Aaliyah Receives Barbie Doll In Celebration Of Her 46th Birthday

Aaliyah has been honoured with a Barbie doll in her memory on what would have been her 46th birthday.

Mattel launched the Barbie doll this week (16 January). It is modelled after the American singer’s One In A Million music video. In the images below, the doll is dressed in a black leather crop top, matching pants and gloves, sunglasses, and shoes.

The doll’s hair also echoes Aaliyah’s hairstyle at the time, featuring her iconic side parting and long, black, straight style. The Barbie was released as part of Mattel’s Music Series and has already sold out due to demand.

Regarding the design process, Mattel had help from Aaliyah’s brother, Rashad Haughton, who collaborated with the company to release the Collector doll.

Haughton said of Aaliyah’s impact in a new interview with Forbes, “My sister created this sort of magic and mystery around her artistry, her films, and her music.” Discussing the doll, they added: “It’s a celebration of her life, a celebration of her legacy… for it to happen on my sister’s birthday when she came into this world is just perfect.”

Mattel’s description of the doll reads: “Aaliyah's smooth vocals and innovative sound helped shape ’90s R&B, and her influence on music and fashion continues to be felt today. Our tribute to ‘Babygirl’s life and sound will take any collection to the top of the charts.”

You can check out photos of the doll below.

Aaliyah tragically died in August 2001 when the plane she was in nosedived in the Bahamas. Along with the singer, the pilot and seven members of her team passed away.

Between releasing her debut album, Age Ain't Nothing But A Number, in 1994 at age 15 and her death in 2001, Aaliyah shaped an entire generation of pop, hip-hop, and R&B, leaving a long-lasting presence in music and pop culture. In just seven years, she made an impact that would inspire almost all modern-day music; everyone from Adele and Beyoncé to The XX and Arctic Monkeys has listed Aaliyah as an influence on their music.

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