Bonnie Tyler, legendary singer behind Holding Out for a Hero, dies at 75
Legendary singer Bonnie Tyler dies at 75 (photo: Getty Images)
Legendary singer Bonnie Tyler, who gave the world such iconic hits as Holding Out for a Hero, Total Eclipse of the Heart, and It's a Heartache, has died. She was 75 years old.
RBC-Ukraine reports this, citing an official statement published on the singer's Facebook page.
Bonnie Tyler dies
The singer's family and team announced that she unexpectedly passed away in a hospital in Portugal, where she had been undergoing treatment.
"Bonnie's family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in a hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for. We will issue a further statement shortly, but for now, ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy," the statement says.
In May, the singer was rushed to a hospital in Faro, Portugal, due to a serious intestinal illness. Following surgery, she was placed in a medically induced coma. In June, her official website announced that Tyler had regained consciousness but remained in intensive care in critical condition, forcing the cancellation of all her summer concerts.
Who was Bonnie Tyler?
Bonnie Tyler (born Gaynor Hopkins) was born on June 8, 1951, in the Welsh town of Skewen. She rose to international fame in the late 1970s but became a global superstar in the 1980s.
Her distinctive raspy voice was the result of vocal cord surgery. That unique sound made her one of the most recognizable singers of her generation.
In 1977, she topped the charts with "It's a Heartache," and a few years later recorded "Total Eclipse of the Heart," written by legendary producer and songwriter Jim Steinman. The song became a global phenomenon, topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and the UK Singles Chart, and sold millions of copies worldwide.
Another major success was "Holding Out for a Hero," which was featured in the film Footloose and later became one of the defining songs of the 1980s. It has since been used in numerous films, TV shows, commercials, and video games, giving the classic anthem a new life among younger generations of listeners.
A career spanning more than half a century
Over a career that lasted more than 50 years, Bonnie Tyler released 18 studio albums, sold tens of millions of records, and earned three Grammy Award nominations.
In 2013, she represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest with "Believe in Me," and in 2021, she released her final studio album, "The Best Is Yet to Come." In 2023, she published her autobiography, "Straight from the Heart," in which she reflected on her musical career spanning more than five decades.
Tyler was married to Robert Sullivan for more than 50 years. The couple tied the knot in 1973 and remained together until the singer's final days.
