Who was Irene Cara?

Academy award-winning singer Irene Cara passed away in her Florida residence, her publicist confirmed via Twitter. The cause of her death has not been confirmed yet. Cara was 63 at the time of her death. 

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The Flashdance… What A Feeling singer won a Grammy award for the aforementioned song in 1983, in the now discontinued best pop vocal performance category. 

Cara’s publicist, Judith A Moose, posted a tribute to the late singer, urging fans to share their thoughts and memories of Cara. Moore also said that Cara’s family has requested privacy at this moment. 

Who is Irene Cara?

Irene Cara was born on March 18, 1959, to Latin American parents, and was raised in New York City. Cara made her Broadway debut in 1967, at the mere age of eight, when she performed in the musical Maggie Flynn. After a break for a few years, Cara returned to the stage with a role in the off-Broadway production The Me Nobody Knows. 

At the age of 18, Cara had multiple credits for several acting gigs, in TV and films; Cara was a cast member in TV mini-series Roots 2 and the films Aaron Loves Angela and Sparkle. 

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Her breakthrough performance was in the film Fame, for which she also performed the title song, which charted at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and bagged an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1980, and the Golden Globe Award the same year. 

Another song featured in the film was Out Here on My Own, a top 40 hit single. 

Following the success of Fame, Cara released her debut album  Anyone Can See in 1982, topping the charts an year later with Flashback… What A Feeling, a song she co-wrote for the film Flashdance. Her work earned her another oscar two AMAs and a Grammy. 

Her second album What a Feelin was released later in 1982, which opted for a disco pop sound, contrasting with the R&B elements on her debut album. Three songs from the album  “Why Me?” “Breakdance,” and “The Dream (Hold on to Your Dream), charted in the Top 40 segment. 

Her third album Carasmatic made her return to stage, receiving acclaim for her touring revival of Jesus Christ Superstar in 1983. Cara also performed on two musical television shows, NBC’s Hit Me, Baby, One More Time and CMT’s Gone Country. 

Cara and Hot Caramel, a band she worked with since the 1999, released their first album in 2011, named Irene Cara Presents Hot Caramel