Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Entertainer Aaliyah Perishes in Plane Crash

Aired August 27, 2001 - 10:09   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We move now to the weekend plane crash that claimed one of the brightest stars on the horizon. Aaliyah was only 22 years old, but before she was even old enough to drive a car, she had ridden her singing talent to the top of the charts. And major movie roles were becoming her latest vehicle to superstardom. U.S. experts are now joining the investigation into the plane crash that killed her and eight members of her entourage.

For a closer look at the performer and her promise, let's turn to CNN's Jodi Ross in New York.

Jodi, hello.

JODI ROSS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn.

With two Grammy nominations, two MTV music video awards, and a movie career that was taking off, her promise, as you said, was infinite. Her single "Try Again," from her debut movie "Romeo Must Die" is up for song of the year at the "Soul Train Lady of Soul" awards. Aaliyah was set to star in two Matrix sequels, and had completed her second film, "Queen of the Damned," an adaptation of an Anne Rice novel. The entertainer recently shot the cover of "Teen People" magazine, which is set to hit newsstands next week.

And joining us now is the entertainment director of "Teen People," Lori Majewski.

Hi, Lori, thanks for being here.

Tell us about photo shoot which recently happened, the photo session with Aaliyah and why you chose here for cover of the magazine?

LORI MAJEWSKI, EDITOR, "TEEN PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, we shot Aaliyah with Mark McGrath, the singer from Sugar Ray, a little over a month ago actually, and the reason we wanted her to represent our first annual sexiest list is that she's really obviously sexy, but she's sexy in a different kind of way than a lot of the young stars are today. She's -- if there was a word to describe Aaliyah, I would say it's classy. She's not showy.

ROSS: You also talked to me about what makes unique as artist. What is that? What does she have?

MAJEWSKI: Well, her second record was called "One in a Million," and I think Aaliyah really stood apart from the other teen singers that are out there today. She's very mysterious by own definition. She wore her hair in front of face from very early on. She wore dark glasses. She really wanted an image that was understated and to keep herself underexposed.

ROSS: A lot of teen pop stars you say model themselves after something like Madonna. She didn't do that, did she?

MAJEWSKI: No, Madonna and Mariah Carey really using media to further themselves. This is a girl that has had three records out in the last eight years. Usually, you put a lot more out in that short period of time. But she wanted like, someone like Sade even, to have her just above radar. She really kept herself quiet. In fact, I've been seeing on the news, Aaliyah, if Aaliyah was with us today, she'd say it's Aaliyah.

ROSS: But she didn't mind that people might have said her name incorrectly, right? That's part of the mystery.

MAJEWSKI: Yes, part of mystique, and it's something that was going to give her longevity, because we never got to say goodbye.

ROSS: She had a young fan base, I guess, because she's on the cover of "Teen." Was it mostly teens that were her loyal fans?

MAJEWSKI: I would say it was teenagers and the urban community, because this was a devastating, devastating loss for them, because she was like a Princess Diana in that world. She was very classy. She always said the right thing. She didn't talk about her personal life. She was somebody that kids really can look up to, a role model.

ROSS: Thank you very much for being here, Lori Majewski, from "People" magazine. Clearly a big loss to the entertainment community.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com