TINA TURNER, the woman who invented the concept of reinvention

TINA TURNER, the woman who invented the concept of reinvention

By Laura Martínez

The Tennessee diva, the owner of the best legs that have ever graced the stage, went to rock 'n' roll heaven on the 24th of May 2023. She left us with countless anthems and a story of struggle, survival, empowerment and the will to overcome in an era that was hostile to women, particularly for Tina. We review the key moments that made her an idol and a source of inspiration for millions of women.

When Tina decided she had had enough of the humiliating and abusive treatment of her then-husband and manager, Ike Turner, she gave up everything she had achieved as an artist. The only thing she took from this tumultuous relationship was her stage name.

Born Annie Mae Bullock in 1939, she dedicated body and soul to music from the 50s onwards, and the first time she used the name Tina Turner was in 1960, with the debut single of Ike & Tina Turner, 'A Fool in Love'. Ike, who was her husband, manager and producer, controlled everything: the wardrobe, fees, arrangements, musicians, and contracts. After untold beatings, Tina finally fled from Ike after a massive fight in 1976 and filed for divorce.

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As a duet, they achieved success, Grammy nominations and respect within the music industry. But it was all down to Ike as far as the macho, predatory music industry was concerned. This extended to the law, which gave Ike control of all their contracts, money and publishing rights, leaving Tina with nothing. She had to pay off her debts to Ike by working in bars and hotel lounges.

Record companies turned their backs on Tina without Ike by her side, and she had to start building a career from scratch in the 80s, over 40 years old, with four children, (two children of her own and two adopted children from Ike's previous marriage). But nothing could stop the phenomenal Miss Turner from becoming a star in her own right. She spoke fearlessly about her tortuous relationship with Ike on TV, inspiring other women to escape domestic abuse.

In 1984, her album 'Private Dancer' marked her triumphant return from the wilderness and is one of the greatest comebacks in music history. Tina Turner attained superstardom in the 1980s, surpassing anything she had done with her ex-husband. The singles 'What's Love Got to Do with It', 'The Best' and 'We Don't Need Another Hero' are recognised as some of the decade's biggest hits.

David Bowie, Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger were full of praise for the Queen of Rock & Roll and made surprise appearances at her concerts. Jagger even acknowledged that Tina was the one who taught him his famous hip movements.

EMI, Tina's record label, gave her more than a chance to reinvent herself: Erwin Bach, a handsome EMI executive, picked her up at the airport. It was love at first sight, and after 27 years of love and happiness together, they finally married in 2013.

After appearing in films such as 'Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome', winning multiple Grammys and touring the world, Tina took a well-deserved 8-year break from performing, and she returned in 2008, announcing a new tour of Europe and the United States on the Oprah Winfrey show, alongside her great friend Cher. On the verge of her 69th birthday, she returned to the stage to make history. Tina holds the Guinness World Record for being the only solo artist to fill the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro with 180,000 people in a single night.

Tina Turner will go down in history as one of the greatest rock stars of all time and a fascinating, strong-willed and much-loved woman who fought for herself and didn't let anything or anyone define her. A woman who found herself alone, stripped of everything, with her stage name her sole possession, a name that she alone turned into a legend.