Aaliyah Dana Haughton

Aaliyah Dana Haughton (http://www.biography.com/search/ article.jsp?aid=9542434&search=)

A hero, to me, is a person who goes out their way to help you and others. A hero doesn’t always have to be a super hero, or someone famous, but just someone in your life you look up to and admire. My hero's name is Aaliyah Dana Haughton. The reason why Aaliyah is my hero is because she is a role model to young girls. She became a singer at the age of 11 and also started her acting career at a very young age. The reason why she’s a role model to young girls is because she became famous so young; girls want to strive to do the same. That’s why she’s my hero. I also chose Aaliyah because she was a good person and strived to do her best at everything.

Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born, January 16, 1979 in Brooklyn, New York, but was raised in Detroit; Michigan. Aaliyah first started her career at 11 years old, on the TV show Star Search. Later that year, Aaliyah performed with the R&B legend Gladys Knight.

In 1994 the 15 year old went on the R&B charts with her first album "Age Aint Nothig but a Number," which was produced buy the singer R. {Robert} Kelly. The album quickly sold millions of copies with the two hits “Back and Forth” and “At your Best “{You are Loved}. In 1997 Aaliyah graduated from Detroit High School. Later that year she released her 3rd album “One in a Million”. It was produced by the producer Timbaland and featuring rap performer Missy Elliott. "One in a Million" made the 17-year-old singer a hip hop legend. That album sold two million copies. Aaliyah gained even more confidence in herself in 1997 when she recorded “Journey to the Past,” the Academy Award-nominated theme song to the animated feature Anastasia. She also performed the song for the Oscar telecast in 1998.

Her next sound track was “Are You That Somebody” for the 1998 movie Dr. Dolittle staring Eddie Murphy. It went #1 on the Hip hop charts, was a big hit and earned her first Grammy Award nomination.

In 2000 Aaliyah had her first acting role in the movie "Romeo Must Die." She was a producer of the movie's soundtrack and performed her hit single “Try Again” Which earned her a second Grammy and two MTV music awards. In 2001 she starred in the movie "Queen of the Damned" which was based on the novel by Anne Rice and set for relaese in 2002.

Aaliyah Dana Haughton (http://www.biography.com/search/ article.jsp?aid=9542434&search=)

Tragically, Aaliyah was killed on August 25, 2001, when a small passenger plane carrying the singer and her video crew crashed and burst into flames shortly after takeoff from Abaco Island in the Bahamas, where they had just completed work on a video. The plane was headed for Miami, Florida. Aaliyah and seven other people, including the pilot, were believed to have died instantly, while the ninth passenger died later at a Bahamian hospital. Aaliyah was 22 years old when she died. She is dearly missed by her family, friends, & all of her fans.