Aaliyah attended the Detroit High School for the Fine and Performing Arts , where she majored in drama and graduated in 1997 with a 4.0 GPA . Aaliyah began her acting career that same year ; she played herself in the police drama television series '' New York Undercover '' . During this time , Aaliyah participated in the Children 's Benefit Concert , a charity concert that took place at the Beacon Theatre in New York . Aaliyah also became the spokesperson for Tommy Hilfiger Corporation . During Aaliyah 's campaign for Tommy Hilfiger the company had sold all 2,400 of the red , white and blue baggy jeans emblazoned with the Hilfiger name that Aaliyah wore in their 1997 advertisements and they were constantly restocking those jeans . In 1997 Aaliyah performed the Christmas carol What Child Is This at the annual holiday special Christmas in Washington . She contributed on the soundtrack album for the Fox Animation Studios animated feature '' Anastasia '' , performing a cover version of " Journey to the Past " which earned songwriters Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Song . Aaliyah performed the song at the 1998 Academy Awards ceremony and became the youngest singer to perform at the event . The song " Are You That Somebody ? " was featured on the '' Dr. Dolittle '' soundtrack , which earned Aaliyah her first Grammy Award nomination . The song peaked at number 21 on the Hot 100
1998 Academy Awards ceremony
70th Academy Awards
Aaliyah