Tributes have been paid to Fame star Irene Cara who has died at the age of 63. The performer recorded the title track to the iconic movie, in which she played Coco Hernandez.
The song topped the charts in a number of countries across the world. She also sang and co-wrote the theme tune Flashdance - What A Feeling which won an Academy Award for the Best Original Song.
Her publicist Judith Moose announced the star's death saying the singer had died at her home in Florida. She said in a post on Twitter: "It is with profound sadness that on behalf of her family I announce the passing of Irene Cara.
"The Academy Award winning actress, singer, songwriter and producer passed away in her Florida home. her cause of death is currently unknown and will be released when information is available.
"Irene's family has requested privacy as they process their grief. She was a beautifully gifted sould whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.
"Funeral services are pending and a memorial for her fans will be planned at a future date."
Posting the announcement on the official Irene Cara Twitter page, the publicist told followers: "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."
Irene Cara became a household name after the massive success of the 1980 hit Fame directed by Alan Parker. She was originally cast as a dancer but after hearing her sing the role of Coco Hernandez was written for her to play.
She sang both the title song "Fame" and the film's other single, "Out Here on My Own". The film's soundtrack became a chart-topping, multi-platinum album, going on to make history at the Academy Awards that year when it was the first time that two songs from the same film and sung by the same artist were nominated in the same category with Fame going on to take the title.
The star won Grammy's that year for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Artist. She followed those with a Grammy and an Academy Award in 1984 withe the title track to Flashdance.
She went on to appear in numerous films including City Heat, co-starring with Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds and in Certain Fury, starring alongside Tatum O'Neal. She also played in an all-female band, Hot Caramel, formed in 1999.
