Singer Irene Cara is dead at 63. Cara is perhaps most famous for her hit "What a Feeling" from the movie "Flashdance." The 1984 song earned her both an Oscar and a Grammy. I never saw the movie, but I did love the song, which had a cheerfully liberating feel to it. You might have to dig back further into your memories, but Cara also had an acting part—including a nude scene!—in the 1980 movie "Fame," for which she also sang the movie's theme song (you may remember the lyrics "I wanna live forever"). Cause of death is currently unknown, but she died at home in Florida. I know Cara pretty much for the two songs mentioned above, but those songs loomed large in my youth and marked my formative years, so there's a great deal of sentimentality that comes with learning this terrible news. The news of Cara's death truly saddens me. Even if her career had consisted only of those two songs, it could still be said that she brought joy to a lot of people. Rest in peace, Ms. Cara, symbol of a simpler time.
I was somewhat familiar with her hits but never really a fan. I had to read her Wikipedia page to better understand her career. An impressive and talented performer, for sure. 63 is way too young to leave this world (I always find it disconcerting when anyone younger than me passes away). It seems odd that nothing is being said about the cause of death on several websites I've perused. I'll keep my speculation to myself until there is some confirmation.
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