Bonnie Tyler reflects on career in interview three years before death
While receiving an MBE medal at Windsor Castle three years before her death at 75, Bonnie Tyler had a candid conversation on her career.
Bonnie Tyler, a Welsh singer known for hits like “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “It’s a Heartache,” has died. She was 75.
“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,” Tyler’s manager, Matt Davis, said in a statement to USA TODAY.
“We will issue a further statement shortly but for now ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy.”
In May, Tyler was admitted to a hospital in Faro, Portugal, for emergency intestinal surgery, Davis said at the time. She spent a month in an induced coma before waking “very unwell” in June, Davis said in another update.
The songstress, who was born Gaynor Hopkins, was a three-time Grammy Award nominee best known for her 1970s and 80s hits.
Since breaking out with her tracks “It’s a Heartache” and “Lost in France” in the late 1970s, Tyler churned out radio hits such as “Holding Out For A Hero” and “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” which spent four weeks topping the Billboard Hot 100 after its July 1983 release.
In 2023, Tyler was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to music. Prince William presented her the honor during a ceremony at Windsor Castle.
Her last releases were “One World One Home” – a song written for the documentary “Homeless” – and “Only Love,” both of which came out in April.
Bonnie Tyler said she was ‘fit’ months before death
‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ singer Bonnie Tyler dies at 75
Bonnie Tyler, a Welsh singer known for hits like “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “It’s a Heartache,” has died. She was 75.
Tyler had been scheduled to perform international shows from May through December. Her team confirmed in June that the shows had been canceled or postponed.
Before her recent health issues, Tyler told the U.K. magazine Hello! in an interview published March 2 that she was “fit enough at the moment” and “really enjoying doing the shows.”
“I’m still rocking on that stage with my wonderful band, and if you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything,” she told the outlet. “I do home Pilates, only 20 minutes a day — it’s something I can do in my hotel rooms.”
She noted that the most pressing issue was the condition of her knees. However, she’d undergone a “very successful” washout procedure that she hoped “will last for a long time.”
Bonnie Tyler lands a ‘Footloose’ hit
Though the gravelly voiced Tyler broke through in America in 1977 with the country-tinged “It’s a Heartache,” it was her pairing with Meat Loaf collaborator Jim Steinman on the dramatic “Total Eclipse of the Heart” that earned her massive visibility and nonstop video play on MTV.
Steinman also penned the Air Supply hit “Making Love Out of Nothing At All,” which was thwarted from reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 because of his hit written for Tyler.
Following the success of “Heart,” Tyler was approached to record a song for the 1984 “Footloose” soundtrack. She agreed as long as she could again work with Steinman, who co-wrote “Holding Out for a Hero” with top ’80s songwriter Dean Pitchford.
Tyler’s song for the Kevin Bacon classic has become synonymous with the car racing scene in “Footloose,” as well as a karaoke favorite.
Tyler didn’t maintain the U.S. popularity that followed her early ’80s hits, but remained a chart presence in Europe throughout the ’90s with songs including “Bitterblue” and “Fools Lullaby.”
Along with her two songs released this year, Tyler also paired with EDM producers David Guetta and Hypaton in 2025 with “Together.”
“It was a no-brainer to work with him. He’s phenomenal,” Tyler told London news channel GBN in November 2025, while also sharing that still being able to perform is “the best feeling in the world.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.usatoday.com ’
