Welsh pop singer Bonnie Tyler, known for hits such as Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out for a Hero, has died at the age of 75.
Tyler unexpectedly passed away in a hospital in Portugal as a result of an illness she was being treated for, her family said in a public statement posted to social media.
Tyler had been hospitalised in May for emergency intestinal surgery and was later placed in an induced coma.
“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,” the statement read.
Born Gaynor Hopkins, Bonnie Tyler sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
Her hits including It’s a Heartache, Holding Out for a Hero, and Total Eclipse of the Heart made her one of the best-known Welsh singers of all time.
She was born a coal miner’s daughter in public housing in Skewen, a town about 10 kilometres out of Swansea, with three sisters and two brothers.
In 1976, she had surgery to remove nodules on her throat, an event that left her with her signature husky vocal sound.
She shot to global fame following the release of Total Eclipse of the Heart, a song that was originally written by Jim Steinman and intended for a musical. The song topped the charts in the UK and US. She also received a Grammy nomination for the song.
In January this year, the song surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.
Her career spanned more than five decades, during which she released 18 studio albums, earned multiple Grammy nominations and sold more than 100 million records. In 2013, Bonnie Tyler represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Believe in Me.
She became the first Welsh person to score a number one hit in the US.
In 2017, Tyler performed her iconic hit on a cruise ship, alongside Joe Jonas’ band DNCE, positioned in the path of the total solar eclipse over the United States.
Tyler remained an active touring artist well into her seventies. Earlier this year, she told interviewers she felt healthy and was continuing with Pilates while performing live across Europe before her sudden illness.
Her music, which often included soaring emotion and a theatrical flair, influenced generations of artists and remains a staple on radio and film soundtracks.
Tyler is survived by her husband, Robert Sullivan, whom she married in 1973.
Oscar-winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones paid to tribute to Tyler.
“Bonnie was married to my cousin and has been such a part of my life,” Zeta-Jones wrote on Instagram.
“We are photographed here together the night before my wedding. She sang and rocked it at my wedding. An extraordinary woman with vocals to match. A one of kind artist, who so easily could have been a comedian because she was one of the funniest people I ever met.
“Thank you Bonnie for the joy you brought so many. Sleep tight beautiful lady.”