Steph Deschamps / May 28, 2023
ina Turner died on Wednesday at the age of 83. One of the greatest voices in American music is gone. Her life, punctuated by tragedy, was not a long, quiet river.
Singer Tina Turner has died at the age of 83. Her spokesperson announced the news on Wednesday evening, sending shockwaves around the world. Tributes soon poured in from all over the world. "Tina Turner was an icon and her death is an immense loss," said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday, learning of the death of the "Queen of Rock" in the middle of a press conference, and revealing that she was "a very big fan" of the singer. She's obviously not the only one, and it's a safe bet that on Wednesday evening, the singer's music was playing over and over again on phone playlists…
Tina Turner was ill. "She passed away peacefully after a long illness at her home in Kusnacht, near Zurich, Switzerland," reads a press release from her manager. She had obtained Swiss nationality a few years ago. "With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model", comments the star's entourage.
Tina Turner was one of the last great ladies of American music, a true legend. On stage, with her firecracker hair and feline gait, she was a veritable lioness, earning the respect and admiration of the greats, such as Mick Jagger, who once explained that it was by copying Tina Turner's body language that he had developed his own stage act! A fine compliment indeed…
Tina Turner, real name Anna Mae Bullock, was known not only for her insane charisma, inimitable voice and incredible energy, but above all for her many hits. Her hits include Simply the Best, What's Love Got to Do with It, I Don't Want to Lose You, Pivate Dancer, We Don't Need Another Hero, Goldeneye for the Jambes Bond soundtrack, and many more. Tina has often sung duets with other stars: Bryan Adams, Eros Ramazzotti, David Bowie, to name but a few. It's impossible not to hum the lyrics when you hear one of her hits on the radio! Which is likely to be the case a lot in the days to come…
A few words about his career. Her career really began in 1957. She was 17 when she met a certain Ike Turner, a small rhythm and blues musician with big aspirations, whom she eventually married five years later. With Tina by his side, Ike began to achieve the fame he had always sought. The two formed the duo Ike & Tina Turner Revue. A worldwide hit. But Ike is violent. Tina paid the price more often than not. In 1978, she found the strength to separate from her husband and mentor to pursue a solo career.
She does well. If she was already a success with Ike, her solo career literally exploded. She signed a contract with Capitol Records. Her first solo album, "Private Dancer", released in 1984, was a huge success. She became a worldwide superstar, adored everywhere, selling records by the truckload and filling stadiums wherever she went. She was also seen in films, notably Mad Max. Over the course of her career, the "lioness of rock" won eight Grammys, the American music awards. But despite her success, her life has also been peppered with drama. In 2018, her son Craig shot himself in the head. And last year, his other son, Ronald, died of cancer.