Aaliyah Dana Haughton better known as Aaliyah, was an American singer, dancer, actress and model. Introduced to audiences by R&B singer R. Kelly, Aaliyah became famous during the mid-1990s with several hit records from the songwriting/production team of Missy Elliott and Timbaland and their associate Steve "Static" Garrett. Aaliyah soon joined Timbaland's R&B and hip hop collective, the Superfriends Clique. She, Brandy and Monica were considered as "the holy trinity of young R&B starlets".

She is notable for recording several hit records, including several number one R&B hits, a number one pop hit and five top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite her short career, she sold 40 million records in the U.S. and over 20 million worldwide. In addition to commercial success, her collaborations with Timbaland helped shape the sound of R&B in the latter half of the 1990s. She also modeled for Tommy Hilfiger and starred in two motion pictures before her death in a plane crash in the Bahamas.