Irene Cara, the singer best known for performing the title tracks to the classic 1980s films Fame and Flashdance, has died. She was 63.
Cara first rose to fame when she was cast in the 1980 musical Fame, which she sang the title track for and starred in as Coco Hernandez.
Her performance in Fame earned her two Grammy nominations for best new artist and best pop vocal performance, female, at the 23rd annual Grammy Awards in 1981.
Cara later sang and co-wrote “Flashdance… What A Feeling” for the soundtrack of the 1983 blockbuster Flashdance, with Giorgio Moroder and Keith Forsey.
“Flashdance… What A Feeling” earned the star two wins at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards in 1984 — best pop vocal performance, female, and best album of original score written for a motion picture or a television special — and an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 1983 Oscars.
Irene was a wonderful singer but also an amazing actress. Her role as Coco in FAME was amazing…
An excellent interpreter… a beautiful woman, her Latin features broke the canons in the eighties…
Dear Irene, rest in PEACE
I absolutely loved her back in the day (the early 80’s) she will be missed 🙁
So sad to hear the news of here passing.
Sadder to read in her obituaries that she felt her career had been stymied as the she felt black listed by the industry after litigation over royalties following her great success.
Paul, would be great if you could dig out the 7” single of Out Here On My Own which had a full orchestration mix of the B side with the classic Piano and Vocal mix from the movie Fame on the A side. Never could find this full orchestration and vocal on a CD.
Saddened by the news. Made sadder after reading obituaries that her career was stymied after litigation over royalties following her great success and consequently she felt black banned by the industry.
So sad and still so young.
She was such an icon and will be sadly missed 🙁
Please are up her music. Anything you have. I’m so sad
sad… but oh no…not again
Oh my god, I met her a few year a go, so sad.
Man, we’ve lost yet another musical legend, Sis. Irene Cara. I had a chance to listen to her ’80s albums a while ago. They were great but sorely overlooked projects. Her passing comes to me as a severe shock. From what I’ve seen and heard, Sis. Cara was a lovely, sweet, and humble woman, never one to believe her hype as a star. I will miss her dearly. I plan to pull out her albums and listen to them again in celebration and respect for her memory and legacy. May Sis. Irene Cara rest eternally in peace and power. Sincerely,… Read more »
so sad news!!!