Irene Cara was remembered by Jennifer Beals, Debbie Allen, Sister Sledge and more after she passed away Friday at age 63.
The Oscar-winning singer behind hits like “Fame” and “Flashdance” died in Florida of unknown causes, her publicist Judith A. Moose announced.
With a decades-long career spanning several mediums – including Broadway, television and film – Cara is considered a pioneer of the arts and an icon of the 1980s.
Jennifer Beals, the star of 1983’s “Flashdance” (for which Cara won an Oscar) thanked “brilliant” Cara for her “open heart and your fearless triple threat talent.”
“It took a beautiful dreamer to write and perform the soundtracks for those who dare to dream,” she wrote on Instagram. “#RIPirenecara.”
Canadian singer Deborah Cox called Cara “a bright light for the culture.”
“Irene Cara is who inspired me growing up to be a ‘triple threat’ ….that you could not only have hit records but I have a hit tv show and slay…” she wrote, adding a “Fame” reference: “Irene Cara remember her name.”
“My Heart Is Broken,” Debbie Allen said, describing Cara as “such a gifted beautiful genius.” “Her talent and her music will LIVE FOREVER! FOREVER REMEMBER HER NAME!”
Flea said on Twitter that he was “sad to hear the news, she was a real light.”
Read below for more tributes:
Note: a previous version of this story included a headline mentioning Laura Branigan as well as a tweet from her official Twitter account with a comment on Cara’s passing. The tweet was actually written by Branigan’s former manager from Branigan’s account. We regret the error.