Singer Bonnie Tyler has died at the age of 75. A message posted on Tyler’s official website on July 9 stated that her family and team were heartbroken to announce she unexpectedly passed away last night in a hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness for which she was being treated.
The Welsh singer, known for her raspy vocal style, achieved significant fame with hits such as Total Eclipse of the Heart, Holding Out for a Hero, and It’s a Heartache.
In May, Tyler was placed in an induced coma following emergency intestinal surgery in Portugal. While her spokesperson noted last month that she had emerged from the coma, she remained very unwell in intensive care.
Born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, Wales, in 1951, Tyler began her career singing in clubs for seven years after answering a newspaper advertisement at age 17. During this time, she performed various genres including blues, pop, country, and ballroom dancing.
A surgery in 1976 to treat vocal cord nodules resulted in the development of her signature raspy voice. Her first major successful single, 1977's It’s a Heartache, reached high positions on charts in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.
Tyler's career saw a significant resurgence in 1983 with the release of Total Eclipse of the Heart, written by Jim Steinman. The song reached number one in both the U.S. and U.K. and helped her album Faster Than the Speed of Night reach the top of the U.K. charts.
Throughout her career, Tyler released 18 albums, received three Grammy nominations, and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2022 for her services to music. She is survived by her husband.
