Irene Cara, singer of Fame and Flashdance, has passed away at the age of 63.
“Please share your thoughts and memories of Irene,” Irene representative, Judith Moose, wrote o Twitter. “I’ll be reading each and every one of them and know she’ll be smiling from Heaven. She adored her fans.”
“She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.” The singer died in her Florida home from an unknown cause.
This is the absolute worst part of being a publicist. I can't believe I've had to write this, let alone release the news. Please share your thoughts and memories of Irene. I'll be reading each and every one of them and know she'll be smiling from Heaven. She adored her fans. – JM pic.twitter.com/TsC5BwZ3fh
— Irene Cara (@Irene_Cara) November 26, 2022
Cara was born in 1959 as the youngest of five children in the Bronx, New York. Her father was Puerto Rican and her mother was Cuban-American.
After appearing on TV’s “Electric Company” as a child, she went on to star in the movies “Aaron Loves Angela” and “Sparkle” as a teenager.
Cara became famous when she played Coco Hernadez in the 1980 musical “Fame,” which told the story of a New York High School for the Performing Arts. She sang the title track. After Fame was released, she was nominated for two Grammy Awards and Best Female Pop Vocal Artist.
A few years after “Flashdance”, Cara co-wrote the song for “What a Feeling”, which became an instant success. For her work on Flashdance, she won an Oscar and Grammy.
Some of her later hits include “Why Me” and “Breakdance.” She went on to star in films with Clint Eastwood and Tatum O’Neal.