Popular American singer Tina Turner, wey her soul classics songs and pop hits like, The Best and What’s Love Got to Do With It make her superstar, don die at di age of 83.
Turner bin suffer a number of health issues in recent years wey include cancer, stroke and kidney failure.
She bin rise to fame alongside her husband Ike, for di 1960s wit songs wey include Proud Mary and River Deep, Mountain High.
She divorce di abusive Ike for 1978, and go on to find even greater success as a solo artist for di 1980s.
Nicknamed di Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Tina Turner bin dey popular for her wild and energetic stage performances and her husky, powerful vocals.
She win eight Grammy Awards and dem induct her into di Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame for 2021 as a solo artist, dis na afta her first induction alongside her ex-husband Ike, for 1991.
Upon her solo induction, di Hall of Fame bin note how she don “expand di once-limited idea of how a Black woman fit conquer a stage and be both a powerhouse and a multidimensional being”.
Younger stars wey don ride under her influence include Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Janelle Monae and Rihanna.
Tina Turner early years
Dem born Tina Turner for Tennessee into one sharecropping family.
She bin first gain wen she be one of di back-up singers for her husband’s band – The Kings of Rhythm.
She soon enta di front of di band, and di couple begin taste commercial success wit Fool in Love and It’s Gonna Work Out Fine, wey make di US charts for di early 60s.
Dia oda hits include 1973 Nutbush City Limits, about di small town where dem born Tina. But Ike physical and emotional abuse begin affect her.
Na im change her name from her birth name, Anna Mae Bullock, to Tina Turner – one decision e take without her knowledge, one example of im controlling behaviour.
She remember di trauma she bin suffer throughout dia relationship for her 2018 memoir, My Love Story, wia she compare sex wit di late musician to “a kind of rape”.
“E use my nose as a punching bag so many times, to di extent say and I fit taste blood dey run down my throat when I sing,” she write.
Tina Turner move ahead afta failed marriage
Afta she escape her abuser, she bin go on to rebuild her career and become one of di biggest pop and rock stars of di 80s and 90s, wit hit songs wey include Let’s Stay Together, Steamy Windows, Private Dancer, James Bond theme GoldenEye, I Don’t Wanna Fight and It Takes Two, a duet with Rod Stewart.
She also feature for di 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome – wey feature anoda of her smashes, We Don’t Need Another Hero – and The Who’s 1975 rock opera Tommy as di Acid Queen.
She find happiness wit her second husband, German music executive Erwin Bac. Dem begin date for di mid-80s, and dem marry for 2013.
Di couple live for Switzerland, wit Turner taking Swiss citizenship. He donate one of im kidneys to her for 2017 afta dem discover say she dey suffer from kidney failure.
She also suffer tragedy afta her eldest son Craig commit suicide for 2018. Im father naTurner former bandmate, Raymond Hill.
Another of her son, Ronnie, wey im father na Ike Turner, die for 2022. She bin also get two adopted sons, Ike Jr and Michael, children wey her ex-husband get from a previous relationship.
Dem use Tina life story do one movie for 1993 dem title “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” wey gbab Angela Bassett Oscar nomination sake of say she play di star role; dem also use her for hit stage musical – wey dem title Tina: The Musical. She also be di subject of HBO documentary Tina for 2021.
For one interview wit Marie Claire for South Africa for 2018, Turner say: “Pipo think say my life dey tough, but I think say its been a wonderful journey. Di older you get, di more you realise say no be wetin happun, na how you deal wit am.”
