The energy was high and nostalgic Friday night at the pop-up event “More Than A Woman: The Aaliyah Experience” in Manhattan, as people came out to celebrate the life and career of a talent gone too soon.
As soon as you walked through the doors of the Soho venue, you were immediately immersed in everything, Aaliyah. DJ Enuff and DJ Freedom played her classics, and photos, paintings, and merch of the singer covered the walls.
DJ Enuff, Vina Love, DJ Suss One, and Kenny Hamilton all came out to the event’s opening night.
A timeline of Aaliyah’s life filled one wall, starting from her birth in 1979 to the release of her chart-topping albums, movie debuts, and untimely death in 2001.
In the back was a recreation of her dressing room, showing letters from fans along the mirror.
Downstairs, fans got the chance to write her a letter and hang it on the wall.
“You are the reason I fell in love with music. You are my forever inspiration now and always. Forever one in a million,” read one touching tribute.
The event was held in honor of the 20th anniversary of the 22-year-old’s death. Blackground Records released her third album titled Aaliyah on streaming services, and it immediately went to Number 1 on the iTunes chart.
Special thanks to Blackground Records 2.0 and EMPIRE for the invite and Pandora for sponsoring the More Than A Woman: The AALIYAH Experience.