Early Life
Born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, near Swansea, she sang in local bands and pubs and adopted the stage name Bonnie Tyler in the early 1970s.
Career
Her first big hit was “Lost in France” (1976), followed by “It's a Heartache” (1977), a hit in both the UK and the U.S. Working with the songwriter and producer Jim Steinman, she recorded “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (1983), which reached number one in the U.S. and the UK, and “Holding Out for a Hero” (1984) for the film Footloose. She represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013 with “Believe in Me”.
Legacy
Tyler sold millions of records worldwide and remained a touring favorite for decades. She died on July 8, 2026, at the age of 75.
Sources and further reading
Last updated: 2026-09-24