On June 17, 2000, Aaliyah’s “Try Again” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. With her sultry vocals, the Princess of R&B crooned, “If at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again.” It became the first song ever to reach the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 based solely on the strength of its radio airplay. “Try Again” appeared on the movie soundtrack for the film, “Romeo Must Die,” in which she also starred. The song earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B vocal performance.
Aaliyah was born on January 16, 1979, in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Detroit, MI. At 10 years old, Aaliyah performed on “Star Search” and also performed alongside the legendary singer, Gladys Knight. At 12 years old, Aaliyah signed a record deal with Jive Records. Her 1994 debut album, “Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number,” sold three million copies in the United States.
Aaliyah moved to Atlantic Records for her second album, “One In A Million,” collaborating with Timbaland and Missy Elliot. The album sold 3.7 million copies in the U.S. and eight million copies worldwide. Meanwhile, Aaliyah made sure to stay in high school, graduating with a 4.0 GPA from Detroit High School for the Fine and Performing Arts in 1997.
In 2000, Aaliyah made her big screen debut starring opposite Jet Li in “Romeo Must Die.” She was also the executive producer of the film’s soundtrack and contributed four tracks, including “Try Again.”
Her promising career sadly ended when Aaliyah and eight others died in a plane crash in The Bahamas on August 25, 2001. She had just wrapped up filming the music video for her next single, “Rock The Boat.” The week after her death, Aaliyah’s third and final album, “Aaliyah,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. “Rock The Boat” was released posthumously, as were two other hit singles from her final album.
Seventeen years since her passing, Aaliyah still has a faithful fanbase. A few years ago, they petitioned MAC Cosmetics to release an Aaliyah makeup line. Aaliyah fans are anxiously awaiting the June 20, 2018 launch. Among the many Aaliyah-inspired beauty options, there will be an “Age Ain’t Nothin” eyeshadow palette and a “Baby Girl” bronzing powder. Almost two decades since her passing, Aaliyah’s memory lives on in her music, movies and now, in makeup.