Beyoncé dedicates special tribute to ‘beloved queen’ Tina Turner: ‘I love you endlessly’
Beyoncé has paid tribute to the ‘Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ Tina Turner, who has died aged 83. (Getty Images)
Beyoncé has led tributes to the ‘Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ Tina Turner who died after a long illness aged 83 on Wednesday (24 May).
Tina Turner, Tennessee-born rock pioneer and high-energy stage performer, rose to fame in the 60s with hit tunes such as “Proud Mary” and “River Deep, Mountain High”. She went onto cement her era-defining legacy in the 80s – after divorcing her abusive ex-husband Ike in 1978 – with smash hits including “The Best” and “What’s Love Got To Do With It”.
Turner blazed a trail for Black women across the industry, touching the lives of superstar talent including soul star Diana Ross, Gloria Gaynor, Beyoncé, Janelle Monáe and countless others.
In a statement announcing the pop behemoth’s death on Wednesday night, publicist Bernard Doherty confirmed that she passed away in her home near Zurich where she lived with her husband Erwin Bach. “With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model,” Doherty said.
The singer, who retired in 2009, has suffered from multiple health issues in recent years, including an intestinal cancer diagnosis in 2016 and a kidney transplant in 2017.
Her legacy is captured across three memoirs: her 1993 biopic What’s Love Got To Do With It, her jukebox West End musical The Tina Turner Musical and the 2021 HBO documentary Tina. And now musical legends from across the world are paying their tributes, starting with global icon Beyoncé.
“My beloved queen. I love you endlessly,” read Beyoncé’s message, posted on her website.
“I’m so grateful for your inspiration, and all the ways you have paved the way. You are strength and resilience. You are the epitome of power and passion. We are all so fortunate to have witnessed your kindness and beautiful spirit that will forever remain. Thank you for all you have done.”
Turner and Beyoncé collaborated for the first time at the 50th annual Grammy Awards in 2008 with “Proud Mary”, a song Beyoncé had performed three years prior at the 2005 Kennedy Center Honours. Turner has long been an inspiration for Beyoncé, as she explained during the HBO Tina documentary, which showed a clip of her excitedly meeting Turner for the first time for Grammy rehearsals.
The clip, currently going viral on social media, shows Beyoncé jumping up and down as she enters the room and wraps Turner in a hug. Her voiceover said: “When I was a kid and I saw her tapes I wanted to be like her. This is a dream for me because she is the ultimate. To actually be on stage with her is crazy.”
Beyoncé has been joined by a chorus of other singers who were equally impacted by Turner’s legacy, including pop diva Mariah Carey, who posted on social media: “The words legendary, iconic, diva, and superstar are often overused and yet Tina Turner embodies them all and so many more – an incredible performer, musician and trailblazer.
“To me, she will always be a survivor and an inspiration to women everywhere. Her music will continue to inspire generations to come. Rest in Peace, Queen.”
“Tina. I owe you so much,” Janelle Monáe added in her own post. “You are the true epitome of a rockstar that gave your all this lifetime. You inspire me to give mine. You taught us lessons and what true transformative power through honesty and vulnerability look like.
“You pushed the limits of who we could be and how it could be done. You had heart. Just thank you. Thank you. thank you.”
TV personality Oprah Winfrey, who toured with Tina Turner in the mid-90s for her Wildest Dreams album tour, also paid tribute on social media, with a video of the two performing together onstage.
“I had the chance to join Tina onstage during her Wildest Dreams tour and felt a glimpse of her enchanted world. I was so nervous that my knees were actually knocking together.
“Dancing onstage with her in Los Angeles was the most fun I ever remember having stepping out of my box. Tina lived out of the box and encouraged me and every woman to do the same.”
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