Aaliyah is a recording artist.
Aaliyah Dana Haughton ( [ ɑ : ˈliːə ] January 16 , 1979 -- August 25 , 2001 ) was an American singer , actress , and model . At age 12 , Aaliyah signed with Jive Records and her uncle Barry Hankerson 's Blackground Records . The album sold three million copies in the United States and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . `` Try Again '' earned Aaliyah a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocalist . She released her third and final album , Aaliyah , in July 2001 .