Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, whose powerful voice defined 1980s classics including Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out for a Hero, has died. She was 75.
According to Forbes, Tyler’s family announced her death in a statement posted on the singer’s official Facebook page on Thursday. “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,” the statement said.
Tyler had been admitted to hospital in Portugal in early May after undergoing emergency intestinal surgery, according to updates shared through her social media accounts. She later emerged from a medically induced coma in June.
The singer was in the middle of her 2026 European Tour when illness forced her to stop performing. In an interview with Hello! magazine in March, Tyler said she was enjoying life on the road and remained committed to performing. She said she stayed active by doing 20 minutes of Pilates each day in her hotel room and added that good health was the most important thing in life.
Tyler achieved global superstardom in 1983 with Total Eclipse of the Heart. Written and produced by Jim Steinman, the power ballad spent 29 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, including four weeks at No. 1. The song appeared on her hit album Faster Than the Speed of Night and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
She followed that success in 1984 with Holding Out for a Hero, which featured on the soundtrack of the Kevin Bacon film Footloose. The song remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks and reached No. 34, further cementing Tyler’s place among the defining voices of 1980s pop music.
