Irene Cara Escalera (March 18, 1959 - November 25, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and actress. Cara sang and co-wrote the song Flashdance... What a Feeling from the film Flashdance. She won an Oscar for Best Original Song as a co writer.

Cara rose to fame as Coco Hernandez in the 1980 film Fame, and the hit song "Fame" spawned from the movie.