No matter how may times I have done this, it never feels right writing it in past tense. By rights, Aaliyah should still be here making groundbreaking music. You cannot deny that her second album, One In A Million just changed R&B music. It gave the contempary side of this genre the kick up the arse it rightly needed. Who do we have now? Nobody really.Well, we’ve got The Weeknd. He’s no Aaliyah, obviously but he has that futeristic style that Aaliyah had. That style we all loved and adored her for.

She was the first singer I remember being left in awe by. I remember seeing the video to Back & Forth on MTV in 1995. I was 9 years old. This, and Garbage fuelled my obsession with music. I’d study the video to Back & Forth religiously. She made me feel okay with being a tomboy. I loved how secure she was with herself, at such a young age. She just seemed like a beautiful person- not just on the outside, but inside too. This is a rare quality, and Aaliyah Dana Haughton sure had it.

She would’ve been 33 years old today. I recently had an Aaliyah tattoo done, designed by my very best friend/sister. We became friends over the passing of Aaliyah. I guess this proved that through every negative, there is a positive. Again, she has that same rare quality Aaliyah had- beautiful both inside and out.

Aaliyah’s music means so much to me, I cannot explain. It doesn’t seem right that she is gone, it never will. But we have the music. I wear my tattoo with utter pride, and I listen to her music thankful that such a person existed and taught me so much in such a short space of time.

Happy Birthday Aaliyah xxx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6zP7nnp-5I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehFDZU4hXbw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuWMW7hVdTs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NLUthL6-BU

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