Aaliyah (1979-2001) was an artist who set a new standard for R&B in the 90s. She integrated genres and was known for her distinctive voice and style.
Aaliyah (1979-2001) was an artist who set a new standard for R&B in the 90s. She integrated genres and was known for her distinctive voice and style.
History classes can get a bad wrap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Liz Smith, Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Sundus Hassan, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, and Ale Tejeda. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.
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Hello! I’m Allison Russell. I’m a Grammy nominated singer, songwriter, poet, and activist. I’ve been inspired by artists like Nina Simone and Edith Piaf who turned their faces into the blade of storm and roared back dignity and hope.
This month, I’m your guest host on Womanica.
Before we dive in, you should know that this episode contains some content that might not be suitable for children.
Today we’re talking about an artist who set a new standard for R&B in the 90s. She integrated genres and was known for her distinctive voice and style. Please welcome, Aaliyah.
Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 16, 1979. Her parents, Diane and Michael Haughton raised her and her brother in Detroit, Michigan. Her parents enrolled her in voice lessons shortly after she learned to talk. By age 10, she was performing on “Star Search”, a competitive TV show.
In 1994 at the age of 14, Aaliyah released her debut album, “Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number”. The album was produced by R. Kelly, and quickly sold a million copies. Eventually it earned platinum status thanks to the success of two hit singles, "Back and Forth" and "At Your Best (You Are Love).” When she was only 15, she and R. Kelly reportedly married. He was 27. When Aaliyah’s family discovered what had happened, they intervened, and the marriage was annulled. Despite R.Kelly’s predatory behavior, Aaliyah bore the brunt of the negative media attention that followed. She was portrayed as the temptress who broke R.Kelly’s heart.
Just last year, in 2021, R. Kelly, now 54, was found guilty of charges including sexual exploitation of a child, bribery, racketeering and sex trafficking. He is currently on trial for other counts of rape and child molestation.
In 1996, Aaliyah released her second record, “One In A Million”. The album was produced by Timbaland and featured the rapper Missy Elliot – both still rising stars at the time. At only seventeen, Aaliyah’s second album went platinum. Some say that this album set a new standard for R&B. Kathy Iandoli, a music journalist who wrote a book on Aaliyah, told Vanity Fair: “they created a sound that wasn’t built for that decade. You can play that music now and it’s still relevant because what they were doing was so futuristic; it was eons ahead of what was going on.”
Aaliyah became iconic not just for her music but her style. She frequently wore baggy pants and crop tops that made her standout among other artists in the 90s. Designer James Flemons told a reporter at Bitch media that Aaliyah “had a way of interchanging her masculinity and femininity through her fashion sense so effortlessly, and it was obvious that it was so true to her identity as a person.”
Over the next five years, Aaliyah released several hit singles and music videos. She was also cast in several movies. She co-starred in the martial arts film Romeo Must Die, a Shakespeare adaptation based in LA. Aaliyah scored her first no. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, for the song “Try Again” from the movie’s soundtrack.
In 2001 Aaliyah released her third and final album, “Aaliyah.” Like the first two, it was a huge hit. In August of that year, she and her crew traveled to the Bahamas to film a music video for a song on the album. On their return flight, the plane crashed. Aaliyah and the other passengers died. She was 22.
In the 20 years since her death, Aaliyah’s influence is still palpable in the music of many artists. She’s been memorialized through song, murals, and fashion – and she’s still known as “The Princess of R&B.”
All month long, we’re highlighting Black musicians. Womanica is a Wonder Media Network production. Special thanks to co-creators Jenny and Liz Kaplan, who invited me to guest host this month.
Talk to you tomorrow!