Aaliyah may be gone but her legacy lives on. The American singer continues to influence pop culture.
Born on January 16, 1979, Aaliyah died in a plane crash on August 25, 2001.
On her birthday, Mattel honoured the late singer by launching a range of Barbie dolls that look like her.
The new Aaliyah Barbie honours the “Try Again” hitmaker’s iconic style, which included cropped tops, stylish low-rise leather pants and dark sunglasses.
“One in a million. Today on Aaliyah’s birthday, Barbie honours 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,” said the Mattel group.
Aaliyah’s fans were so happy and many of them shared how they used to love the singer.
After the doll sold out within 30 minutes of release, they started pressuring Mattel to release more Aaliyah dolls.
only1_khin asked: “Happy that Barbie did this for Aaliyah! As a millennial and huge fan, where else can I purchase? The Target presale is sold out. Will she be available on 1/26 in Target stores?"
Another fan, @livebynolimits, said: “This is truly amazing. The fact that you sold it on your birthday means a lot to Aaliyah fans! Happy Heavenly Birthday Aaliyah.”
In the year of her death, she released the song “Mora Than A Woman” and, today, it remains a hit.
Sometimes I wonder where she would’ve been had she not died because she was very young and with her talent, she had a bright future ahead of her.
Unfortunately, her life was cut short, but at least she left us with timeless music.