The Welsh pop star died in hospital abroad, having been placed into an induced coma following an emergency surgery at the start of May and was being treated for an illness at the time of her death.
In a statement shared on her official website, Tyler’s family said: “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.
“We will issue a further statement shortly but for now ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy.”
Bonnie Tyler’s most memorable and best songs
Born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, she was discovered by talent scout Roger Bell while singing in a Swansea club and released her debut single Lost in France in 1977.
Country-rock song It’s a Heartache (1977) was her first big breakout hit worldwide.
Tyler’s raspy voice soon found international acclaim with the 1983 power ballad Total Eclipse of the Heart, which topped charts around the world and earned her a Grammy nomination.
The song spent two weeks at number one in the UK, four weeks at the top of the US charts, and has since surpassed a billion streams on Spotify.
Faster Than the Speed of Night, also released in 1983, was the title track of her highly successful UK number-one album.
Her follow-up single, Holding Out for a Hero, in 1984, featured on the Footloose soundtrack and became another global hit, while her album Faster Than the Speed of Night made her the first British female artist to debut at number one on the UK Albums Chart.
Her 1995 cover of Air Supply’s Making Love Out of Nothing at All was another top hit.
In 2013, she represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest, with her single Believe in Me, finishing 19th out of 26 entries.
The singer was awarded an MBE in 2023 for her services to music.
Tyler is remembered as a powerful performer whose music soundtracked the lives of generations and whose legacy will continue to inspire audiences around the world.
What is your favourite Bonnie Tyler song? Let us know in the comments.
