She was only 63. Cause of death is "unknown", so it looks like it wasn't expected.
https://twitter.com/irene_cara/status/1596392865948499968
Irene rose to prominence in 1980 when she starred in the musical "Fame". She was only 21 at the time.
She's best known for "What a Feeling" from the movie Flashdance.
She also had a small but memorable role in "DC Cab" in 1983.