Tina Turner has died at the age of 83 after a long battle with an ongoing illness. Her death was announced on her Facebook page on May 24. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner,” the post read. “With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow. Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly.” A rep confirmed the news to Reuters, saying Tina died peacefully at home in Switzerland. Reps for Tina did not immediately respond to POPSUGAR’s request for comment.
Often referred to as the “Queen of Rock and Roll,” Tina was born in 1939 in rural Tennessee. She launched her music career in the 1950s, performing alongside her then-husband, Ike Turner. Tina was later open about the abuse she endured in her relationship with the guitarist, whom she left in 1976. In the 1980s, she launched a massive comeback with a string of hits like “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and “Typical Male” and took home six of her eight total Grammys during that decade. She also starred alongside Mel Gibson in “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” in 1985, among other films. Her voice, talent, fashion sense, and star quality left an indelible impression on the music industry and culture at large.
With a total of more than 100 million records sold, per The Independent, Tina is one of the bestselling musicians of all time. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and again in 2021, and a musical about her called “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” premiered in London in 2018 and later moved to Broadway. Her life was also the subject of a 2021 HBO documentary called “Tina.”
Ahead, see how celebrities are reacting to the news about her death and honoring her iconic legacy.
