Categories: Entertainment

‘Fame’ And ‘Flashdance’ Singer And Actress Irene Cara Dead At 63

‘Fame’ and ‘Flashdance’ singer and actress. Photo: Irene_Cara/Twitter

 

Irene Cara, an Oscar-winning singer and actress who recorded the title tracks to the blockbuster 1980s movies “Fame” and “Flashdance,” has died at age 63, her publicist said Saturday.

Cara was found deceased at her home in Florida on Friday, publicist Judith Moose told AFP, adding that the cause of death was unknown at this point.

“She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films,” Moose said earlier in a written statement.

Cara is well-known for singing the title track of the smash 1980s film “Fame,” with its indelible refrain “I’m gonna live forever, I’m gonna learn how to fly.” It follows the triumphs and tribulations of students at a performing arts high school in New York.

READ ALSO:

In the movie she played Coco Hernandez, a role written for her after she was initially cast as a dancer. Cara’s work earned her Grammy award nominations for best new artist and best female pop artist.

Cara also co-wrote and performed the smash hit “Flashdance … What a Feeling” for the 1983 movie of the same name, depicting the life of an aspiring dancer played by Jennifer Beals.

The tune earned Cara an Oscar for best original song in 1984 and two Grammys.

Cara was trained as a child in music, dance and singing, and appeared on stage and in television, including “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson — at the time, a huge step to becoming someone in showbiz in America — at a young age in the 1970s.

“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,” Moose wrote.

“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,” she added.

Later in her career Cara appeared in such films as “DC Cab” and “City Heat” and on various television shows. She also performed in theater and musicals.

Tributes to Cara poured in on social media, with many fans reminiscing about their younger selves back when “Fame” first came out.

“On behalf of every Eighties’ teenager who donned their leotard and legwarmers, danced to Fame in front of the mirror and dreamed of one day enrolling at the High School of Performing Arts…thank you Irene Cara. May you rest in peace,” wrote a woman named Jo Lake.

Khadijat Lawal

Disqus Comments Loading...

Recent Posts

Faye Officially Declared Winner Of Senegal’s Presidential Election

The announcement of the official provisional results seems to clear the way for a handover…

6 hours ago

Nigerians Deserve To Know How Abducted Kaduna Pupils Were Released – Bukarti

The security expert said the government needs to explain to Nigerians circumstances around the release…

7 hours ago

Minimum Wage: Pay FAAC Allocations Of Defaulting States To Workers, TUC Tells FG

While the TUC demanded N447,000 as the new monthly minimum wage per worker, the NLC…

7 hours ago

 Slain Soldiers’ Sacrifice Won’t Be In Vain, Justice Will Be Served — CDS 

General Musa vowed that the military will hunt down the perpetrators of the heinous act…

9 hours ago

PHOTOS: 17 Military Personnel Killed In Delta Buried

The President assured the families of the soldiers of maximum support and approved scholarship for…

9 hours ago

NNPCL Denies Adjusting Petrol Price

The NNPCL reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the current sufficiency in petroleum products supply across…

9 hours ago