Aaliyah Captured Heartbreak On "Never Comin Back"

BYAron A.Updated on September 26, 202212.8K Views

Aaliyah's "Never Comin' Home"

Aug 25th, 2021 will mark 20 years since the untimely passing of Aaliyah. The groundbreaking and ever-influential R&B singer died in 2001 following a plane crash in the Bahamas at the age of 22. And while her legacy continues to live on, it was only until this week that her catalog became widely available on streaming services. Many of her fans have revisited her catalog in recent days while younger fans might only be getting fully introduced to Aaliyah's genius.

One In A Million, Aaliyah's sophomore album, was a glimpse into her maturity from a young girl to a woman as she explored topics like heartbreak and relationships. "Never Comin' Back" plays out like a live performance where Aaliyah provides empowering words for the ladies and puts the fellas on notice. With Timbaland's smooth, signature production, Aaliyah reflects on lost love, growth, and the impact of a man's actions.

Sequentially, the song follows "Heartbroken" where Aaliyah details the hardships of shakey relationships where she's always being let down. In that sense, "Never Comin' Back" is a record that serves to empower not only Aaliyah but any other woman who can relate.

Quotable Lyrics
I once was young, but
I'm all grown up, and
I know 'bout love, and
I used to love you
You tried to play me
And then persuade me

About The Author

Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.