Singer Irene Cara's Cause of Death Revealed

Chisom Ndianefo
Close up of Irene Cara
Getty | John Sciulli

Eighties musical star, Irene Cara, famous for her contribution to the classic, Flashdance, died on November 25, 2022, and the authorities have finally ruled the cause as hypertension and high cholesterol.

Cause Of Death Revealed

Per medical documents obtained by TMZ, Pinellas Country's medical examiner ruled the cause of death as Arteriosclerotic and Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease. It didn't help that the singer-songwriter was diabetic at the time of death.

Losing Irene Cara

Irene Cara posing in a printed two-piece
Flickr | comatthooper

The 63-year-old suffered the attack in her Florida home last November and condolences pooled in from old friends and colleagues.

Some of the celebrities who remembered Cara include, Jennifer Beals (Flashdance), Debbie Allen, Diane Warren (Academy Nominated Singer-Songwriter.)

'Flashdance' Success

Cara gained fame with her hits in the Eighties classic, Flashdance, and won an Oscar for Best Original Song with What a Feeling.

Career Achievements

Irene Cara accepts her Oscars
Giphy | The Academy Awards

The singer also earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for her role in the 1980 hit movie Fame. Her song, Out Here on My Own and Fame, earned nominations for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards that year.

Claiming Back Royalties

Poster for Flashdance
Flickr | Zom_Zorrow

In 1985, Cara accused her label of withholding royalties from Flashdance's soundtrack, and a California jury ruled in her favor. After receiving $1.5 million in 1993, the industry allegedly blacklisted her.

Blackballed From The Industry

Once the powers that be labeled her as difficult, Cara's career went downhill. However, in the early 2000s, she returned to the spotlight, starting with the honors at the Ciboney Cafe's Hall of Fame.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Close up of Irene Cara smiling
Flickr | EPJT

After her Lifetime Achievement Award at the Prestige Awards, Cara briefly returned to the entertainment scene before retiring to her Florida home. The singer married once, in 1986 but divorced her husband, Conrad Palmisano, a film director, and stuntman, in 1991.

Staying Private From Her Neighbors

Cara's neighbors didn't know who she was for the longest time because she preferred staying off the radar. One of them, Maria Contreras, told The Post she was reclusive to the point of lashing out when Contreras broke the fences separating their homes.

An Unrealized Comeback

Side Profile of Irene Cara smiling
Flickr | Black Jones

However, her longtime manager, Judith Moose, corrected the notion saying she was afraid of Covid during the pandemic, and that was the source of her "paranoia".

Cara retired on her terms but tried to return to the lime lite towards the end of her life. Unfortunately, she didn't release anything new in the days preceding her death.