Soraya (born Soraya Raquel Lamilla Cuevas; March 11, 1969 – May 10, 2006) w… Read Full Bio ↴Soraya (born Soraya Raquel Lamilla Cuevas; March 11, 1969 – May 10, 2006) was a Colombian-american singer/songwriter, guitarist, arranger and record producer.

A successful Colombian music star, she 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 produced, and a 2005 Latin Grammy Awards nomination for "Female Pop Vocal Album" for her album El Otro Lado de Mí (literally "The Other Side of Me"). She was the opening act for the 2005 Billboard Latin Music Awards. Her career spanned ten years, and she recorded five albums.

She was born Soraya Raquel Lamilla Cuevas in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, a year after her father, mother, and brother moved to the United States from their native Colombia. The family moved back to Colombia when she was a baby, but when Soraya was eight years old, they returned to New Jersey. "Soraya" is a very common name in the Middle East, and its meaning can be translated "rich" or "princess". Soraya's maternal side of the family was Lebanese Christians who emigrated from Lebanon to Colombia. Soraya's mother, Yamila Gharib Cuevas, had been a housewife in Colombia. Soraya's father, Gregorio, worked for an exporting company in Colombia; in the U.S., life was hard for the family, so to make ends meet, he worked three or four jobs.

Soraya first became interested in music at the age of five when she heard her uncle playing music in Colombia. Her uncle played "Pueblito Viejo", a Colombian traditional folk song using an instrument called the tiple, which is a kind of guitar with triple strings. Her parents bought her a guitar, which she taught herself how to play. She became proficient in classical violin, and her first 'public' performance was at Carnegie Hall in New York City as a member of the N.Y.C. Youth Philharmonic. She was valedictorian of her class at Point Pleasant Boro High School, where she began writing her own music.

Soraya was only twelve years old when her mother was first diagnosed with breast cancer; she was eighteen when her mother had a recurrence and twenty-two when her mother died, in 1992. Soraya had 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. She would also go to the doctor's office with her mother; together they did breast-cancer research and participated in the Race for the Cure.

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. She worked as a flight attendant before starting her music career.

Soraya obtained a record contract with Polygram Records/Island Records in 1996. Her first album, released simultaneously in both English and Spanish was titled "On Nights Like This / En Esta Noche". Both versions received positive critical acclaim and enabled her to tour in the U.S., Latin America, and Europe, as a guest performer in concerts for famous musicians such as Natalie Merchant, Zucchero, Sting, Michael Bolton, and Alanis Morissette.

Her songs climbed to the top of the charts just about everywhere in Latin American, European, and U.S.' Hispanic markets. Her first single "Suddenly/De Repente" reached #1 in Billboard Latin Pop listings, with the English version receiving some mainstream Adult Contemporary airplay. Her second album, Torre de Marfil / Wall of Smiles, titled after a song co-written with her idol Carole King was released in late 1997, and helped her attain worldwide recognition.

Unfortunately, in 2000, she was diagnosed with Stage III Breast Cancer, shortly after the release of her third album "Cuerpo y Alma / I'm Yours" — just days before she was about to tour and promote it. She took time off to fight this deadful disease.

Feeling healthy and in remission, Soraya returned to the music scene in 2003 with the release of her fourth and self-titled album "Soraya". The songs reflected her struggles, beliefs, and love for life. She composed, produced, and arranged this Latin Grammy winner for "Best Album by a Singer-Songwriter" and once again - Soraya was at the top.

She created one more successful album - "El Otro Lado de Mí", before she finally succumbed to the disease in 2006.

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. In addition to her own death, Soraya lost her mother, a grandmother, and a maternal aunt to breast cancer.

Breast cancer advocateSoraya 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 the Americas to raise awareness. During September and October, she took a break from her music career to focus on breast awareness.

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.

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Soraya Lyrics

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El otro dia tuve un sueño
Fue mi realidad de ese momento
Por fin mas claro pude ver
Esa vision, la razon para creer

Siempre he tenido tantas preguntas
Con el alma en la oscuridad
Estudiando, escuchando todo

Con la esperanza de lograrlo

Estoy buscando una razon
Encontrando un camino
La razon para creer
Un hogar para mi fe

Cuando yo era niña
why facil rodaba la vida
Sentia una tension
Que pesaba en mi corazon

Ahora las horas,
se van con el viento
why los años se esfuman
Los temores
De mi infancia
Aun me frecuentan

Estoy buscando una razon
Encontrando un camino
La razon para creer
Un hogar para mi fe
Estoy buscando una razon
Encontrando un camino

La razon para creer
Un hogar para mi fe

Overall Meaning

In "Razon Para Creer," Soraya sings about her journey to finding faith in her life. She starts by describing a dream that became her reality, allowing her to more clearly see her mission. However, she admits to always having many questions and feeling lost in the darkness. Soraya has been studying and listening to everything around her, hoping to find answers. She is searching for a reason, a path, a home for her faith.

She then reflects on her childhood and the struggles that she faced. Although life seemed to roll on easily when she was younger, she always felt a tension that weighed heavily on her heart. As she grows older, the hours and years seem to fly by, but her childhood fears still haunt her. Despite this, Soraya remains determined and continues her search for a reason to believe and a home for her faith.

"Razon Para Creer" is a deeply personal song that speaks to Soraya's spiritual journey. In addition to being a talented musician, Soraya was an activist and philanthropist, who used her music as a platform to advocate for various social justice issues. She passed away from breast cancer in 2006, but her music and legacy continue to inspire many.

Line by Line Meaning

El otro dia tuve un sueño
I had a dream the other day

Fue mi realidad de ese momento
It was my reality in that moment

Por fin mas claro pude ver
Finally, I could see more clearly

Esa vision, la razon para creer
That vision, the reason to believe

Siempre he tenido tantas preguntas
I've always had so many questions

Con el alma en la oscuridad
With my soul in the darkness

Estudiando, escuchando todo
Studying, listening to everything

Con la esperanza de lograrlo
With the hope of achieving it

Estoy buscando una razon
I'm looking for a reason

Encontrando un camino
Finding a path

La razon para creer
The reason to believe