Aug. 25 marks the 15th anniversary of R&B singer Aaliyah’s death. If you’re an Aaliyah super-fan, like me, you remember the moment you learned the news. I was 10; it was Sunday morning and I was getting ready for church when my brother told me "Aaliyah’s dead." I was heartbroken because I felt a special connection to Aaliyah for so many reasons; we’re both January babies (exactly one week apart), we were both deep introverts, we both loved "Harry Potter" and we were both tomboys. At that time I was looking for someone who made me feel like it was OK to be myself. Aaliyah was probably the first person that made me feel that way. Even though it’s been 15 years since her death, I’m still a huge Aaliyah fan. So to honor her memory here’s a list of five underappreciated Aaliyah songs.
1. "I Care 4 U"
This is by far my all-time favorite Aaliyah song. It was written back in 1996 by Missy Elliot, but was released on her final studio album in 2001. I think the thing I love the most about this song is the composition of the song and Aaliyah’s vocals. This song shows her best vocal abilities in my opinion.
2. "Come Over"
This song is another one of my favorites because of the melody of the song. The lyrics are simple but there’s just something about listening to this song late at night combined with Aaliyah’s sultry vocals mixed in with R&B crooner Tank’s ad-libs that totally puts you in your feelings. This isn’t a song I’d advise not to listen to while cursing down the road late at night. You might miss your exit!
3. "What If"
This song is perhaps the wild card out of Aaliyah’s entire musical catalogue. When you first hear the track, (which appears on her self-titled album) you have to stop and take pause. It’s the exact opposite of what loyal Aaliyah fans are used to. It's rock, it’s a bit grungy, it’s a bit heavy metal-ish. The lyrics are easily an anthem with Aaliyah singing about a cheating lover. This is the direction that she wanted to take her music; she definitely had the ability to cross over into mainstream pop.
4. "The One I Gave My Heart To"
This song was released as a single on the One In a Million album back in 1996. While many Aaliyah fans know the song, I personally don’t think it gets the attention it deserves. It’s another record that shows off her vocal range. She goes low into her register with a rich alto sound and then catapults into the mid-range towards the end. Another reason I love this song is because if you close your eyes, you can almost feel the lyrics come to life. It’s definitely a song that’s worthy of a "first heartbreak" playlist.
5. "I Refuse"
If you haven’t noticed by now, Aaliyah’s final studio album is my favorite. This song, which can also be found on the aforementioned album is another deep track (that whole album is deep if you ask me!). The thing that draws you in is the content of the song. It’s perhaps one of the most mature songs of her career. The lyrics are powerful and speak volumes. While Aaliyah may not have been a songwriter, she knew exactly how to pick tracks for her album.
While her career was tragically cut short, her music still lives on. If you’re an Aaliyah fan, I expect you to be blasting all of "Baby Girl’s" tracks this week!
What’s your favorite Aaliyah song? Sound off in the comments below!
RIP Aaliyah
