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Soraya
Biography
Bilingual singer/songwriter Soraya experienced a series of ups and downs over the course of her career, resulting in a catalog of music that chronicles that journey in all its glory and struggle. Born in Point Pleasant, NJ, in 1969 to Colombian parents who had immigrated from Lebanon, her career got off to a smashing start in 1996 with the release of a pair of hit-laden albums: En Esta Noche and On Nights Like This, the latter an English-language version of the former. In particular, "De Repente" was a huge international hit and would remain her signature tune for years. She followed this success with a pair of albums -- Torre de Marfil (1997) and Cuerpo y Alma (2000) -- that saw her popularity erode steadily, though these albums were anything but poor, expanding her style to incorporate a broader palette, most notably a tinge of worldbeat flourishes. These albums had their share of hits, too, but none on a par with the international recognition of "De Repente." This brought her contract with Universal Music Latino to an end, and she left the label, signing instead to EMI. During this transition, Soraya waged a life-threatening battle with breast cancer, one that would inform her debut album for EMI, Soraya (2003).