Irene Cara

Irene Cara is an American singer and actress who won an Academy Award in 1984 in the category of Best Original Song for co-writing "Flashdance... What a Feeling". She is also known for her recording of the song "Fame", and she also starred in the 1980 film Fame.

Fame catapulted Irene Cara to stardom, as Coco Hernandez, she sang both the title song "Fame" and the film’s other single "Out Here on My Own". These songs helped make the film's soundtrack a chart-topping, multi-platinum album. She earned Grammy nominations in 1980 for Best New Female Artist and Best New Pop Artist, as well as a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical. Billboard Magazine named her Top New Single Artist, while Cashbox Magazine awarded her both Most Promising Female Vocalist and Top Female Vocalist. I

In 1983, Cara appeared as herself in the film D.C. Cab, which is a film about a group of cabbies. The movie stars Mr. T. Her contribution to the film's soundtrack, "The Dream (Hold On To Your Dream)" played over the closing credits of the film, and proved to be a minor hit, peaking at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1984.

In 1983, Cara reached the peak of her music career with the title song for the movie Flashdance: "Flashdance... What A Feeling. She won the 1983 Academy Award for Best Song, 1984 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, 1984 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and American Music Awards for Best R&B Female Artist and Best Pop Single of the Year.

"Flashdance..." was re-recorded by Cara twice. The first time was in 1995 as a track in the original soundtrack for the movie The Full Monty and the second time was in 2002, as a duet she recorded with successful Swiss artist DJ BoBo.

In 1984, she was in the comedic thriller City Heat, in which she co-starred opposite Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds and sang the standards "Embraceable You" and "Get Happy." She also co-wrote the theme song "City Heat".

Cara released several albums, Anyone Can See in 1982, What A Feelin' in 1983, and Carasmatic in 1987. In 1985, she collaborated with the Hispanic group Hermanos in the song Cantaré, cantarás in which she sings a solo segment with the Spanish opera singer Plácido Domingo. She also released a compilation of Eurodance singles in the mid to late 1990s entitled Precarious 90's. Cara recently contributed a dance single, titled "Forever My Love", to the compilation album titled Gay Happening Vol. 12, in 2006.

Cara has also worked as a backup vocalist for Vicki Sue Robinson, Lou Reed, George Duke, Oleta Adams, and Evelyn "Champagne" King. Cara toured Europe and Asia throughout the 1990s, scoring several modest dance hits on European charts.

Currently, Cara works with her band Hot Caramel. Their album called Irene Cara Presents Hot Caramel was released in April 2011.