“[It’s] as if I’m swimming in the air. Free. Weightless. Nobody can reach me. Nobody can touch me. [It’s] a wonderful feeling. “ -Aaliyah, Die Zeit Interview (2001, English Translation)
I. Songs of Innocence (1989–1994)
“The caged bird sings with a fearful trill…”
“Let me know.” Those are the first three words that cut through the silence. Let her know how you feel and she will reciprocate in kind. She sees the best and worst in you and is comfortable with both. With her you can be vulnerable, with her you can be yourself. That is Aaliyah Dana Haughton’s promise to you-a promise she kept till the very end.
Aaliyah’s voice made the old feel new, the grounded feel ethereal, and turned the personal into universal. As a result, her debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number, released on May 24, 1994, functioned as a portal into the fleeting joys of adolescence. However, behind this exuberance and excitement lay darkness that slowly revealed its true nature over time.
II. Songs of Perseverance (1995–1997)
“of things unknown but longed for still…”
After the success of Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number, marking its 25th anniversary today, questions began…
