Singer-songwriter Laura Branigan made quite a name for herself with chart-topping hits post the disco scene in the 80s. Her experimentation with electronic keyboards and drum machine loops in “Self Control” and clear vocalization in singles like “Gloria” catapulted Branigan to the top of the Billboard best artists of the time. Her songs were so popular that they were featured in two hit movies of the decade, Flashdance and Ghostbusters. By the age of 47, Laura Branigan had earned over $5 million dollars from music royalties, film contracts, and TV salaries. She established herself as a platinum artist with number one hits in the US, Australia, Germany, France, Ireland, and the UK. Laura discovered her passion for music after high school and was accepted to the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts to study. She even performed as a backing vocalist for the major part of that decade before signing on her first album with Atlantic Records. The singer continued to act in theater and film after a successful music career. She passed away in her sleep in 2004 due to a brain aneurysm.