Oscar Winning Singer Irene Cara Dies at 63

80’s pop icon and singer Irene Cara was found dead in her Florida home.

Cara, the Oscar-winning singer of the title tracks to “Fame” and “Flashdance,” has died at age 63, her publicist announced late Friday.

“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. 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,” her publicist tweeted.

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. 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. – JM pic.twitter.com/TsC5BwZ3fh

— Irene Cara (@Irene_Cara) November 26, 2022

ABC7 News reported:

Cara died in her Florida home of an undisclosed cause.

Her publicist confirmed her death to Eyewitness News.

“It is with profound sadness that on behalf of her family I announce the passing of Irene Cara,” publicist Judith A. Moose wrote.

Cara was trained in music, dance and acting as a child and appeared on stage and on television, including appearances on PBS and on Johnny Carson’s “The Tonight Show,” at a young age in the 1970s.

But she rocketed to fame when she was cast in the 1980 musical “Fame.” She was initially cast as a dancer but then had the role of Coco Hernandez written for her and she sang the title track.

She was nominated for two Grammys after “Fame,” for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Artist.

Cara won an Oscar in 1984 for the title track to the movie Flash Dance,  ‘What a Feeling.’

The soundtrack for Flash Dance also earned Cara a shared Grammy for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special.

Cara catapulted to stardom by performing the title track of the 1980 hit film Fame.

“To everyone who has taken the time to express their grief, thank you. For those who are posting spam about cryptocurrencies, please stop. For those who are blaming a vaccine for her death, please don’t. We don’t have medical answers yet and won’t until an autopsy is completed,” a tweet from Cara’s account stated on Saturday.

To everyone who has taken the time to express their grief, thank you. For those who are posting spam about cryptocurrencies, please stop. For those who are blaming a vaccine for her death, please don't. We don't have medical answers yet and won't until an autopsy is completed.

— Irene Cara (@Irene_Cara) November 26, 2022

“Gave myself a very special birthday gift today. I got vaccinated !!” Cara tweeted March 18, 2021.

Gave myself a very special birthday gift today. I got vaccinated !!

— Irene Cara (@Irene_Cara) March 18, 2021