Irene Cara, singer of 'Fame' and 'Flashdance', passes away at age 63
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We here at the SDC are saddened to report the passing of Oscar-winning actress and singer Irene Cara, best known for her iconic hits ‘What A Feeling’ and ‘Flashdance’.
The 63-year-old singer, who rose to prominence in the 1980s by playing one of the main leads in the film Fame, passed away at her home in Florida. Her cause of death is unknown at the time of reporting.
Fame told the story of students at the High School of Performing Arts in New York, taking them from their first auditions to their senior year. Irene Cara appeared as the main character, Coco Hernandez.
In the film, Irene was shown singing the titular song as she waltzed through the streets of New York and sat atop of an iconic NYC yellow taxi.
Irene was originally cast as a dancer, but when the producers heard her sing, they wrote the role of Coco Hernandez for her to play. This eventually catapulted her to stardom.
Years later, Irene co-wrote the song ‘Flashdance...What a Feeling’ for Flashdance, which went on to win an Oscar for Best Original Song, and two Grammy Awards for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Original Score for a Motion Picture.
Both songs were top 10 hits in both the UK and US.
Irene was also nominated for an Oscar for best actress for Fame, and won awards from the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), including for her part in the 1982 film Sister Sister.
She was such a powerful force in the entertainment industry that many are mourning the loss of this talented star. Judith Moose, Irene’s publicist, released a statement on Irene’s official Twitter account on Saturday morning.
‘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,’ Judith wrote.
She continued: ‘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.’
Judith attached a photo of the statement
Fellow music legend Lenny Kravitz also expressed his grief on social media: ‘You inspired me more than you could ever know. Your song writing and vocals created pure energy that will never cease.’
He added that Irene defined an era that is ‘very close’ to his heart, and attached a photo of her in his post.
Irene’s publicist added that the cause of death will be released once it’s been confirmed. Her family has asked for privacy during this time, and memorial services will be planned at a later date.
‘She became an icon for music lovers of the 1980s, and inspired many of today’s most influential singers,’ Judith added.
We’d like to thank SDC member @Suzanne rose for sharing the news first on our forum. We send our condolences to Irene’s family during this time and are terribly sorry for their loss.
The 63-year-old singer, who rose to prominence in the 1980s by playing one of the main leads in the film Fame, passed away at her home in Florida. Her cause of death is unknown at the time of reporting.
Fame told the story of students at the High School of Performing Arts in New York, taking them from their first auditions to their senior year. Irene Cara appeared as the main character, Coco Hernandez.
In the film, Irene was shown singing the titular song as she waltzed through the streets of New York and sat atop of an iconic NYC yellow taxi.
An original vinyl record of the kids from Fame. Credit: Shutterstock
Irene was originally cast as a dancer, but when the producers heard her sing, they wrote the role of Coco Hernandez for her to play. This eventually catapulted her to stardom.
Years later, Irene co-wrote the song ‘Flashdance...What a Feeling’ for Flashdance, which went on to win an Oscar for Best Original Song, and two Grammy Awards for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Original Score for a Motion Picture.
Both songs were top 10 hits in both the UK and US.
Irene was also nominated for an Oscar for best actress for Fame, and won awards from the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), including for her part in the 1982 film Sister Sister.
She was such a powerful force in the entertainment industry that many are mourning the loss of this talented star. Judith Moose, Irene’s publicist, released a statement on Irene’s official Twitter account on Saturday morning.
The soundtrack for the motion picture Flashdance on vinyl. Credit: Shutterstock
‘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,’ Judith wrote.
She continued: ‘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.’
Judith attached a photo of the statement
Many are saddened by the news of Irene’s passing. Credit: Irene_Cara/Twitter
Fellow music legend Lenny Kravitz also expressed his grief on social media: ‘You inspired me more than you could ever know. Your song writing and vocals created pure energy that will never cease.’
He added that Irene defined an era that is ‘very close’ to his heart, and attached a photo of her in his post.
Irene’s publicist added that the cause of death will be released once it’s been confirmed. Her family has asked for privacy during this time, and memorial services will be planned at a later date.
‘She became an icon for music lovers of the 1980s, and inspired many of today’s most influential singers,’ Judith added.
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