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‘Fame’ star and ‘Flashdance’ singer Irene Cara dies at 63 – Rolling Stone

November 26, 2022

Irene Cara, the Oscar-winning star of Notoriety and the chart-topping singer of “Flashdance…What a Feeling,” has died aged 63.

Cara died Friday at her home in Florida, her publicist Judith A. Moore announced on Twitter. His cause of death is “currently unknown and will be released when information becomes available”.

“It is with profound sadness that on behalf of her family, I announce the passing of Irene Cara. The Academy Award-winning actress, singer, songwriter and producer has passed away at her Florida home,” Moore tweeted “She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live on forever through her music and films.”

This is the absolute worst part of being a publicist. I can’t believe I had to write this, let alone post the news. Please share your thoughts and memories of Irene. I will read each one of them and I know she will smile from heaven. She adored her fans. -JM pic.twitter.com/TsC5BwZ3fh

— Irene Cara (@Irene_Cara) November 26, 2022

Bronx-born Cara was a child actress who appeared on shows like The electric factory before performing in Broadway musicals like Via Galactica, The genius and the inspired Supremes sparkledthe latter of which was adapted for the big screen in 1976 with Cara in the lead role.

Cara’s breakout came with the hit 1980 film Notoriety, which featured the actress playing Coco Hernandez, part rewritten especially for her. In addition to her role in that film — about talented students at a performing arts high school in New York City — Cara also sang the soundtrack’s title track “Fame” and “Out Here on My Own,” which were both nominated for Best Original Song. at the Oscars. As Fame became the first film to score double nominations in this category, Cara – per Oscar tradition – performed both songs at the ceremony. “Fame” finally won the Oscar.

The success of Notoriety also broke into the music industry as Cara – despite never releasing her own album – was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards. Cara’s first album, everyone can seearrived in 1982.

The following year, Cara scored her biggest hit with “Flashdance…What a Feeling”, the theme to the hit 1983 film. lightning dance. The track – co-written by Giorgio Moroder and Keith Forsey – spent six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, helping the soundtrack rocket to number one as well. The single also earned Cara her second Oscar win for Best Original Song, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

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Cara reunited with Moroder and Forsey for her 1983 LP What feelingwhich featured his hit Flashdance as well as the singles “Breakdance”, “Why Me” and “The Dream (Hold On to Your Dream)”, the latter of which was included on the soundtrack of DC cabina film where Cara appeared as herself in a small role.

However, despite the chart-topping success, Cara’s music career was set back due to what turned out to be a decade-long legal battle with her label Network Records, which she sued after claiming to have withheld royalties from his hit singles.

“After that album, I sued my label. First of all, my label had collapsed on its own…it had lost its distribution. And I was stuck with a label president who continued to [not pay me], and kept using me for his little little label distribution,” Cara told Songwriter Universe in 2018. “So I sued him, and it took eight years and it cost me my future as a recording artist, because no other label would sign me. RSO sent threatening letters to other labels. And the only label that signed me, they said they would support me through the trial. But once I finished my album (1987 Carasmatic), they put it aside and didn’t promote it. A jury finally sided with Cara in 1993, awarding her the royalties for her hits.

However, over the next decade, Cara continued to act both on screen and on stage, appearing in films city heat with Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds, certain furyand Caged in paradiseas well as a 1993 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. She has also served as a backing vocalist for artists like Lou Reed, Oleta Adams and Evelyn “Champagne” King.

In the 2000s, Cara went into “semi-retirement”, making appearances in reality singing competitions and sporadic live appearances. “I have a nice house by the beach and life is good,” she told Songwriter Universe. “[These days] I live off royalties and work when I want, and consider myself semi-retired. I don’t need to work… I earn more money without working than by working.