In 1989, Aaliyah made her first public appearance on US television when she took part in the talent show 'Star Search'. She then performed at concerts with singer Gladys Knight.
Aaliyah signed her first record deal in 1993 when she was just 14 "Image". The boss of her label Blackground Records was her uncle Barry Hankerson. Aaliyah recorded her debut album 'Age Ain't Nothing But a Number' with singer R. Kelly. It was released in May 1994 and reached 18 on the US charts. Four singles were released from the album, two of which reached the top 10 of the US charts. The following LP 'One in a Million' was released in August 1996. It was able to surpass the sales figures of its predecessor.
Alongside her career as a singer, Aaliyah also aspired to be an actress. In 2000 she landed a role in the movie 'Romeo Must Die'. Aaliyah had her first 1 hit of her career with the song 'Try Again' from the film's soundtrack.
In July 2001 'Aaliyah' was released, the singer's third album. It initially landed at number 2 on the US charts. After Aaliyah's death a month later, sales soared and the LP topped the charts.
