she did not use a stunt double.

I studied for one month. My brother, Rashad, and I took some martial arts classes when we were younger. Jet Li is really amazing. Hes such a natural. He just came in and did his part. It only took three days to shoot. At the MTV Movie Awards this year, a lot of media asked me if there were any categories I would like to see added to the awards. Actually, I would Best Hug and Best Dance Scene. In the movie, Jet Li and I never have a kissing scene. But we do have a hot dance sequence.