And what an "other side" it is! Not content to rest on her laurels (including a 2004 Latin Grammy) and repeat the success of her lyrical, introspective album Soraya, Soraya bares a joyous rock-and-roll heart in her aptly named El Otro Lado de Mi. From the very first strum of the guitar, Soraya sets the tone of the album: Be who you are, instead of who others expect you to be. Challenge yourself. And that is exactly what she has done here.

By Ruth Kunstadter
 Soraya takes off in new directions, with uptempo tracks featuring strong beats and a mix of rhythms and influences, from Andean panpipes to rock and even pop/techno. The result is a rich and textured album that never loses a beat, even in its quieter moments.

If the theme of Soraya’s last album was "uplifting," — a stunning declaration of survival and faith after overcoming breast cancer — her new album can best be described as simply, and joyously, "Up." From its title — El Otro Lado de Mi — to its mix of rock and ritmo in addition to her classic ballads, Soraya gives notice that she has come through, she has survived, and she is ready to celebrate and soar. And she wants to take her listeners right there with her.

Soraya credits her lifelong love of music with helping her reach this point and beyond. Ever since she first picked up a guitar at age five and instinctively knew how to play it — "I think I must have done this in a past life," she says — music has been a guiding force in her life.

Soraya’s musical influences are as eclectic as her background. Her first musical memory is of her uncle playing the guitar. She fell in love with the musica andina of her Colombian heritage, a combination of guitar, flutes, nostalgia and storytelling that her family would continue to play after moving to the United States. "These were the songs my family would play on Sundays, when they would get a little homesick," she reminisces. Later on she immersed herself in the American equivalent of storytelling music by raiding her brother’s collection of James Taylor, Carole King and other singer/songwriters’ albums. Soraya realized early on that her mission in life would be to tell her own stories through music. Her heatfelt stories, her eclectic musical background, and her rich bicultural heritage all come together to make El Otro Lado de Mi a stunning mix of simple and complex, ancient and modern, traditional music and rock, intimate and universal.

Timing is a main theme in El Otro Lado de Mi, and if anyone’s life reflects the intricacies of timing and fate, it is Soraya’s. As a recent college graduate, she took a job as a flight attendant in order to support her musical aspirations. While on a flight to Buenos Aires, she noticed a gentleman in first class surrounded by CDs and photos. She guessed, correctly, that he was a record company executive, and introduced herself. "I told him, ‘I’m not going to bug you now, but I just want you to know that you need to give me your card, and I’m going to see you later,’" recalls Soraya. That first-class passenger, Manolo Diaz, formerly of Poligram and now of EMI, proved to be not only a pivotal contact in launching her career, but in fact he is still an integral part of her creative family.

Timing continued to mold Soraya’s career when, on the eve of launching her critically acclaimed third album "Cuerpo y Alma", she discovered breast cancer.

Soraya put her musical career on hold while treating her cancer, but never left her music itself. In fact, her music is what helped her survive. "I wrote continually," she says. "That was my grounding force. I think I was very lucky to have an outlet like that. I’m lucky to have this ability to escape. The minute I pick up my guitar, whether I’m songwriting, whether I’m in the studio, or whether I’m on stage, I go away to another place. It’s like a little refuge, and to be able to have that while I was dealing with all the difficulties and all the issues that came up with that disease, I call it an amazing part of my treatment — one that no one could prescribe. It helped me stay focused and stay together. It helped me find my real self."

Soraya says her music has gotten richer as a result of the experiences of the past three years, and her new CD celebrates this growth. "I feel like I’m taking complete control and just having a great time. I’m singing much more confidently, and the songs keep getting better better. I keep trying to take the next step up." This new CD, says Soraya, "is on a completely different level. It’s just more daring, and it’s more free "

Soraya emerged a survivor, and poured her "cuerpo y alma" into a new, self-titled CD filled with hope, determination, and faith. "I was so grateful to be able to make that CD," says Soraya. "It will always have a special place in my heart." Her CD, Soraya and its life-affirming hit, "Casi," touched its listeners as well — so much so that Soraya was awarded the 2004 Latin Grammy for Best Singer/Songwriter Album.

Soraya isn’t resting on her laurels, though. In fact, she’s not resting at all. She is newly energized and ready to take on new challenges for herself and her listeners. And she plans not just to survive, but to celebrate and take on life head on. "For my last CD, I got the professional recognition, but this CD is almost like the party after the Grammy — the party after having survived so many things in my life, and now I can just have a great time with it."

Soraya’s joy for life rings through loud and clear in the many uptempo tracks that make El Otro Lado de Mi so much fun to listen to. Her voice has never sounded richer as she takes charge in tracks like "Llévame," a song so catchy you will find yourself singing along the first time you hear it. And try to keep from moving your cuerpo when you hear the rock-inspired "Ser," the infectious "Sin Tu Amor", or the Latin beat of "La Promesa." Soraya has hinted at this rock-and-roll side of herself in previous albums, but she has never let loose as fully as she does here.

"There’s always been a little bit of dabbling into rock and some harder types of music, but I’ve always taken a step back – I go there, but I never take it all the way," she notes. "This time I just took it all the way." At a certain point, she says, "you can’t just keep one foot on the cliff and the other one dangling. You have to jump, and that’s just what this record is."

Soraya’s lifelong activism, most recently evident in her leadership in the breast cancer awareness and prevention cause, is reflected in her new album as well: "For the first time, I write two social commentary songs, which I’ve never done."

The first, "Alma De La Calle" recounts the true story of María Amparo Amaya, a poet whose harsh life finds refuge in her verses, with "nothing but faith in her pocket." Known as Alma de la Calle, "Soul of the Street," María — who shines shoes by day and writes poetry on a free computer at the public library by night — won the 2003 Premio Nacional de Poesía de Colombia. "Soy Alma de la Calle, soy sólo lo que soy," "I am the Soul of the Street, I am only what I am," Soraya states simply. María is an inspiration not only for Soraya, but for all of us. The track ends with a poetry reading by María herself, with the sounds of glasses and soft voices in a coffeehouse. It is that extra touch that will make the listener stop and reflect on the healing power of the poetry and song.

The final Spanish track on the album is "Gotas de Perdón," which on the surface sounds like a catchy pop/techno tune, but in reality carries a deep and important message for all mankind: in this world of violence and fear, we are in danger of losing ourselves. We are moving backwards, not forwards, and we must change the tide. Soraya asks the heavens to rain "drops of forgiveness" to clear our hearts and illuminate our path toward a better world.

Challenging herself and her listeners

Acknowledging that this new mix may surprise many of her listeners, Soraya is confident that they will be delighted with it as well. "A lot of people know me for my ballads and from my mellow type of music, which I love, and which is absolutely a part of me, but I wanted to show this other part of me, too." In sharing this "other side" with the world, Soraya spreads the confidence and joy that have brought her to this point. " I like what I am, and I like what I’m doing, and I like how I’m doing it. I feel that I’ve always focused on making good quality music and respecting my listeners, on trying to challenge myself as well as them."

What does Soraya herself love most about this CD? "I love how much fun we had doing it. Just the challenge of it all, to push myself to sing in a different way, to just have fun — really, that’s what I love most about it. The whole process was just so engaging," She can’t wait to share El Otro Lado de Mi with the world. "I’m usually very reserved about releasing a new record, because once you release it, it’s gone — but this one, I just can’t wait to let it free."

Celebrating life, hopes and dreams, Soraya is breaking free and ready to soar — and the stars in the sky might just need to step out of the way. Gracias, Soraya, for sharing this side of yourself with the world!

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