Irene Cara, ‘Flashdance’ Singer & 80s Icon, Dies At At 63

Through a statement by her publicist Judith A. Moose, it’s been revealed that Irene Cara, the singer and actress who was launched to stardom by the 1980 film Fame, passed away at the age of 63. Moose noted that Cara passed away in her Florida home and the cause of death is currently unknown.

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Moose added that sharing this news is “the absolute worst part of being a publicist,” and requested that fans respect the privacy of her family but also share their memories of the singer online.

Cara won two Grammys and an Academy Award for the original song “Flashdance (What A Feeling)” from the eponymous film. She maintained an acting career while also producing five studio albums and contributing to several hit movie soundtracks.

Irene Cara Escalera was born in The Bronx, New York City on March 18, 1959. Her mother was a movie theater usher and her father was a factory worker and retired saxophonist, and she was the youngest of five siblings. Cara first took an interest in performing when she won a pageant at the age of three.

Cara was a musical prodigy from a young age and also began dance lessons at the age of five. She made several TV appearances in the house band for the PBS show The Electric Company and also performed on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

Before reaching a new level of stardom in the aptly-titled Fame, Cara cut her teeth in several musicals both off and on Broadway and also began her film and TV career. The most notable role in her early career was an acclaimed three-episode run on Roots: The Next Generations.

After the huge success of Fame, Cara was very in-demand through the 80s and 90s and appeared in films like City Heat, Certain Fury and Busted Up while also penning songs for the soundtracks. She later found success as a voice actor as well with voice roles in minor animated films like The Jungle King and the English dub of the German film The Magic Voyage.

Lots of fans have expressed their appreciation for Cara’s legacy and sorrow for her passing. She influenced many stars and one who spoke up about being inspired by Cara was Lenny Kravitz who also said, “Your songwriting and vocals created pure energy that will never cease.”

As just a small sampling of Cara’s beautiful voice, showmanship and timeless songwriting ability, here is the official video for “Flashdance (What A Feeling).”