Irene Cara at the 1984 Macy's Parade.
Irene Cara Escalera (March 18th, 1959 – November 25th, 2022) was an American singer and actress. Cara sang and co-wrote the song "Flashdance... What a Feeling" (from the film Flashdance), for which she won an Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1984. Cara was also known for playing the role of Coco Hernandez in the 1980 film Fame, and for recording the film's title song "Fame". Prior to her success with Fame, Cara portrayed the title character Sparkle Williams in the original 1976 musical drama film Sparkle.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
Irene Cara only appeared on the America's Comic Stars float at the 1984 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and she sang her famous hit "Flashdance... What a Feeling".