Tina Turner‘s hometown of Brownsville, Tennessee, unveiled a new statue to honor the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” on September 27, 2025, as part of their Tina Turner Heritage Day celebration. The 10-foot-tall bronze sculpture quickly went viral, with fans having strong reactions to the artwork that now sits outside of Carver High School, where Turner studied while growing up.
The statue features the “Simply The Best” rocker mid-performance, holding a microphone and wearing a pleated skirt and a t-shirt. Though Turner (real name: Anna Mae Bullock) was famous for her dramatic hair looks, fans still felt the massive mane on the statue wasn’t the best representation of her tresses.
“Take that damn POM POM off my auntie head,” said one fan beside a video of the art piece, while another wrote, “Now why they gave her a drum major hat for a wig.” Others compared it to “an astronaut helmet” and “a doodle bop.”
A third fan added, “Big Wig keep on turning!” as a play on Turner’s hit “Proud Mary,” while another nodded to another of her songs, writing, “I don’t know what love got to do with it, but I see what was done WITHOUT it. The hell is this?”
Others simply felt the statue didn’t look enough like the music icon, who died on May 24, 2023, at 83 years old. “Nah… that’s Tina Thomas or something,” said one, with another agreeing, “I’m mad I zoomed in… that’s Ronald McDonald.” “Clearly this is the same person that made Dwyane Wade’s statue. This can’t continue,” a third joked, referencing another viral statue unveiled in Miami in 2024.
The statue was made by a different sculptor named Fred Ajanogha, who was honored at a special reception in Brownsville ahead of the big reveal. There, he described his process to WBBJ News. “My three-dimensional sculpture materials I use are cement, then I use fiberglass, and then I use bronze, and sometimes I carve dual carving,” he said.
Not everyone hated the piece, and many fans were thrilled to see the icon immortalized. “Honoring legends where they began keeps their legacy alive and inspires the next generation,” said one fan, and a second wrote, “A beautiful tribute to the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll! Tina Turner’s legacy will continue to inspire generations.” A third added, “Finally, a rock legend gets the tribute she deserves! Now that’s what I call a proper way to roll! “
This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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