Her name is the feminine form of the Arabic " Ali" meaning "highest, most exalted one, the best." The singer was highly fond of her name, calling it "beautiful" and asserting she was "very proud of it" and strove to live up to her name every day.
She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and "Queen of Urban Pop".īorn in Brooklyn but raised in Detroit, she first gained recognition at the age of 10, when she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside Gladys Knight. At the height of her career in the 90s, she embodied a "street but sweet" style, wearing tomboy clothing paired with dark hues of burgundy or fiery red lips.Aaliyah Dana Haughton ( / ɑː ˈ l iː ə/ January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001), known mononymously as Aaliyah, was an American singer, actress, dancer, and model. The "Aaliyah For MAC" makeup line takes its cues from her music videos and personal makeup bag. Her record label, Blackground Records, lost its distribution deal, preventing her music from appearing on streaming platforms. In the years since then, her estate has been tied up in disagreements over issues like the rights to her image and unreleased music.
"People around the world still love and celebrate her life and music every year!" she wrote.Īaliyah, whose full name was Aaliyah Dana Haughton, died in a twin-engine plane crash in the Bahamas in 2001 at the age of 22. Risinger's petition praised Aaliyah as "a risk taker" and "innovator" who continues to influence today's artists. The online campaign by Aaliyah fans followed the success of another fan-driven capsule collection inspired by the late beloved Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla. Makeup giant MAC heard the calls of 26,000 people who signed a petition started by super-fan Jennifer Risinger.
Almost 17 years after the tragic death of R&B songstress Aaliyah, she's the inspiration for a new makeup line.