Aaliyah Dana Haughton was the beautiful songstress who, alongside visionary beatmaker Timbaland, constructed a melodic soundscape of bob-your-head rhythms. The late singer’s critically-acclaimed sophomore album, One in a Million, will turn 30 in 2026. Yes, thirty! Sadly, the milestone coincides with another tragic event: it also marked the 25th anniversary of Aaliyah’s untimely passing. She was only 22.
Aaliyah would go on to release a critically acclaimed self-titled album in 2001, just a few short months before her passing, bringing her total number of studio albums to three. While all three LP’s saw posthumous sales bumps for the singer, One in a Million was the only album to achieve multi-platinum status prior to her death.
One in a Million saw a steady increase in sales through 1996 and 1997. The album reached two-time multi-platinum status (selling more than two million certified units) on June 16, 1997, less than one year after its release, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. It also been named as Rolling Stone’s top 100 albums of 1990’s.
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Born on January 16th in Brooklyn, but raised in Detroit, the superstar-in-the-making was only 17 years old when she released her Age Ain’t Nothin’ But a Number follow-up, and left behind a controversial relationship with R. Kelly. The album marked a major mainstream breakthrough for both artists, who would go on to become titans in the music industry.
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Today, the album’s title track, written and produced by Missy and Timbaland, remains the biggest hit of Aaliyah’s career, notching an impressive eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and staying on the chart for a total of 26 weeks.
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Celebrities, musicians and noteables from around the world are paying respects to Aaliyah via social media including this video by Beyonce.
How Did Aaliyah’s Plane Crash?
Aaliyah passed away in a plane crash in the Bahamas when a small twin-engine Cessna 402B crashed shortly after takeoff.
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The chartered plane was carrying Aaliyah and eight others, including the singer’s hairdresser, bodyguard, a record executive and the plane’s pilot, per The New York Times. The plane’s wings “shattered on impact,” and the engine and landing gear were torn off, the outlet reported. Aaliyah and five of the other passengers lost their lives instantly; three others passed away from their injuries the next day.
Aaliyah’s official cause of death included “severe burns and a blow to the head,” the pathologist who performed autopsies on the victims testified in court during a coroner’s inquest into the crash in 2003, according to CBS News.
The pathologist also testified that an autopsy of the pilot, Luis Antonio Morales, revealed he had “cocaine in his urine and traces of alcohol in his stomach.” The pilot was also not certified to fly the Cessna 402B and had been hired by the charter company a few days before the crash, per The New York Times. Morales had also been sentenced to probation for cocaine possession two weeks prior.
In addition, the newspaper reported that the days leading up to the flight were filled with confusion and mistakes — including overweight cargo for Aaliyah’s music video being delivered to the wrong Bahamian island and multiple changes of which charter company would bring Aaliyah and her crew back to the United States.
After investigations into the causes of the crash, officials believed that the small twin-engine plane was 700 pounds overloaded when it took off from the airport on the Bahamian island of Abaco.
Aaliyah’s Legacy Lives on in a Barbie Doll
Interest in the Barbie doll of Aaliyah is truly “One in a Million” — and it shows, as the doll has already sold out.
The doll was released Jan. 16, what would have been the late R&B star’s 46th birthday. As of the same afternoon, the collector’s item is listed as sold out on the Mattel website!
The Barbie Instagram account posted about the latest addition to their Barbie Music Series on Thursday, stating, “Today on Aaliyah’s birthday, Barbie honors the Princess of R&B’s unmatched legacy as a once-in-a-generation talent.”
“A rising star who left an unforgettable mark on pop culture, the Aaliyah Barbie doll remembers her iconic style, keeping her influence alive across generations,” the post said.
Inspired by her outfit in the “One in a Million” music video, photos show the doll in a sleeveless faux leather vest, black faux leather crop top and silver-studded pants. It also features her iconic black aviator sunglasses and armbands to complete the look.
Rashad Haughton, Aaliyah’s brother, collaborated closely with Mattel to bring the doll to life and was “blown away” by the final result. He shared with TODAY.com that his sister would have loved the edgy ensemble, noting that her favorite color was “all black.”
“It’s still tight fitting, it’s still a little bit sexy. But it’s pants so it brings that power and that confidence and expression,” Haughton explains. “It really just checked all the boxes of what my sister represents and also what Barbie represents, which is empowerment and expression.”
Mattel stated in the doll’s listing, “Aaliyah’s smooth vocals and innovative sound helped shape ’90s R&B, and her influence on music and fashion continues to be felt today. Our tribute to ‘Babygirl’s’ life and sound will take any collection to the top of the charts.”
Rest in Heaven Aaliyah!
