Soraya (musician)

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For other uses of this term see Soraya.
Soraya
Born March 11, 1969
Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Died May 10, 2006 (age 37)
Miami, Florida

Soraya Raquel Lamilla Cuevas (March 11, 1969 – May 10, 2006) was a Colombian-Lebanese-American singer/songwriter, guitarist, arranger and record producer. She was a successful Latin music star who had two number-one songs on Billboard's Latin Pop Airplay charts. She won a 2004 Latin Grammy Award for the self titled album "Soraya" as "Best Album by Songwriter", which she producer, and a 2005 Latin Grammy Awards nomination for "Female Pop Vocal Album" for her album El Otro Lado de Mi. She was the opening act for the 2005 Billboard Latin Music Awards. Her career spanned ten years, and she recorded five albums.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Soraya Lamilla was a U.S. citizen born in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, one year after her father, mother, and brother moved to the United States from Colombia. Her family was forced to move back to Colombia, but when Soraya was eight years old, they returned to New Jersey [1]. "Soraya" is very common name in the Middle East. Soraya's maternal side of the family were Lebanese Christians who emigrated from Lebanon to Colombia [2].

Soraya's mother, Yamila Cuevas Gharib, was a housewife in Colombia, but when the family moved to the United States, her parents had to work extremely hard. Her father worked three or four jobs, and it was hard for the family to make ends meet. In Colombia he worked for an exporting company.

Soraya was never allowed to speak English in her house while growing up. It was the one thing that her mother insisted upon. Her father brought the family to the United States because he wanted to increase the opportunities for himself and his children. Her father studied English long before he arrived in the United States, but her mother preferred to speak Spanish although she did learn English, as well. While her mother wanted Soraya and her brother to become fluent in English in school, she also wanted them to retain their ability to communicate well in Spanish [2].

When Soraya's mother was first diagnosed with breast cancer, Soraya was only twelve years old. Then Soraya's mother had a recurrence when Soraya was eighteen years old, and then her mother died in 1992 when Soraya was twenty-two years old. Soraya said that her sense of responsibility increased because she needed to take care of her mother and do all of the chores around the house. It forced her to grow up faster than other children her age. Soraya would go to the doctor's office with her mother, and did research with her about breast cancer, and participated in the Race for the Cure with her [2].

Soraya first became interested in music at the age of five when she heard her uncle playing music in Colombia. Her uncle played Colombian traditional folk music on an instrument called the tiple, which is a kind of guitar with triple strings. Her parents purchased a guitar for her at her request, and she taught herself to play it. She became proficient in classical violin and her first 'public' performance was as a violinist at Carnegie Hall in New York City. As a student at Point Pleasant Boro High School, Soraya began writing her own music in English and Spanish [1].

Soraya attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, where she studied English literature, French philosophy and women's studies. Initially, Soraya worried she might be too shy to play before big crowds, but she eventually triumphed over her fear and realized her tremendous talent as a live performer when she played to rapt audiences at coffee houses and rallies around the sprawling Rutgers campus [1].

[edit] Musical career

Soraya obtained a record contract with Polygram Latino/Island Records in 1996. Her first album, called En Esta Noche (English-language version On Nights Like This), received positive critical acclaim and enabled her to tour and open for famous musicians such as Natalie Merchant, Zucchero, Sting, Michael Bolton, and Alanis Morissette.

Four of her songs climbed to the top of the charts just about everywhere in the Latin American and U.S. Hispanic markets, and her single "Suddenly/De Repente" dominated the Billboard Latin Pop listings. Her second album, Torre de Marfil (English-language version Wall of Smiles), co-written with her idol Carole King and released in late 1997, helped her attain worldwide recognition.

Unfortunately, her breast cancer was diagnosed shortly after the release of her third album — just before she was about to tour to promote it. Yet, Soraya created two more successful albums before she finally succumbed to the disease in 2006 [1].

[edit] Breast cancer advocate

Soraya died of breast cancer on May 10, 2006, aged 37. She was first diagnosed in 2000, at the age of 31, after finding a lump while conducting a routine self-examination. She was diagnosed at Stage III and had a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction as well as radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Before being diagnosed, she had always eaten right, exercised regularly (trying to run at least 3 miles a day), meditated, and received regular health check-ups [3].

Soraya had previously lost her mother, grandmother, and maternal aunt to breast cancer. She was a breast cancer advocate for support and education, especially of Hispanic women. Soraya became the first Latin spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, touring all the Americas to raise awareness. During September and October, she took a break from her music career to focus on breast awareness [2].

In order to encourage other women like herself, Soraya wrote and recorded "No One Else/Por Ser Quien Soy", a song that reflects her experience in fighting breast cancer. Both tracks can be downloaded on her official website. All proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen foundation.

"I know there are many questions without answers, and that hope doesn't leave with me, and above all, that my mission does not end with my physical story," were Soraya's last words to her fans and the media before her passing.


[edit] Discography

(Spanish-language versions / English-language versions)

STUDIO ALBUMS:

  • (1996) En Esta Noche / On Nights Like This
  • (1997) Torre de Marfil / Wall of Smiles
  • (2000) Cuerpo y Alma / "I'm Yours"
  • (2003) Soraya / "Soraya International version"
  • (2005) El Otro Lado de Mí (Only launched in Spanish)

COMPILATIONS:

  • (1996) Sálvame / Save Me "Tributo A Queen", Los Mas Grandes Del Rock En Español, Tribute To The Britanic Group Queen In Latin Rock
  • (1998) Todo Lo Que El Hace (Everything She Does Is Magic)"Outlandos D' America" Tribute To The Police In Latin Rock
  • (2001) Desert Roses and Arabian Rhythms, Vol. 1
  • (2001) Serie 32
  • (2003) Essenciales (The Ultimate Collection)
  • (2005) Éxitos Eternos
  • (2005) The Best of Soraya (20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection)
  • (2006) Gold (2-CD best-of)
  • (2006) Herencia
  • (2006) Entre Su Ritmo y el Silencio

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d "Singer of the Week: Soraya", AskMen.com, 2005
  2. ^ a b c d Achy Obejas, "Soraya survivor", Cuerpo Magazine, 2005
  3. ^ Peggy J. Noonan, "Spirited singer-songwriter Soraya lost her breasts to cancer. Today, she works to inspire hope.", USA Today, 2004

[edit] External links

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