Grammy-nominated Welsh singer-songwriter Bonnie Tyler, born Gaynor Sullivan, has died at 75.
Tyler, who produced such massive hits as “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “Holding Out for a Hero,” passed away on Wednesday (July 8) while receiving treatment for an illness at a hospital in Portugal, per the Associated Press.
“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 statement from her family reads. “We will issue a further statement shortly but for now ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy.”
In May, Tyler had to undergo emergency surgery in Faro, Portugal after suffering from a perforated intestine. She was placed in an induced coma, but woke up the following month. In a statement released on her official website at the time, her family said she remained “very unwell and in intensive care.”
Throughout her career, which started with her debut studio album The World Starts Tonight in 1977, Tyler released 18 studio albums. But she is perhaps best known for her 1983 power pop ballad, “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Written and produced by the late Jim Steinman, who also worked with Meat Loaf among other artists, the track topped various charts around the world, including the UK Singles chart and the Billboard Hot 100. The song frequently received boosts around solar eclipses, hitting No. 1 on the iTunes sales chart in the US amid the 2024 solar eclipse.
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “Holding Out for a Hero,” which was produced for the soundtrack of the 1984 hit movie Footloose, have been heavily featured in media over the years. “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” for instance, appeared in Ready or Not: Here I Come earlier this year, while “Holding Out for a Hero” was featured in Jackass: Best and Last just last month.
RIP.
