Bonnie Tyler, Singer of 'Total Eclipse,' Dies at 75

Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh singer renowned for her gravelly voice and iconic power ballad 'Total Eclipse of the Heart', has died at age 75. According to multiple reports, she passed away unexpectedly in a hospital in Portugal where she was being treated for an illness.

The Grammy-nominated artist was hospitalized in May in Faro, where she had a home, for emergency intestinal surgery and later placed in an induced coma. Her family announced her passing on Thursday with a heartfelt statement on her website, expressing their deep sorrow over the sudden loss.

Tyler's career spanned decades, marked by significant achievements including three Grammy nominations and representing Britain at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013. In 2023, she was awarded an MBE for her services to music by Queen Elizabeth II. Her most famous song, 'Total Eclipse of the Heart', has had over one billion streams and remains a cultural phenomenon.

Born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, Wales, Tyler grew up as the fourth of six children in a coal miner's family. She developed her love for music at an early age, inspired by artists like Janis Joplin and Nina Simone. In 1976, surgery to remove nodules from her throat left her with her distinctive vocal sound.

Throughout her career, Tyler released numerous albums and singles, including hits like 'It's a Heartache' and 'Lost in France.' She continued to perform and collaborate with other artists until her passing. Her legacy as one of the most iconic voices in pop music is celebrated by fans worldwide.

The song 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' spent four weeks at No. 1 on the charts, and when Stereogum reevaluated it in 2020, the site declared it an 'extinction-level event rendered in musical form.' The song has been covered by various artists and appeared in several movies and TV shows.

Tyler was born Gaynor Hopkins in public housing with an outside toilet in Skewen, Wales. She adored the Beatles and her first album was 'A Hard Day's Night.' Her favorites were by Janis Joplin, Nina Simone, Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, and Otis Redding.

In 1976 she had to have surgery to remove nodules on her throat, leaving her with that trademark vocal sound. Changing her name to Sherene Davis, she was fronting a soul band when she was discovered by talent scout Roger Bell, who brought her to London for demo sessions.