Music legend Tina Turner has passed away peacefully at the age of 83. She was at her home in Kusnacht, which is a municipality within the district of Meilen, near Zurich, Switzerland. Bernard Doherty, Turner’s spokesperson, confirmed the news in a statement he released to the news.
The news release read, “Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock’n Roll’ has died peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.” It went on to say, “With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”
On Tina Turner’s official Instagram account, a post was published with the following caption, “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow. Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly.”
Roger Davies, Tina Turner’s longtime manager, also released a statement, saying, Turner was a “unique and remarkable force of nature with her strength, incredible energy and immense talent.” He went on to say, “From the first day I met her in 1980, she believed in herself completely when few others did at that time.” Davies continued, “It was a privilege and an honour to have been a close friend as well as her manager for more than 30 years. I will miss her deeply.”
As a 12-time Grammy Award winner, Tina Turner’s impact on the music industry is uniquely unmatched. She broke barriers and rose to fame in 1960 with ex-husband Ike Turner, but according to Deadline, when she decided to leave him, because of the abusive nature of their relationship, she had an uphill battle to climb. Leaving him left her a struggling singer, trying to make it. She struggled and was nearly penniless. That was until she hit it big in 1984, with her fifth solo album, called Private Dancer.
And finally, years after she moved on from her abusive husband, where the divorce was finally final in 1978, she became one of the most successful female artists of all time. She went on to make numerous hit songs and sold over 180 million records worldwide.
In a 1984 interview with CBS News, Tina talked about how difficult it was to break into a genre that was not welcoming to her because of her race. Here is an excerpt from her remarks, “I had a real hard time because I am Black. In America, radio programmers don’t program you as a Black person as rock ‘n’ roll. You’re R&B,” Turner said. “That is something that people are not aware of. Prince just barged his way through there and he said ‘I am,’ and you accept me. Of course, he had to make changes… as a guy. But I had to prove it over the years. This is the part about coming in being a woman and being Black.”
There will be a private funeral ceremony for family and close friends that has yet to be announced, or released publicly. As fans continue to learn about the loss of one of the greatest musical icons of our time, the outpouring of love and support, prayers, thoughts and memories, continue to flood social media. The countless posts and heartfelt words further demonstrate the immense impact Tina Turner has had not only on music, but also on our culture as a whole. She will be missed, may Tina Turner rest in peace.
I’m so saddened by the passing of my wonderful friend Tina Turner.
— Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) May 24, 2023
She was truly an enormously talented performer and singer. She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her. pic.twitter.com/TkG5VrdxXO
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