Try Again

"Try Again" is a song by American singer Aaliyah, recorded for the soundtrack of the 2000 film Romeo Must Die, in which she starred alongside Jet Li. Written and produced by Timbaland and Stephen "Static Major" Garrett, the track fuses R&B with electro, dance-pop, and trip hop, opening with an interpolation of Eric B. & Rakim's "I Know You Got Soul." Lyrically, Aaliyah plays a confident narrator urging a hopeful suitor not to give up after an initial rejection, delivering the message with her signature breathy poise.

Released to rhythmic radio on March 21, 2000, the song became Aaliyah's first and only number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, achieving the feat solely through airplay. This was a significant milestone in an era before digital downloads and streaming were factored into the chart. The song also earned a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film.

The music video, directed by Wayne Isham, featured Aaliyah and Jet Li dancing together using Hong Kong wire-work in a room of mirrors and floating platforms. Aaliyah's look in the video, a sparkly bra and choker, marked a glamorous departure from her earlier baggy style. In August 2019, Madame Tussauds Las Vegas unveiled a wax figure of Aaliyah modeled on her appearance in the video. The song has been sampled by George Michael on "Freeek!" and covered by German band Knorkator, and it appeared in the films Boyhood (2014) and the TV show The Mindy Project. [edit]