Soraya said that her sense of responsibility increased because she needed to take care of her mother and do all the household chores. She would also accompany her mother to the doctor's office; 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, she worried that 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 1994. Her first album, released two years later 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 musicians such as Natalie Merchant, Zucchero, Sting, Michael Bolton and Alanis Morissette. Her songs climbed to the top of the charts in the 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. In 2000, Soraya 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 the illness. 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 the album, which won the Latin Grammy for "Best Album by a Singer-Songwriter". She created one more successful album, "El otro lado de mí", before dying from cancer in 2006. Soraya died of breast cancer in Miami, Florida on May 10, 2006, aged 37.