Irene Cara, the Oscar-winning singer and actress most famous for her 1980s smash hits “Fame” and “Flashdance … What a Feeling,” has died. She was 63.
Her publicist did not elaborate on what precipitated her death.
“It is with profound sadness that on behalf of the family I announce the passing of Irene Cara,” the singer’s spokesperson Judith A. Moose said in a statement on Twitter on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022. “The Academy Award-winning actress, singer, songwriter and producer passed away in her Florida home. Her cause of death is currently unknown and will be released when information is available.
Moose continued on Twitter, saying: “Irene’s family has requested privacy as they process their grief. She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films. Funeral services are pending and a memorial for her fans will be planned at a future date.”
In addition to singing the song “Fame,” Cara also starred in the film of the same name as Coco Hernandez.
In 1983, Cara ascended to the veritable musical mountaintop when she co-wrote one of the biggest hits of the 1980s, “Flashdance … What a Feeling,” with Giorgio Moroder and Keith Forsey for the movie Flashdance. That original song for the movie soundtrack earned Cara an Oscar for Best Original Song in 1983.
“This is the absolute worst part of being a publicist,” Moose lamented on Twitter “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.”
