Welsh music legend Bonnie Tyler has died at the age of 75 following a health battle, her team confirmed. The Neath Port Talbot-born star, celebrated for hits including 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' and 'Holding Out for a Hero', passed away in a hospital in Portugal.
Final Days and Health Struggles
Tyler was placed into an induced coma at the beginning of May after emergency surgery. A message on her website read: '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.' Her representatives had previously told fans she was no longer in a coma but remained seriously ill in intensive care. On June 15, they cancelled all upcoming shows, though autumn performances were still hoped to proceed.
Early Life and Rise to Fame
Born Gaynor Hopkins on June 8, 1951, in Skewen, Neath, Tyler developed her distinctive husky voice early. She rose to prominence with her 1977 album 'The World Starts Tonight' and singles 'Lost in France' and 'More Than a Lover'. Her career earned three Grammy Award nominations and three Brit Award nominations. In 2022, she received an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to music.
Record-Breaking Hits
Her singles 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' and 'It's a Heartache' each sold over 6 million units, ranking among the best-selling singles of all time. Tyler maintained a home in Faro, Portugal, and had been scheduled for a European tour later this year, including a homecoming gig at the Utilita Arena in Cardiff in December.
No Plans to Retire
In a 2023 interview with The Mirror, Tyler stated she had no retirement plans: 'I started singing when I was 17 and I never thought I'd still be doing it at this age. I've slowed down a little bit, but I know now that I will never retire.' She added, 'Even though I was so lucky because I was in Portugal when the first lockdown was announced, by the end of it, I'd had enough. I was going crazy. I needed to get back out there on the road!'
