Throwback Thursday: Aaliyah – “At Your Best (You Are Love)”

Throwback Thursday: Aaliyah – “At Your Best (You Are Love)”

In August of 1994, Aaliyah released “At Your Best (You Are Love)” as the second single from her debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number. Unfortunately, it is impossible to talk about that album without talking about R. Kelly, who produced all 13 of its tracks and also wrote all except this very song, which is a cover of The Isley Brothers’ 1976 original.

Aaliyah’s rendition, though released in the ‘90s, somehow manages to sound more ‘70s than the original version. The stripped-down production and the singer’s breathy vocals come together like a Minnie Riperton song. Aaliyah achieved the remarkable feat of being restrained yet flamboyant, and it is made even more remarkable by the fact that she was only 14 when she recorded this song.

If you’re keeping a list of covers that blow their originals out of the water, make sure this song is registered.

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