* AwesomeDearBoy: She starred in ''Film/QueenOfTheDamned'' because she was a vampire fan, and was interested in Egyptian mythology.
* BreakthroughHit: "One in a Million" is regarded as her true breakthrough, staying at number one on the ''Billboard'' R&B charts for six weeks.
* BreakawayPopHit:
** Her single "Are You That Somebody?" was recorded for ''Film/DrDolittle''. Fans often forget that it was recorded specifically for the movie, as it is considered one of the biggest songs of the 90s. It also got Aaliyah her first Grammy nomination.
** Subverted with "Journey To The Past" from ''{{WesternAnimation/Anastasia}}''. The song is considered one of her lesser known ones, and most critics preferred Liz Callaway's movie version - which these days has been dubbed the "'Let It Go' of the 90s".
** Ironically within her own film ''Film/RomeoMustDie''. While it was a modest hit, it isn't as remembered as "Try Again" - which was one of five songs she recorded for it. As noted on the main page, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 through airplay alone.
* DenialOfDigitalDistribution: Her music from Creator/JiveRecords is widely available on digital platforms, most notably her debut album, ''Age Ain't Nothing but a Number'' (1994). However, before August 2021, all her subsequent music —from her time at Blackground Records — was unavailable from streaming services [[https://www.complex.com/music/2016/12/aaliyahs-music-isnt-online-and-her-uncle-barry-hankerson-is-the-reason-why due to the refusal of Aaliyah's uncle and manager, Barry Hankerson]].
* FollowTheLeader: Her style, sound, and overall influence can be seen in singers such as {{Music/Ciara}}, {{Music/Tinashe}}, Creator/{{Zendaya}}, Music/DestinysChild, Music/JheneAiko and Music/CassieVentura.
* InMemoriam: The "Rock The Boat" video was released posthumously with a comemmoration to her.
* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Because her uncle [[http://www.complex.com/music/2016/12/aaliyahs-music-isnt-online-and-her-uncle-barry-hankerson-is-the-reason-why held the rights]] to her music except for her first album, it was nigh-impossible to get copies of her last two albums because he refused to release any of her music after her death for unexplained reasons. Physical copies are increasingly rare and expensive, so for decades the only way to get her last two albums was through illegal downloads or bootlegs. Unfortunately, as a side effect from her death, he also refuses to release ''any'' music on Blackground Records, stranding many of its artists and producers in DevelopmentHell, forcing them (one example being Music/{{Jojo}}) to sue him to release them from their contracts until the label shuttered. This finally changed in August of 2021, however. ''One in a Million'' was finally put on streaming services, while ''Aaliyah,'' was rereleased that September.
* NoExportForYou: Inverted. "The Thing I Like" was released in the UK but not in the US - due to the controversy surrounding her relationship with R Kelly. Her cover of Marvin Gaye's "Got To Give It Up" was likewise released in the UK but not the US.
* NonSingingVoice: She died during production of ''Film/QueenOfTheDamned'', so her brother Rashad did some of her ADR for her.
* TheOtherMarty: She had filmed a couple of scenes for ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'' before her death.
* PlayingAgainstType:
** Her cover of "Journey To The Past" from ''{{WesternAnimation/Anastasia}}'' was quite different for her. In contrast to her typical edgy R&B, it was an IWantSong that was more pop-oriented.
** It was a similar case with "The One I Gave My Heart To" - which was a power ballad that really showed off how she could belt.
* RealLifeRelative: Rashad cameos in several of her videos. He also came up with the concept for the "4 Page Letter" video.
* TheRedStapler: Her name (an Arabic name meaning "high, lofty, sublime") and variations of it (Aliyah, Alea, etc.) entered the top 1000 most popular baby names in the U.S. only after she became famous.
* ShortLivedBigImpact: She only released 3 albums over 7 years and died at 22, but is considered one of the defining artists of R&B today.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** Trent Reznor - yes, ''that'' '''[[Music/NineInchNails Trent Reznor]]''' - was asked to contribute to ''Aaliyah'', but had to pull out due to scheduling conflicts. He hasn't talked much about it since, but it would still have been interesting to hear some industrial R&B.
** There's also the much more obvious case of WhatCouldHaveBeen. A lot of the reviews for her third album said that while it was very good on its own, it also shows the enormous potential she had.
** R&B singer Case claims he was meant to be in the video for "Hot Like Fire" but "got distracted" and didn't make it to the shoot.
** She was also Creator/TheWachowskis' first choice for the role of Zee in ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'' and ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions'', which would have been her big acting break; after her death, the role went to Nona Gaye instead.
** She was also being considered for the lead role in a remake of ''Film/{{Sparkle}}''.
** In 2000, she was considered for a role in a third ''A Star Is Born'' remake alongside Creator/JamieFoxx.
** She turned down the small role of Maggie in ''Film/GetOverIt'' (played by Creator/ZoeSaldana) and Valerie in ''Film/JosieAndThePussycats'' (played by Creator/RosarioDawson).
** Was considered for a part in ''Film/CharliesAngels2000'' but deemed too young.
** She expressed a desire to collaborate with Music/JanetJackson, who was a big influence on her. Janet later said she would have loved to work with Aaliyah.
** Before her music career began, she was in the final 3 to be cast as Judy Winslow on the TGIF sitcom Series/FamilyMatters.
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