Irene Cara Performs "Out Here On My Own" From "Fame" | Letterman

The "Fame" singer performs the ballad from the hit musical. RIP, Irene.
(From "The David Letterman Show," air date: 10/14/80)
#irenecara #fame #letterman
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[@MoonSpinners]

No lip syncing or auto tune. Perfect. RIP you legend

[@randinatkowitz2487]

She was incredible. We will never see singers like this again!

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Performance back then was superior to performance nowadays in many ways.

[@eczema78]

🙌🏽

[@justinfarm2758]

amen 😢

[@TheConorsmithusa]

She sounds the exact same when she sang this song in the movie fame.. so it was lip syncing after all obviously. Listen to this and listen to the film version. No disrespect to her but sounds very similar

[@KIMOCO01]

Raw, unfiltered, non-processed real singing. RIP to a beautiful, talented singer, a voice of a generation.

[@loriwelch9015]

Before Whitney and Mariah, there was and will always be Irene Cara❤RIP

[@aquariustheheretic7567]

PREACH! i think mariah has done a version of out here on my own.

[@jaymike3302]

I wouldn't put Mariah anywhere near Whitney.

[@meercaz8245]

She kind of opened the doors for Whitney and mariah

[@Sailor-Alpha]

@@aquariustheheretic7567 yes mariah covered this song as a tribute to irene . irene was her idol growing up

[@rovertaw22]

She was a double threat -- singer and actress. Shame that her career did not skyrocket like Whitney/Mariah or JLo or JHud

[@jenchristensen66]

What a voice! Rest in peace you made a mark on this world.

[@linlasj]

Yes. True that. Rest in peace Irene Cara. Wonderful movie and song.

[@springstud]

she was very talented she sounds like donna summer

[@hillsane9262]

@@springstud As a boy, I had crush on both of them. Irene just did something to me!

[@deeluther1064]

That's the way you do it! RIP Ms. Cara. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us! 🙋‍♀️❤️

[@deeluther1064]

@kris imes I was thinking the same thing, kris!

[@madisonbrownfield9587]

She was 20-21 here… INSANELY talented

[@jackspry9736]

RIP Irene Cara (March 18, 1959 - November 25, 2022), aged 63 You will always be remembered as a legend.

[@loveisthething]

Well as long there are people walking the face of the earth

[@LawrenceNealsGeekLifeRules]

It's astonishing to see a talk show interview with such humility. Most of the young artists of today are far too self-aware and full of themselves. Beautiful voice from a beautiful soul.

[@joeybaseball7352]

Because this was 42 years ago. There was no internet or social media then.

[@romerjusu3804]

And have no true talent . Just a look , a style an Instagram following .

[@natejennings5884]

Pop culture will never get another like Irene Cara. I just got word of her passing as I got home from work last night.

[@merelythepawn]

The definition of 'honest' and 'real' has changed significantly over the last 30 years.

[@lemurianchick]

I found out she was a Pisces. Makes total sense. 😊

[@TheAverycross]

Truly beautiful and talented. RIP Ms. Irene Cara. Thank you for your gift of music.

[@Mike-yg8ig]

So beautiful...

[@kleverich]

News just broke of her death. Kudos to the staff for getting this video up so quickly. A truly great voice and talent, RIP Irene.

[@arniewolfson8040]

Beautiful ❤❤❤

[@tashmoobabe8704]

I didn't know. I'm weeping.

[@jackleonardo2167]

Pure, unpretentious talent. To perform the 2nd song unrehearsed and live on network TV shows how confident and talented she is/was. RIP Irene Cara.

[@ronaldhall5524]

Unpretentious…. Got it! 😉😉

[@uiscepreston]

If people don't know, this was from Dave's very short-lived MORNING talk show that only aired for 4 months in 1980. It got cancelled but NBC liked Dave so much that they paid him 20 grand a month to occasionally host the Tonight Show for a year while he developed the late night program for them.

[@MichikoWilson-Ryan]

This is one of the reasons I became a performer for the first 42 years of my life.

[@toniseawright8777]

We all wanted to be like Irene Cara. Such humility, such talent, so humble! She sang those songs w/so much feeling. No autotune, Just real RAW singing! No over-singing!! Just pure grace and talent! I will always love her!! She was a huge part of my High School years!! I gotta chance to sing our class song "Out Here On My Own"...We had a talent show, I sang "Fame"...I loved singing her music even in college! I just loved her!! I teach vocals and ALWAYS recommend "Out Here on My Own" as a request to learn. Irene was a blueprint for our generation of young singers and a powerhouse vocalist and songwriter to boot! I hope my students see this and UNDERSTAND why I loved her so and why I teach her music! Long live Irene Cara!! You did THAT!!!❤❤❤❤❤🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽💕💕💕💕 🥰😘

[@conan5885]

This comment deserves 1000 likes ❤️

[@Ravenelvenlady]

Absolutely! It's a beautiful tribute for a well deserved soul. 💖💖💖

[@richardk8821]

Miss Seawright, you make me proud to be from Mississippi! ❤👏

[@silentsmasher4790]

watching her singing from her heart always brings tears to my eyes. RiP Legend Irene ❤...

[@ayaltusia4493]

This song always gives me goosebumps. Thank you Irene for all you gave us. You'll be very missed. RIP.

[@DavidHalChester]

Ditto everything you said.

[@DAVEJJR]

This was my high school graduation song, 1984. Irene Cara deserved more recognition and respect for her talent, beauty and contribution to pop music!!!

[@GeeBee909]

Wow, age 22 never looked more beautiful. Life time passes so quickly. RIP Irene

[@ed_leonardi]

So elegant, so composed, so well-spoken...unlike most stars nowadays, and she was only 22!

[@tom11zz884]

We've been losing a lot of 80's icons recently. This one especially hurts, because i grew up watching her on the movie Fame and absolutely fell in love with her. She always exuded class and beauty. Rest in Power Irene.

[@ranibeaton5163]

Could not have said it any better, Tom. 😢

[@romerjusu3804]

Donna Summer 2012, Olivia Newton John a few months ago and now Irene. 😢😨😰

[@taltalim18]

We have and it really stings as it’s too early for us to be losing 80’s icons. It’s like losing a part of our childhood. 😢

[@johnlloyddy7016]

I remember her best from the movie "D.C. Cab" with Mr. T.

[@julierobinson5980]

Olivia really hit hard but her passing was not completely unexpected, when people die so suddenly like Irene at a relatively young age it's very hard to process 💔😥

[@jhanes3791]

She looks like Billie Holiday. Beautiful voice and so clear and strong.

[@kochaoji1]

Yes! Billie Holiday, I was thinking that, too. She could have played her better than the others who have...

[@poorthing]

Oh...I just posted that...then I read others thinking that too.... Truly- She was Billie's doppelganger

[@Charlyamadocr]

Es verdad el Brillo En los Ojos es Billie

[@peterharris3833]

Light up the sky like a Flame. RIP Irene Cara❤

[@fabianalmendros9895]

22 years old, down-to-earth, humble and talented. What else could you have asked for?

[@M_SC]

A longer life.

[@Ravenelvenlady]

Indeed. RIH Dear Irene. 💖💖

[@supachaloopa3611]

She always came across as the girl next door. Someone you could easily talk to with no attitude- just a fun person to hang out with. In all her interviews up until she passed away, she continued to be herself. She will be missed.

[@Alexthegreat27]

I always felt the same about her and had such a crush on her as a kid. I'm also Latino from the Bronx, and she had such a familiar around the way quality about her...

[@americanitalianisrael4008]

JUST A REMINDER FOLKS. THIS IS LIVE. SHE SOUNDS JUST LIKE HER ALBUMS. SHE WAS A POWERHOUSE OF A LADY AND SINGER. GOT AN OSCAR FOR 'WHAT A FEELING' FROM FLASH DANCE. AND A GRAMMY AS WELL. AND A GOLDEN GLOBE TOO. SHE WAS THE FIRST LATIN FEMALE TO WIN AN OSCAR IN THE MUSIC CATEGORY FOR WRITING 'WHAT A FEELING' IN THE CAR ON HER WAY TO THE STUDIO. R.I.P.

[@CassieJazz96]

This was a once in a lifetime vocalist. The sheer emotion and vocal prowess in this performance is astounding.

[@Elledee2]

She was such a cutie pie with a strong voice. Will be missed. 💜

[@mibeatleman6767]

Rest In Peace, Irene Cara. You had the voice of an angel and the look of one as well. 😢 💔 🕯

[@tfimperfectangel]

First time seeing her sing live, she reminds me of Donna Summer, who also was gone too soon.. RIP Irene

[@jfh9209]

from WP: "Besides the title song, she performed the musical’s other big hit, “Out Here on My Own.” She said that some critics claimed she was trying too hard to sound like the disco queen Donna Summer. She found it a compliment. “Honestly,” she said later, “I made a decision as a young actress to emulate Donna. First of all, we shot some of the ‘Fame’ scenes to her song, ‘Hot Stuff.’ ”

[@tfimperfectangel]

@@jfh9209 ahhh no wonder the resemblances.. I was right then 😁

[@1asset]

donna summer? lol. nope. both fabulous, both different.

[@js2prmibanez4]

I'd forgotten how much of a crush I had on Irene .. im a 59 yr old fella.. thank you Irene thank you for the beatiful music .. you rock

[@gpowellish1]

I'm 57 and I had a mad crush on her.

[@rockwhk]

i still can.t believe she is gone, she looked so young with pure energie in her last concerts 😢 rip beautiful and talented Irene

[@alistairross4317]

Irene Cara was my guilty pleasure as a 20 something soldier back in the 80's. She was absolutely amazing! RIP, you star xx

[@gpowellish1]

Same here Bro.

[@RBS_]

....and, I thought Olivia Newton-John's passing would knock me off my feet...this One WRECKED me! ...We never know what we had (or, whom), until they're gone...Irene was supposed to "..live forvever..", but now, her MUSIC does....RIP, Lady Irene....I'm devastated....

[@alaynelangford2323]

When I heard of her passing, I immediately looked for this song, as it resonated with me as a young person, and it still does ❤️ Much love RIP beautiful Irene Cara 🙏

[@juliemiller2523]

IVE DONE THIS SONG MANY TIMES IN KAREOKE, LOVE IT

[@SUGAR_XYLER]

@@juliemiller2523 I sang Fame in chorus class

[@mildredhighcock7333]

Passing what? Oh you mean dying

[@TheTubeMeister]

Now THIS is talent and a true singer.

[@dannycruz5446]

Coco singing out 'here on my own' & Leroy auditioning to 'red light' were my favorite scenes in Fame. RIP

[@charlychips]

Always amazed by her voice and beauty. Thanks so much IRENE

[@glamslamcam]

This is what real talent looks like. Real music by real musicians. Rest in Heavenly Peace Irene.

[@Heres_Johnny.]

So very sorry to hear she passed away. She was beautiful and very talented. We’ve lost a great woman.

[@chloebelle4923]

It's so sad that she died suddenly & many of us know likely why. 😔We will miss you Irene! 🥀The 80's would not have been the same without you. Such a classy, modest, talented, humble soul.

[@acousticality1727]

absolutely, it's not mystery anymore. won't people just research first?

[@TonyGue]

I know we all die but she was still so young RIP Irene. A trailblazer and an underrated artist and performer who left so many amazing songs behind

[@edwardnabongpike]

“She was a beautifully gifted soul whose legacy will live forever through her music and films.” Rest In Peace ! 💚💛❤

[@randinatkowitz2487]

Simply incredible!! We will never see singers like this again in our lifetime!! So heartbroken that Irene passed away. She will always be one of my idols. So grateful to have grown up in a time when we had singers like Olivia and Irene to look up to! May she rest in the sweetest peace! 💔

[@hamburg1306]

From the daytime show. Shows a pure and beautiful performance. Can’t believe she passed away. R.I.P. Irene Cara.

[@braviafeed]

Total package. Beauty and talent. Rest in peace Irene.

[@DamoneRobertsREAL]

She’s Iconic… Her songs & films define generations.

[@3003mo]

Irene’s voice and a piano = perfection. Thank you rest in peace .

[@33333333333333336042]

What a charming, sweet a humble woman...........and great dancer, very sad so suddenly lost for world music.

[@pandecocojam]

She's such a natural.

[@harolddasynth795]

One of the singers in 80s i look up to,RIP my legend Irene.

[@ephemeralsamsara]

Such a huge talent, rest in peace, power, love and laughter 🖤

[@moore-grace6113]

R.I.P. Irene Cara. This song spoke to how lost I felt for a long time when I was younger. Pure vocals. Thank you for sharing your gifts.

[@sassynanny4810]

RIP. So sad. My fondest memory of her singing was in the classic movie Sparkle. The scene with her and Philip Michael Thomas in the recording studio. Irene Cara, another legend gone. “REMEMBER HER NAME.” Heartbreaking

[@kathyseay8639]

Tears. RIP, Irene. Gone too soon. A piece of my youth has gone. Love this song forever.

[@johnbrowneyes7534]

The incredible 80s -you had to be there. 👍💙

[@thelettermanpodcast]

What a gorgeous performance. Fame was such an empowering film encouraging a generation of folks who had an artist inside them wanting to get out. Irene’s amazing gifts expression this inspiration will love on forever.

[@class3times]

"And I'll look back on Venus, I'll look back on Mars, and I'll burn with the fire of ten million stars, and in time, and in time, we will all be stars." Like many people of my generation, I attended performing arts school, moved to NYC, and had a career in the arts because of this beautiful soul. RIP Irene.

[@scottrauth8219]

Rip such a beauty and talent rarely seen

[@valhere1406]

She leaves a beautiful legacy for us to savor.

[@woodymoore6312]

Cute as could be, and talented as could be, but the most impressive thing was her childlike humility. So charming. Rest in eternal peace.

[@nurulmaru]

Yes, in certain sense, technology has spoiled many things! Some horrible "artists" have been brought to fame without any talent at all. She was a real artist!! RIP, Irene Cara.

[@jeannawalton8107]

Oh, what a voice!

[@kiwirebelo]

Such a loss. RIP Irene, you will be missed

[@banixoidle]

What a talented beauty she was... Rest In Peace and Love and great Art, Ms. Irene Cara. Que descanses en paz, Irene Cara Escalera.

[@maxfieldblue]

Thank You Irene Cara, help defining a decade, my favorite decade , the 80's !!!!

[@vg6790]

Thank you Ms Cara for sharing your beautiful talent with the world. Sleep in peace while you light up the skies 🕊️

[@tr54natural5]

She was a triple threat-so talented and beautiful. 💔

[@robrivax]

Totally!!!! Who was a better actor/dancer/singer of her generation?

[@TDS927]

Irene was so beautiful and angelic. You could feel the purity in her spirit through this interview. Loved her singing style.

[@Blackman19498]

This was my first crush as a kid 😢now I am out here on my own 💔rest well beautiful lady…

[@dwaynerose9315]

She was a classic talent for any decade, hopefully those royalties she was scammed from, will go to Her foundation-rip Irene-amen

[@barbarakenny3041]

Always loved Irene Cara she had real talent another one gone to soon rest in peace Irene Cara 🙏🙏

[@fortedrummer3026]

Thank you to the Letterman channel for posting this. Dear Ms. Cara, you reached our hearts. Love always. ❤

[@feliciakidd9358]

Pure talent and natural beauty. R.I.P Irene.

[@graziemille2454]

Part of my life. So sad on her passing. An example to todays “stars”…just her voice and a piano. She didn’t need any smoke and mirrors. Rest in power, sweet Irene.

[@MareMeyer]

This was Dave's daytime show. I remember this. I was awed by her then and now. RIP, Irene.

[@serenawilliams6138]

RIP. She was so beautiful and humble. She inspired so many young people and I was one of them. She was truly a great talent and beautiful soul-unfortunately she had very poor management but she made her mark regardless of that! She’s a sparkling star forever now. ❤

[@ChristianNewsandInterviews]

Great singer, dancer, actress....and could play piano. My favorite of all time. RIP, beautiful.

[@TimJoseph08031990]

What a true legend. RIP Irene Cara 🙏🏽❤😢

[@AdamLeite]

At the time of this movie, I was trying to get to college in a very competitive school, so this song and the entire movie meant a lot tome.

[@Penscreen]

This is live! . But then singers did perform live in those days! It's completely different to the recorded album version, as she's adding in a few riffs here and there. She was a marvel, and it was Fame that inspired me to be a singer. The cast have even heard me and I've sung that famous theme on stage with them in Italy! RIP Irene Cara! ❤

[@sarsaparilla5933]

As a kid, I had a crush on her. I remember watching her play Alex Haley's mom when she died on screen. I knew it was acting but i was still sad. Love you, Irene. RIP.

[@barb4645]

My age. What an era. Rest in peace angel and dance in the sky. Watch us till we join you ❤

[@dgf6275]

I feel the clarity of her tones through my phone. 🥺

[@g-girl9867]

Crying... such a beautiful rendition of this song, poignant and sweet. RIP sweet lady.

[@jkaw9291]

I remember the first time I heard this song from the original movie album Fame, Out here on my own of course everyone heard the Song Fame which is a great song, as i listened to this song, the first time it touched my heart and I felt so moved that I cried. Today i remember Irene and I think how much the record industry did Irene a sad injustice by keeping her from excelling. She had a voice that just reaches into my soul and it draws me in, once I'm in I wanted to say. RIP Irene, I will miss you from my heart, you were so beautiful, with a voice of an angel, now You're up there in heaven in Gods choir. 😓

[@freeazfridae]

oh Irene, we're shattered, still too young, your exhilarating talent energy & persona 😢 Now silenced, a Class Act in every sense 😔 God Bless You !

[@Miss_Marnie]

Thank you Letterman for posting this video. I have watched the movie Fame hundreds of times. My favorite scene is Coco (Irene Cara) singing “Out Here On My Own”. I never knew this appearance on Letterman existed until today Tuesday, November 29, 2022. I hope Irene now knows how talented and beloved that she is. May she rest in peace.

[@marybiggs1484]

Will never forget her. Thank you, Ms. Cara.

[@iloveejbgssnoopy]

this lady was amazing and I will never forget you Ms. Cara you sang like an angel. you live in our hearts.

[@badmariamedia]

This is without question a live performance. I wore out the Fame soundtrack at home, and can easily tell the difference, being very familiar with the album version's tone and inflection. Paul is probably the one playing piano, and it's a compliment to Irene's pure talent that some people question whether she's singing live here.

[@deputay]

That's Frank Owens who, as Dave says in this very video, played the song on the soundtrack, film, and on this clip, too

[@sethdarque3904]

Pretty + Beautiful Singer + no musical instruments needed= "GOD's gift to the human race a that will last into Eternity!" R.I.P. Irene Cara!.....and blessings to you family and friends at this time of grievance.

[@johnwhelan9640]

Hot Lunch. She sang the lead and the background vocals effortlessly and it was unrehearsed. Amazing Talent. Rest in peace 💔

[@M_SC]

It was so pure and fun

[@carajssavannahga8830]

Rest in Peace singing with the Angels my favorite as a child that made it so special with Electric Company when I was 6 years old and Solid Gold, Fame and Flash Dance loved this song and had the 45 record

[@francescafazi4433]

Addio dolce Irene! ❤️🙏

[@mcdill0617]

Another musical angel has joined that heavenly choir! 🙏🏻💞🎶😇

[@alfredojaco6822]

QUE DESCANSES EN PAZ !!! Y Dios te Reciba con su misericordia y amor!!!

[@jamilasalaam]

Ameen 💕🙏🥺😌🤍

[@luisrhernandeznunez927]

🌹🥀💔🙏🏾

[@TIZNYC]

Rest in peace beautiful angel 💔

[@doncallangher6177]

Breaks my heart. So much going on at that time as a New Yorker, and your voice and talent were memorable and resonant to all New Yorkers. RIP my dear.

[@enriquevial3142]

What a lovely person (and fabulous singer) she was

[@melissadenisehayes832]

I was a teenager seeing Fame….Irena Carr is a star , Sparkle and on. God bless her. So young.

[@michaelgoodwin1891]

So sad Irene Cara’s passing a beautiful voice and soul you’re home now

[@rocketman767]

I can't believe you are gone Irene. I am heartbroken!! Beautiful soul, beautiful talent, beautiful voice. We all love you and miss you dearly!