Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh powerhouse singer behind Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out for a Hero, has died at the age of 75. Her family said she passed away “unexpectedly” on Wednesday night at a hospital in Portugal, “as a result of the illness that she was being treated for”, after emergency intestinal surgery in May. In a “heartbroken” statement released on the star’s official website, they confirmed the news.
Catherine Zeta-Jones led the tributes, writing on Instagram that her heart was “broken” with the news that “our dearest Bonnie Tyler has passed away”. The Oscar-winning actress, who is related to Tyler’s husband Robert Sullivan through a family connection, described her as “a one of kind artist, who so easily could have been a comedian because she was one of the funniest people I ever met.” Zeta-Jones, who asked Tyler to sing Total Eclipse of the Heart at her wedding to Michael Douglas in 2000, added: “Thank you Bonnie for the joy you brought so many. Sleep tight beautiful lady.”
“Bonnie Tyler dies at 75; Catherine Zeta-Jones leads tributes, calling her 'a one of kind artist'.”
Other tributes poured in from across the music world and beyond. The Prince of Wales called Tyler a “proud Welsh icon” whose “extraordinary voice and unforgettable music touched millions”. He signed off his statement with “Diolch am y gerddoriaeth” – Welsh for thank you for the music. Shakin’ Stevens called her “a true professional, and a bright, shining light”, while Sir Cliff Richard said he was mourning “another wonderful friend gone too soon”. Rock star Bryan Adams wrote that Tyler “had such a great voice” and he would “always be grateful of her beautiful version” of his track Straight from the Heart. Rod Stewart paid tribute by performing Tyler’s It’s a Heartache at an event in Gleneagles. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described her as “one of Britain’s greatest recording artists”.
Tyler, from Skewen in south Wales, first rose to fame in the 1980s with power ballads that became global anthems. Her signature hit, Total Eclipse of the Heart, was written by Jim Steinman, who originally composed the song for a prospective musical version of Nosferatu. In a 2023 interview, Tyler recalled Steinman telling her he had written it years earlier but never finished it. After the song became a hit, Meat Loaf – for whom Steinman also wrote – used to say: “Dang. That song should have been mine!” Tyler said she “poured her heart out” singing it.
Spice Girls star Melanie C described Tyler as “wild as her hair and voice was”. Tyler is survived by her husband of more than 50 years, Robert Sullivan.