“Total Eclipse of the Heart” singer Bonnie Tyler died on Wednesday at a hospital in Portugal. 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,” a spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.
“We will issue a further statement shortly but for now ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy.
The musician, whose real name was Gaynor Sullivan, had been seriously ill since being rushed to a hospital in Faro, Portugal, to undergo emergency intestinal surgery on May 6.
Tyler, a three-time Grammy nominee, was placed in a medically induced coma to help aid in her recovery, Page Six confirmed on May 7, the day after the surgery
“We are very sorry to announce that Bonnie has been admitted to hospital in Faro, Portugal, where she has a home, for emergency intestinal surgery,” a statement shared to her official statement and social media pages read. “The surgery went well, and she is now recuperating.”
“We know that all of her family, friends, and fans will be concerned about this news and will be wishing her well for a full and swift recovery.”
Tyler was brought out of the coma but remained “very unwell,” and remained in the intensive care unit at the hospital, a spokesperson wrote on June 15.
She remained in the hospital for nearly a month until her death.
“We would like to thank everyone for the huge outpouring of love and support from all over the world that we have received for Bonnie and want to tell you that she is aware of, and very grateful for, your good wishes,” Tyler’s team wrote in their final statement before Thursday.
A cause of death was not immediately revealed.
Tyler was first rushed to the hospital on April 30, according to the US Sun, but no reason for the initial hospitalization was given.
Her 2026 European tour was scheduled set to kick off in Malta on May 22.
Back in March, the singer shared how she continues her love of performing, despite experiencing some health issues.
“I’m fit enough at the moment, touch wood, and I’m really enjoying doing the shows,” she told Hello! Magazine. “I’m still rocking on that stage with my wonderful band, and if you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything.”
“I do home Pilates, only 20 minutes a day — it’s something I can do in my hotel rooms,” she added.
“I have had problems with my knees; I didn’t have new knees, I had what they call washouts [a surgical knee procedure], which turned out to be very successful. So, hopefully that will last for a long time.”
Tyler was born Gaynor Hopkins on June 8, 1951 in Skewen, Neath, Wales.
She started off as a backup singer in the early ’70s before embarking on a solo career of her own.
Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 debut album, “The World Starts Tonight,” which featured hits like “Lost in France” and “It’s a Heartache.”
She quickly became known for her distinctive, husky voice, though it didn’t come naturally. It was actually the result of Tyler’s 1977 procedure to get nodules removed from her vocal cords.
“When I went back in the studio, I started singing ‘It’s a Heartache’ and my producers said, ‘My God, your voice is husky now, but we love it.’ It turned out to be a great thing because it became my very first hit record in America,” she told Hello!
By the 1980s, she ventured into rock music with the help of songwriter and producer Jim Steinman, who wrote her biggest hit, “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” which shot Tyler to global superstardom.
“I still get excited when I hear the song on the radio,” Tyler said of her hit song during an interview on “Good Morning America” in April 2024.
“Every time the eclipse comes, everyone all over the world plays ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart,’ and I never get tired of singing it,” she gushed.
The song was featured on her 1983 chart-topping album, “Faster Than the Speed of Night,” which was nominated for Best Rock Album, Female at the 1984 Grammys.
She and Steiman worked together to produce another one of her massive hits, “Holding Out for a Hero,” which was featured on the “Footloose” soundtrack.
Tyler has collaborated on duets with many iconic musicians including Rod Stewart, Meat Loaf and Todd Rundgren.
Over her impressive five-decades long career, Tyler has released 18 studio albums, with her most recent being “The Best Is Yet to Come,” released in 2021.
Tyler is survived by her husband of 52 years, Robert Sullivan.
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