Irene Cara

New York City born Irene Cara was the youngest of five children in a Puerto Rican family. She began studying acting as a young child and became a regular member of PBS’s Electric Company at an early age. She also began recording in both Spanish and English as a child singer.

As a teen, Cara was performing in plays around New York City, but it was her casting as Coco in the 1980 hit film, Fame, that gave her an international audience. Cara won a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the film, and the title track became her first #1 hit and the first of her two signature songs.

Cara worked on stage and television over the next few years, and released the moderately successful 1982 album Anyone Can See, but had another career peak in 1983 when she sang the theme song from the smash movie Flashdance. It again took her to #1.

Through the rest of the 80s, Cara had several movie roles, including City Heat and Certain Fury, and she hit the stage again with a lead role in Jesus Christ Superstar.

Cara continued to work in the years since her commercial peak in many ways. She issued a few more albums and regular singles, and was a steady worker both as a backing vocalist and in theater. She also formed the singing group Hot Caramel.

For many of us, Irene Cara will forever be a fresh-faced 20 year old, lighting up the screen as an aspiring performer in Fame. Sadly she died far too early in 2022, but she accomplished so much over her 63 years.

By Chris Rizik