Amariyah Mallory 
The talented singer Aaliyah would have turned 46 years old on January 16th. Unfortunately she passed away in 2001 due to an unfortunate accident where her plane crashed shortly after take off. She was extremely popular in the entertainment world starring in movies like Romeo Must Die and changing the R&B game with hits like “Are You That Somebody,” “Try Again,” and “At Your Best.”
To commemorate the “R&B Princess,” Mattel plans to release a doll inspired by Aaliyah’s “One in a Million” video. The doll is dressed in the iconic black leather outfit and even recreates the Aaliyah classic hairstyle featured in the music video. The Barbie team collaborated closely with Aaliyah’s brother, Rashad Haughton, during the creative process to ensure that her essence was properly replicated.
“I can vividly remember my sister playing with her favorite Barbie dolls for hours when we were kids. She would make them sing, dance, and perform little concerts,” Haughton shared.
“It’s clear to me now that she was imagining dreams that would eventually become reality when she embarked on a career in entertainment at just 15 years old.”
This doll will be a part of Mattel’s music collectors series, which included dolls inspired by other hit music artists including Tina Turner, Elton John and Gloria Estefan.
The doll has already sold and can now be bought for resale on websites like Ebay. The doll will be available after restock on Mattel and Target’s website and in Target stores on January 26th, selling at $55 before tax.
By Amariyah Mallory, Junior, Whitney Young
IG| Dancemari_
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