Tragedy Ends Young Singer’s Life

Posted in News on August 26, 2001

BMI singer/artist Aaliyah died Saturday (8/25) when a chartered Cessna plane carrying her and eight others crashed after take-off from Abaco Island in the Bahamas. The 22-year-old r&b/pop singer and budding actress was on her way to Miami after finishing shooting a new video from her self-titled third album just released in July.

The cause of the crash, which killed all nine passengers, was not immediately known. Local police said the plane flew about 200 feet, crashed and caught on fire. Weather was not believed to be a factor. However, CNN reports the pilot had asked the passengers to leave behind some of their luggage because the plane's load was too heavy, but the passengers refused. Bahamian officials have launched an investigation with the help of the NTSB from the U.S.

Born Aaliyah Dana Haughton in Brooklyn in 1979, she grew up in Detroit and released her first album, Age Ain't Nothing But a Number, at the age of 15. Produced by r&b superstar R. Kelly, the platinum album included the two top 10 hits "Back and Forth" and "At Your Best (You Are Love)."

After the release of her second album, the double-platinum One in a Million, Aaliyah recorded two smash soundtrack singles with producer Timbaland, "Try Again" from Romeo Must Die, in which she also starred, and "Are You That Somebody?" from Dr. Dolittle. Both earned Grammy nominations. She also sang the Oscar-nominated "Journey to the Past" from the animated film Anastasia. Her debut performance in Romeo Must Die earned her critical acclaim, helping her land roles in other films including the lead in the upcoming Anne Rice film Queen of the Damned, which she had just finished shooting, and two uncompleted Matrix sequels.

She is survived by her parents, Diane and Michael Haughton, and a brother, Rashaad.

SOURCENews TAGS Pop R&B Aaliyah Artists R. Kelly