Fourteen years ago today (Aug. 25), the world lost an angel. Aaliyah’s life was tragically cut short when she was killed in a plane crash at the age of 22, but the singer-actress left behind an impressive legacy that cements her status as the true “Princess of R&B.”
Because her youth is frozen in time, we’ll always picture Aaliyah in a specific way: that swoop of flowing hair covering one eye while the other fixates on you with an alluring mystique — the very kind that translated into her music.
Today, several Aaliyah fans commemorated the 14th anniversary of her death by capturing that signature look — as well as their own creative renderings of her image — by lovingly sharing handmade portraits of her. Check out these 19 gorgeous examples:
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This stunning portrait is perfect in every way.
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This one beautifully captures the sparkle in her eye.
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Here she is looking strong and sensual.
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A new petition campaigning for Aaliyah to become the face of a new MAC campaign has started circulating. If this illustration is any indication, it would undoubtedly be gorgeous.
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This heartbreaking one imagines her with her friend Tupac after death.
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Here's a tribute to her amazing style.
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This badass illustration remembers her collaborations with Tommy Hilfiger and Moschino.
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We're seeing double with this image of an Aaliyah lookalike posing with an Aaliyah drawing.
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This intricate illustration is a color-popping tribute.
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But even a simple, colorless sketch is just as pretty.
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This one pays tribute to Aaliyah and Timbaland's relationship.
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This fashion-focused one also remembers some of her most classic designs.
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This one expertly reminds us why she was nicknamed "baby girl."
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Here she is with that infamous hair swoop.
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But sometimes she opted for the wind-blown look, as seen in this glam design.
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This one sweetly imagines Aaliyah as an angel.
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And this lovely Photoshop design imagines her looking down from above.
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Swooped hair, transfixing gaze, bold lips -- it's all here.
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Simple but poignant. R.I.P. Aaliyah.