Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh singer whose powerhouse vocals turned Total Eclipse of the Heart into one of the biggest hits of all time, has died aged 75.
The music icon died in hospital in Portugal, where she had been receiving treatment for an illness, her family confirmed.
A statement published on her official website said: “Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for.”
Born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, near Neath, Bonnie Tyler rose to fame in 1977 with Lost in France before her unmistakable husky voice propelled It’s a Heartache into the top five in both the UK and the United States.
Her defining moment came in 1983 when Total Eclipse of the Heart, written by Jim Steinman, stormed to number one on both sides of the Atlantic and became one of the most iconic power ballads ever recorded.
The song earned Tyler a Grammy nomination and enjoyed a remarkable resurgence over the decades, surpassing one billion Spotify streams this year—more than four decades after its release.
“I never get tired of singing it,” she recently told the BBC. “I love it because everyone can’t wait to sing it.”
Tyler enjoyed a career spanning almost five decades, selling millions of records worldwide and becoming one of Britain’s best-known musical exports.
She represented the UK at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest with Believe in Me before being awarded an MBE a decade later for services to music.
Accepting the honour, she said: “I never ever thought I would have something like this; my mother and father would be so proud.
“To be nominated for a Grammy was wonderful, but to be given an MBE for something I absolutely love doing is a highlight of my career.”
Tyler received three Grammy nominations during her career, including recognition for her chart-topping album Faster Than the Speed of Night.
Her health had deteriorated in recent months after suffering a ruptured appendix while at her home in Faro, Portugal.
She underwent emergency surgery before developing a serious infection, which led doctors to place her in an induced coma in May.
Tributes are expected to pour in from across the music world for a singer whose unmistakable voice and timeless hits defined an era and left a lasting mark on popular music.
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