Abrams would go on to have a modest singing career, while Aaliyah became a legend, giving the message of her Grammy-nominated single “Try Again” a more personal meaning.
The world was first introduced to Aaliyah’s stunning on-stage presence and remarkable vocal talent at just 10 years old when she appeared on Star Search in 1989 as challenger to junior vocalist returning champion Katrina Abrams.
While her performance of “My Funny Valentine” earned praise from host Ed McMahon, who would claim he saw “the fire” of a great artist in her that night in a 2001 Vibe article, she just barely made the cut to move onto another round with a score of 3.25 points.