Laura Branigan, who had a slew of hits in the 80s, passed away suddenly on Thursday night at the age of 47. The cause of death was described as a brain aneurysm. According to her brother, Mark Branigan, the singer died in her sleep at her home in East Quogue, New York. She had reportedly been complaining of headaches for at least two weeks prior to her death but chose not to seek medical attention.

Branigan burst on to the music scene with her self-titled debut album in 1982. Her biggest hit, “Gloria” was released as a single and went platinum, staying in the top 10 for an amazing 22 weeks. The song also earned the Brewster, New York native the first of her four Grammy nominations.

Other top 10 hits followed in the mid-80s including “Self-Control” and “Solitaire”. By the early 90s, Branigan’s record sales were down and she stopped recording altogether after the death of her husband, Lawrence Kruteck, in 1996. Branigan had just begun a comeback of sorts in 2002 when she returned to the stage to play Janis Joplin in “Love, Janis”, an Off-Broadway musical. Branigan received excellent reviews for her portrayal of Joplin. She was working on a new studio recording just before her surprise passing.

Funeral services are scheduled for Monday. In lieu of flowers, Branigan’s family asked for donations in the singer’s name to Project Angel Food, a charity which provides food and shelter for people afflicted with HIV/AIDS.