Aaliyah is one of the handful of young celebrities, like most recently, Heath Ledger, whose death actually seriously bothered me. I suppose this might be because of the unnecessary and avoidable ways in which they die, their young ages, or simply the fact that I could easily see myself, and my friends in most of the situations which lead to their deaths…

When I think about Aaliyah, I do not think about all the things she achieved and could have achieved, sometimes I just think about how beautiful she was, or the fact that her easy and real approach to celebrity has inspired so many young female artists after her.
Sometimes I think about her style… A style that, at the time, greatly inspired mine, the tomboyish ways she wore her cropped tops and baggy trousers, to the skinnier pants and sexier tops, always finished up with her sleek hair and the natural make up. As a young teenager, she was the only celebrity on tv most like me, and was also the only celebrity on tv I actually wanted to be like.

For their upcoming June 2008 issue, their annual Icon issue, Fader magazine is paying a special tribute to Aaliyah. With various stories and contributions from celebrities, friends, family, and people who admire her…
The contributors include notable names like Missy Elliot, Damon Dash, and Mark Ronson who said “If it wasn’t for Aaliyah being the face and voice of [Missy Elliott and Timbaland’s] sound they might have never got to where they did. They were presenting their sort of brilliant but challenging breakthrough music through this beautiful young girl who could sing it perfectly.”

More information about Aaliyah can be found on her official website: WWW.AALIYAH.COM