Bonnie Tyler, 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' singer, dies aged 75

musicJul 9, 2026491,277

Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh singer whose husky voice made 1980s anthems such as Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out for a Hero, has died aged 75. A message on her Facebook page said Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal from the illness she was being treated for. In May she underwent emergency intestinal surgery at a hospital near Faro, was put into an induced coma, was later taken out of the coma but remained very unwell in intensive care. Tyler, born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen near Swansea, rose from singing in local clubs and working in a grocery shop to international fame after signing with RCA and adopting her stage name. Her hits included 1983’s Total Eclipse of the Heart, which reached No 1 in the US and the UK, 1977’s It’s a Heartache, which reached No 3 in the US and No 4 in the UK, and Holding Out for a Hero, which reached No 2 in the UK in 1984 and featured on the Footloose soundtrack. Jim Steinman gave Tyler Total Eclipse of the Heart; the original seven minute epic was shortened for radio and became an enormous hit. Her family and team made the announcement of her death.

The Guardian

@theguardian.com

Bonnie Tyler, 80s pop legend known for Total Eclipse of the Heart and more, dies aged 75

2044h ago

Miriam4

Rest in Peace Bonnie Tyler, you absolute legend. 💔💔

🇨🇵 Clare Price-Jones 🇪🇺3

Sad news, no great age

citizenfra.bsky.social3

Goodbye to the great big voice of my best years, thank you Bonnie. Wishing you a safe new journey

Mario2

It was an awesome time. R.I.P.

Prometheus1

🙏🏾RIP Thank you for bring your joy to the world!

gardenglade.bsky.social1

It’s a Heartache. Our late 70’s breakup song.

Quoting this

🩸💀 The Horror Guru 💀🩸17

Rest in peace to a legend. 😢

Patrick McGahon13

Rest in peace Bonnie Tyler 😢 x

Drikabsolvida9

Que Madonna a tenha em glórias na Eterna Pista de Dança, setor divas.

maricona confessionária6

isso aqui me entristeceu tanto que eu nem sei! a notificação veio enquanto eu tava em chamada com a minha terapeuta, e não consegui dar a devida atenção na hora… mas que tristeza viu?

Andreas Lindh6

Once upon a time she was falling in love, now she has ramlat av pinnen.

Infosecsie (ツンデレ)5

When I lived with roommates, one of them was named Brian and I’d always annoy him by singing, “TURN AROUND, BRIIIIANNNNNNNN!!!” RIP Bonnie Tyler

Lori Lou Freshwater4

Hope is like a tiger 🤍

Nil3

Sad news. Had a good reminisce on Bonnie a few weeks back with @louiseann.bsky.social . Total eclipse was my unofficial wedding song bsky.app/profile/loui...

William Ham Bevan3

What a loss. She was 100% Swansea, from hair to heels. Everyone had a story about her and everyone was proud of her.

Nate2

to triste real, cresci com minha mãe ouvindo ela

michael lutz

@ztul.bsky.social

My Bonnie Tyler-related story: years ago, in the "literal music video" era, my friend posted the one for Total Eclipse of the Heart on Facebook, and his mom made one of the funniest comments I've ever read: "This is only funny to people who have never experienced a real total eclipse of the heart."

2111h ago

Smoketypething7

Hearts only do this when they are very distressed!!

Quoting this

Eris4

BlueSky poaster before there was a BlueSky

Rolling Stone

@rollingstone.com

Bonnie Tyler, Eighties Pop Powerhouse Behind ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart,’ Dead at 75 Read: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...

1681h ago

Don Landry 🎙️✍️5

One of THE musical moments of the 80’s came when Bonnie Tyler took that big, beautiful sandpaper voice of hers to the mountaintop, crying “I really need you tonight!” at the crescendo of Total Eclipse of the Heart. Rest in peace.

Annie2

Rest in peace ⭐️🪽 your legacy will live on forever 💛🌸

Quoting this

JCP⭐Designs 👺51

I don't care who you are, Total Eclipse of the Heart is a goddamn epic. RIP Bonnie Tyler. www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOx...

Miss Recreate11

A guy asked me to be his girlfriend while dancing to this song in Gr. 8 - and I was so shy that I didn’t know what to say & then I just awkwardly pretended that it didn’t happen. 😂

Lt. Uhura3

Bonnie Tyler is among the stars.

Yo! That’s My Jawn :: The Podcast3

Well, this bummed me out to wake up to. RIP

Andreas Köhnemann2

We lost a hero 🖤

Julie Cohen ❌👑

@filmmakerjulie.bsky.social

If you grew up when I grew up, Total Eclipse of the Heart is deep in your bones. NY Times obit says it danced “on the edge of camp.” No it was OVER the edge. That was the point. RIP Bonnie Tyler. m.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOx...

1432h ago

Julie Cohen ❌👑31

And once you’ve revisited the real thing, don’t forget this brilliant homage to Total Eclipse - the best in the “literal video” series. m.youtube.com/watch?v=fsgW...

KLW3

Belted it out every time it came on the radio. A classic.

Steveaggy.bsky.social❌️👑2

Can we not forget this was due to the songwriting chops of Jim "Wagner Can Kiss My Ass" Steinman?

cirroccojones.bsky.social1

It's just raw emotion and angst. It's forthright and honest, with lyrics that cut deep. Sorry to hear of her passing.

Mark1

I’m more of a holding out for a hero person myself

Robert Hill1

Jim Steinman never wrote ANYTHING that stayed on any kind of edge.

Quoting this

Mae ☮️ ✍🏻2

Women understand. Total Eclipse of the Heart is how we vented our spleen, you might say. Men didn't get it. RIP, Bonnie - and thank you.

Mr. Cait

@chas.bsky.social

Total Eclipse of The Heart is the best Jim Steinman song from a catalogue of insane, operatic, pure bangers. Bonnie Tyler delivered that masterpiece from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. Sleep well.

1291h ago

Mr. Cait61

I mean, living in a powder keg and giving off sparks. I really need you tonight. Forever’s gonna start tonight. Forever’s gonna start to— once upon a time I was falling in love, now I’m only falling apart. Sweet Christ.

Anne Stickney4

And the music video was pure unhinged cinema

Quoting this

John Leavitt124

so many of his bangers are from never made musicals like this was from a failed Nosfertu adaptation, It's all coming back to me now was from a Wuthering Heights sketch - all high emotion at 11 all the time

SuzyQ

@suzyqfit4u.bsky.social

Bonnie Tyler has died unexpectedly, from an illness while in in a hospital in Portugal. Wow, her songs were wonderful. Rest in peace Bonnie Tyler.

481h ago

Rebecca Schoenkopf

@wonkette.bsky.social

Bonnie Tyler has died at 75. Spin around ninjas. www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsgW...

351h ago

gray-d.bsky.social1

Would like to see more iconic videos receive the same treatment

Guardian US

@us.theguardian.com

Welsh singer and Eurovision entrant’s other hits included Footloose soundtrack smash Holding Out for a Hero

312h ago

Quoting this

Emily Bell16

Oh no. Let’s hope somewhere she is forever living in a powder keg, giving off sparks

dragon odontologist 🇺🇦🇱🇹🇵🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

@dov.bsky.social

my favourite thing about bonnie tyler is how anyone who has ever been in glasgow on a late night out can look at actually old photos of her and go "wow you can tell she's a celt" (excuse my use of this word) as she literally looks like someone who would ask you for a cigarette outside Cathouse

351h ago

dragon odontologist 🇺🇦🇱🇹🇵🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿13

and to be clear i would have gotten her one even if i hadn't had any on me

An Gé Mhór | Lielā Zoss2

She's the most Neath looking woman you'll ever see.

andrewtheblueskier2

Even her pseudonym sounds like a guy who played rugby for Wales in the 50s and was nicknamed the bonecrusher

Brónagh 🇮🇪🇵🇸🚴‍♀️

@beebsymca.eurosky.social

This has really made me so sad. Bonnie Tyler was iconic. She embraced that song and unafraid to enjoy it (she has so many other great songs too). I'm so glad we went to see her this year. Her live show was everything I wanted it to be and belting out Total Eclipse with hundreds of others was joy.

273h ago

Paul at SuperDeluxeEdition.com

@super-deluxe.bsky.social

Very sad news.... RIP #BonnieTyler, who has died aged 75 > bit.ly/4y99Qnu

171h ago

proctoblindagem

@sowee.bsky.social

Se faz necessário um karaokê hoje pra homenagear Bonnie Tyler

182h ago

Quoting this

Anatole4

Meu deus do céu sim. Inclusive Total Eclipse é minha música de cantar quando to bebado

tonho4

urgente cantar Total Eclipse of the Heart de uma maneira especialmente gasguita

alê2

por favor deus que eu consiga cantar um total eclipse of the heart hoje 🙏😭

Justin Lewis

@whenisbirths.bsky.social

Scheduled to talk about the remarkable career of #BonnieTyler at around 4pm with @adamdowling.bsky.social on BBC Radio Sussex/Kent/Surrey. Listen live here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

151h ago

Bungle Bearskunk

@bearskunk.bsky.social

Just heard the news about Bonnie Tyler - Welsh legend, beautiful voice, honestly her work was a formative part of my life growing up. Rest in peace you wonderful woman ❤️

122h ago

Elder Skunk of the North1

Oh man, what a voice

Flinty Paws1

Oh nooo :( RIP Bonnie

Rock's Backpages

@rocksbackpages.bsky.social

Farewell to Bonnie Tyler, 1951-2026... read interviews with the lung-shredding Welsh power balladeer on RBP. www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Arti... #BonnieTyler

91h ago

1 source

theguardian.comBonnie Tyler, 80s pop legend known for Total Eclipse of the Heart and more, dies aged 75

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Bonnie Tyler, 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' singer, dies aged 75

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