Remembering Aaliyah: A Birthday Dedication
Sunday, January 17th, 2010
There are moments in life where you remember exactly where you are, what you were doing, and how you felt when something tragic happens. For me, one of those days occurred on August 25, 2001. I had just moved into my dorm room during my junior year of college. After unpacking all day, I finally got my internet up and running when I saw the news on the homepage of AOL. It said singer Aaliyah had died in a plane crash in the Bahamas. Shock set in.
The young singer who had redefined R&B/Hip-Hop in the late 90’s with her sultry tomboy style was taken from this earth at the tender age of 22. When I see ladies like Beyonce or Alicia Keys, young singers turned actresses, I can’t help but reminded of Aaliyah, a true triple threat whose potential was cut short way too soon.
I often wonder, if Aaliyah were still with us, would Timbaland have segued into mainstream saturation? Would he have teamed up with Justin Timberlake or even Nelly Furtado? After all, Aaliyah was his muse. She made his songs come alive with every unorthodox baby giggle or cry, every beatbox, every rap without trying to blow away her audience with vocal acrobatics. Aaliyah was a “pocket” singer – she’d find her sweet spot and maneuver within it with smooth confidence. She truly understood the power of a whisper.
