Bonnie Tyler (born Gaynor Hopkins; 8 June 1951)[2] is a Welsh singer, known for her distinctive husky voice. Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 album The World Starts Tonight and its singles "Lost in France" and "More Than a Lover". Her 1978 single "It's a Heartache" reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100.

In the 1980s, Tyler ventured into rock music with songwriter and producer Jim Steinman. He wrote Tyler's biggest hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart", the lead single from her 1983 UK chart topping album Faster Than the Speed of Night. Steinman also wrote Tyler's other major 1980s hit "Holding Out for a Hero". She had success in mainland Europe during the 1990s with Dieter Bohlen, who wrote and produced her hit "Bitterblue". In 2003, Tyler re-recorded "Total Eclipse of the Heart" with singer Kareen Antonn. Their bilingual duet topped the French charts.

Her latest album Rocks and Honey was released in 2013 and features the single "Believe in Me" which she performed representing the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013. Both "It's a Heartache" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart" are among the best-selling singles of all time, with sales in excess of six million each. Her work has earned her three Grammy Award nominations and three Brit Award nominations, among other accolades.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 1975–1978: The World Starts Tonight and Natural Force 2.2 1979–1981: Diamond Cut and Goodbye to the Island 2.3 1982–1987: Faster Than the Speed of Night and Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire 2.4 1988–1990: Hide Your Heart 2.5 1991–1994: Success in Europe 2.6 1995–1999: Free Spirit and All in One Voice 2.7 2000–2003: Greatest Hits and Heart Strings 2.8 2004–2005: Simply Believe and Wings 2.9 2006–2011: From the Heart: Greatest Hits and Best of 3 CD 2.10 2012–2014: Rocks and Honey and the Eurovision Song Contest 2.11 2015–2019: Between the Earth and the Stars 3 Artistry 3.1 Influences 3.2 Vocal style 3.3 Songwriting 4 Philanthropy 4.1 Local charity 5 Personal life 6 Discography 6.1 Studio albums 7 Awards and recognition 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links Early life

Tyler was born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, Wales, to coal miner Glyndwr and housewife Elsie Hopkins.[3] She grew up in a four-bedroom council house with three sisters and two brothers.[3] Her siblings had varied music tastes, exposing her to artists such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and the Beatles.[4] Hopkins and her family were deeply religious Protestants.[3] Her first public performance took place in a chapel as a child, singing the Anglican hymn "All Things Bright and Beautiful".[5]

Leaving school with no formal qualifications, Hopkins began working in a grocery shop.[6] In 1969, she entered a local talent contest, and after coming in second place, was inspired to pursue a career in singing.[7] Responding to a newspaper advertisement, she found work as a backing singer for Bobby Wayne & the Dixies before forming her own soul band called Imagination.[8] It was around this time that she changed her name to Sherene Davis, to avoid being confused with Welsh folk singer Mary Hopkin.[9]

Career 1975–1978: The World Starts Tonight and Natural Force

In 1975, Davis was spotted singing with her band in the Townsman Club, Swansea, by talent scout Roger Bell, who invited her to London to record a demo track.[10] After many months had passed, she received a phone call from RCA Records, offering her a recording contract.[11] They also recommended that she change her name again. After compiling a list of surnames and Christian names from a newspaper, Davis found a new name in "Bonnie Tyler".

Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe became her managers, songwriters and producers. "My! My! Honeycomb" was released as her debut single in April 1976, and failed to impact any charts worldwide. RCA increased their promotional efforts for the release of Tyler's second single, "Lost in France", arranging for her to meet with a party of journalists at a French château.[11] The single had no immediate impact upon its release in September 1976, but became a Top 10 single by the end of the year.[12] Tyler's next single "More Than a Lover" was favoured by some critics, and she performed the song on the BBC's Top of the Pops on 31 March 1977.[13] The song peaked at number 27 in the UK.[12]

Despite producing two popular singles, Tyler's debut album, The World Starts Tonight, proved unsuccessful in Europe, except in Sweden, where it climbed to number 2.[14]

"It's a Heartache" saw Tyler return to prominence again in 1978, reaching number 4 in the United Kingdom.[12] The song also became her first hit in the United States, peaking at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.[15]

Her second studio album Natural Force, released in the same year, was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) with sales of over half a million copies.[16] "Here Am I" was released as a third single in the spring of 1978, but the song failed to sustain her success in the United Kingdom and the United States, though it charted in other European countries.

1979–1981: Diamond Cut and Goodbye to the Island

Tyler's third studio album, Diamond Cut, was released in 1979. Most of the songs were again written and produced by Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe.

Diamond Cut was a hit in Norway and Sweden, but it only charted on the Billboard 200 at number 145. AllMusic declared the album to be the high point of Tyler's early career, "and a dynamite showcase for Tyler's inimitable voice".[17] Record Mirror rated the album three stars out of five, stating that "only a minority of the material holding her back", and that the album is "essential listening" for Country music fans.[18]

Two singles were released from Diamond Cut; those were "My Guns Are Loaded" and "Too Good to Last". Tyler also released "(The World Is Full of) Married Men", which was used as the theme song for the film of the same name. Tyler appears in the film singing the song during the title sequence. It peaked at number thirty-five on the UK Singles Chart in July 1979.[19] Record Mirror criticised the song; its reviewer wrote: "Bonnie stops chewing gravel for a minute or two..." and continued with "she ends up sandpapering my eardrums again. Ouch."[18]

Tyler's first tour of Japan took place in 1979.[18] During her visit, she represented the United Kingdom in the World Popular Song Festival held in Tokyo. Tyler won the competition with the song "Sitting on the Edge of the Ocean", written by Scott and Wolfe. "I Believe in Your Sweet Love" was also released in 1979, and listed as a single of the week in 1979 by Record Mirror upon its release.[20]

Both singles featured on Tyler's final studio album with RCA. Goodbye to the Island was released in 1981, recorded in the Algarve, Portugal.[20] AllMusic rated the album three stars out of five,[21] with other critics predicting that Tyler was "doomed to be a one-hit wonder".[22] Phil Hendricks from Cherry Records said that Tyler " time and time again that she was one of those rare artists who was able to take the odd chart flop on the chin and bounce back having suffered little collateral damage."[18]

1982–1987: Faster Than the Speed of Night and Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire

After four albums with RCA, Tyler wanted a change in musical style. David Aspden succeeded Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe as her manager, and after seeing Meat Loaf performing on The Old Grey Whistle Test, she sought out Jim Steinman as her producer.

Steinman requested for Tyler to send some of her previous albums for him to listen to. Though he was not impressed by the music she had recorded, he saw potential in her voice. She was invited to his New York apartment three weeks later, where he presented her with "Total Eclipse of the Heart", a song which became a trans-Atlantic number 1 hit in 1983. It was pulled from the RIAA Platinum-certified Faster Than the Speed of Night. Bonnie received two Grammy Award nominations – for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance (given to Irene Cara and Pat Benatar).

Faster Than the Speed of Night entered the UK Albums Chart at number 1, and was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) with sales of over 60,000 copies. In the United States, the album was certified Platinum, with over a million copies sold.

In 1984, Tyler recorded "Here She Comes" for the restoration version of the sci-fi film Metropolis. Despite not entering the Top 75 in the United Kingdom, Tyler was nominated for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance at the 1985 Grammy Awards.[23]

Tyler continued to work with Jim Steinman for her sixth studio album, Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire. He worked as the executive producer, and penned four songs for it including its most successful single "Holding Out for a Hero". The song was originally released in 1984 as part of the soundtrack to Footloose.

The album was a chart success in Europe, but failed to significantly impact the American charts, only reaching number 106 on the Billboard 200 but it was a top 100 in Cash Box . Reviews were generally negative, with Steinman's production being described as " indulgent."[24] Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire became Tyler's last album to chart in the United States, and contained her last charting U.S. single "If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)". In the United Kingdom, the album peaked at number 24.

1988–1990: Hide Your Heart

Tyler released one more album with Columbia Records in 1988. It was released under the name Hide Your Heart in Europe, and Notes From America in the United States. Prolific songwriters for the album included Michael Bolton, Albert Hammond and Desmond Child, who also produced the album. The album enjoyed some success in continental Europe, but only peaked at No. 78 in the UK and failed to chart in the United States. The singles from Hide Your Heart were minor hits for Tyler, but went on to be major hits for other artists, including Kiss (with "Hide Your Heart"), Robin Beck, Cher and Freda Payne (with "Save Up All Your Tears") and Tina Turner with "The Best". When looking back over this era, Desmond Child said:

Bonnie Tyler is one of the greatest singers on Earth. Why? Because she comes to the studio prepared. I've never even seen her use a lyric sheet to sing. She comes with the song memorized, so when she stands there and sings, she closes her eyes. She's in a sacred space and you feel that. You can say a lot of things about Bonnie Tyler, but you cannot say she does not feel her music.[25]

As part of the UK Hide Your Heart Tour in 1988, Tyler performed at the Reading Festival among acts such as Meat Loaf and Jefferson Starship. Both Tyler and Meat Loaf were subject to audience abuse, as bottles were hurled at them during their acts.[26] Meat Loaf cut his performance short after suffering an injury, though Tyler managed to complete her set and encouraged the audience to sing along to "It's a Heartache".[27]

Also in 1988, Tyler played the voice of Polly Garter in George Martin's production of Under Milk Wood, a radio drama by Dylan Thomas.

In 1990, Tyler recorded "Into the Sunset" for the soundtrack to the animated television series The Dreamstone. The song was intended to be a duet with Roger Daltrey, though due to scheduling conflicts the male vocals were instead recorded by Mike Batt.

1991–1994: Success in Europe

German producer and songwriter Dieter Bohlen contacted Tyler in 1991, proposing a collaboration. Initially reluctant, Bohlen convinced her, arguing that " just have to be a bit more commercial".[28] Tyler signed a recording contract with Hansa Records, releasing her eighth album Bitterblue on 11 November 1991.[29]

AllMusic described the album as "a pleasant collection of pop songs". They also stated that the album started a "much more mainstream and less bombastic" direction in Tyler's career.[29] But Billboard criticised the album, stating that the "bombastic production, with a rush of bagpipes and a choir of chirping children at the forefront, overpower Tyler's distinctive raspy voice."[30]

Working on the record alongside Bohlen were songwriters and producers such as Giorgio Moroder, Albert Hammond and Nik Kershaw. The album's lead single, "Bitterblue", was a success in continental Europe, receiving an award for "Catchy Song of the Year" from RSH-GOLD in Germany.[31] The album was certified 4× Platinum in Norway for sales of over 200,000.[32] It sold a further 250,000 copies in Germany.[33] Combining all the album's certifications, Bitterblue has sold over half a million copies since its release,[34][35][36] but hasn't been released in her native UK.

Tyler at her home in Wales, 1993.

Angel Heart was released as the follow-up album to Bitterblue in October 1992. Bohlen wrote eleven of the fourteen songs on the album. The remaining three were written by Jerry Lynn Williams, Frankie Miller, Craig Joiner, Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Anthony Mitman. The album reunited Frankie Miller for their second duet, "Save Your Love". Released less than a year since the previous album, Angel Heart saw similar success, with certifications by IFPI Norway (Platinum),[32] IFPI Austria (Gold),[34] IFPI Switzerland (Gold) and the BMVI (Gold).[33][36] Echoing "Bitterblue", the album's lead single "Fools Lullaby" was a European success, charting highest in Norway at No. 6.[37] Tyler's success with Angel Heart led to her several awards and nominations, including a Bravo Otto award in Germany, and an Echo Award for best pop/rock singer of 1993.[38]

In January 1993, Tyler's old record company Columbia Records released The Very Best of Bonnie Tyler. Tyler believed that the compilation was released to compete with her newly recorded work.[39] Allmusic described it as "a great collection". The Very Best of Bonnie Tyler was certified Platinum by the BMVI.[33]

The third and final album under Hansa, Silhouette in Red, was released in October 1993. Success with this album was less widespread in Europe, though it was still certified Platinum in Norway.[32] The songwriting team was as condensed as on Angel Heart, as Bohlen wrote twelve of the fifteen songs. The final track, "You Won't See Me Cry", was co-written by Lee Morris and Tyler's own brother Paul Hopkins. She also recorded the Joe Cocker song "You Are So Beautiful". In Angel Heart and Silhouette in Red, Bohlen cited his songwriting credits under the pseudonyms of Steve Benson, Jennifer Blake and Howard Houston. AllMusic opined that Tyler's influences (Janis Joplin and Tina Turner) "often shine through on this hard to find album."[40] The album was followed up with the Silhouette in Red Tour in Europe. Tyler received the Goldene Europa Award and won Best International Female Vocalist at the Echo Awards in 1994.[38]

In October 1994, Tyler released a final compilation album with Hansa entitled Comeback: Single Collection '90–'94, featuring the single "Back Home". Neither the compilation nor the single saw any chart success. AllMusic gave the compilation a star rating of two out of five.[41] Tyler's contract with Hansa Records expired at the end of the year.

1995–1999: Free Spirit and All in One Voice Tyler performing on stage in Moscow, Russia, 9 May 1999.

Dieter Bohlen took Tyler's exit from Hansa Records "very personally", describing her next album as "one of the most expensive flops in the history of EastWest Records".[42] It was with EastWest that she recorded Free Spirit, a critically acclaimed album which became her first U.S. release since Hide Your Heart in 1988.[43] Prolific producers such as David Foster and Humberto Gatica were involved in the production of this record, as well as Jim Steinman. Their reunion saw the release of "Making Love Out of Nothing at All", of which her version narrowly missed the UK Top 40 in January 1996. Bonnie Tyelet Aldi covered another Jim Steinman song “Two out Of Three Ain’t Bad”[44] The single featured Tyler's mother's operatic vocals on the intro to the song.[45]

Free Spirit was released in 1995, in Europe by EastWest and in the U.S. by Atlantic Records. The album was re-released in 1996, with the addition of the song "Limelight", which was used as the official song of the German Olympic Team.[46] AllMusic stated that "several songs on this album rate about average, but there are several shining moments which should have brought this set, from such an engaging singer, much more attention than the minimal it received."[43]

Returning to Germany in 1997, Tyler recorded "He's the King" for the German film Der König von St. Pauli. Tyler appeared in the film performing the song in a casino. The single was released in December 1997, reaching number ninety-five in Germany. Success proved to halt at this point, with the album All in One Voice and its second single "Heaven" failing to chart worldwide.

Also in 1998, Tyler recorded "Tyre Tracks and Broken Hearts" for the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman concept album Whistle Down the Wind, a musical which premiered in 1996. In the following year, Tyler recorded "Is Anybody There?" for Rick Wakeman's Return to the Centre of the Earth album, a sequel to Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974).

2000–2003: Greatest Hits and Heart Strings

On 14 September 2001, Tyler released Greatest Hits, a compilation album containing seventeen tracks. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 18, and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales of over 60,000 units. Greatest Hits reached the Top 10 in a further five European countries.

Bonnie Tyler with Matt Prior performing in Soria, Spain (20 July 2006).

In 2002, Tyler began working on her thirteenth studio album, Heart Strings. EMI approached her with the idea of recording a cover album with an orchestra and Tyler's band.[39] She selected thirteen songs by artists such as U2, The Beatles and Bruce Springsteen. The songs were arranged by composers Nick Ingman and Karl Jenkins, and performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

Heart Strings was released on 18 March 2003, and was followed by a tour in Germany. The album charted in Europe, reaching the Top 50 in five countries.

Also in 2003, French vocalist Kareen Antonn sent Tyler a demo recording of Antonn singing a French arrangement of "Total Eclipse of the Heart", entitled "Si demain...", requesting to duet with her. Tyler accepted, and the track was released in December 2003. It went to number 1 in France, holding the top position for ten weeks, as well as Belgium and Poland, selling over 500,000 copies in France.[47][48] The success of the single was considered to be Tyler's comeback in France, and received overwhelmingly positive reviews from music critics.[49][50]

2004–2005: Simply Believe and Wings

Tyler's fourteenth studio album Simply Believe was released in April 2004. It featured seven new songs; the rest of the tracks were re-recordings and covers. "It's a Heartache" appeared as a new duet with Kareen Antonn. It was released as a single and peaked at number 12 in France.[47] Tyler co-wrote the title track of the album, and two additional songs, with producer Jean Lahcene. Simply Believe spent 23 weeks on the French Album Charts and peaked at number 18.

Bonnie Tyler with Matt Prior in an acoustic concert in "Familiengarten Eberswalde" (27 May 2006).

Tyler released her fifteenth studio album Wings in the spring of 2005. It was recorded in Paris, and featured twelve new songs, two of which were also recorded in French, and new versions of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "It's a Heartache".[51] Tyler promoted the album with an extensive tour of Europe, including a televised performance at the Sopot International Song Festival in Poland, and recorded concerts at La Cigale in Paris and at the Fiestas del Pilar in Zaragoza, Spain. Footage from all three concerts appeared on Tyler's live DVD Bonnie on Tour which was released in 2006. Wings was issued in the UK in 2006 under the title Celebrate. Tyler also received the Lifetime Achievement Steiger Award in 2005.[52]

2006–2011: From the Heart: Greatest Hits and Best of 3 CD

In 2006, Tyler made her first appearance on US television in years when she performed "Total Eclipse of the Heart" with actress Lucy Lawless on Celebrity Duets.[53] In the following year she recorded a new version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" with punk band BabyPinkStar and released From the Heart: Greatest Hits, which reached number two in Ireland and number 31 in the UK.[54][55][44]

Bonnie Tyler at the sound check for her concert in Dolina Charlotty, Poland, 1 May 2011.

In April 2009, Tyler joined Welsh male voice choir Only Men Aloud! on their UK tour to perform "Total Eclipse of the Heart". They recorded the song for their second studio album Band of Brothers, which was released in October.[56] In the same year, she also recorded the title song for Mal Pope's new musical Cappuccino Girls, and performed the song at the opening night in Swansea's Grand Theatre.[57] Tyler also made a cameo on Hollyoaks Later to sing "Holding Out for a Hero" in a dream sequence with Carmel McQueen (Gemma Merna).[56]

In 2010, Tyler appeared in a television advertisement for MasterCard singing a parody of "Total Eclipse of the Heart".[58] She released "Something Going On" with Country singer Wayne Warner and a new version of "Making Love (Out of Nothing At All)" with Matt Pétrin in July and August respectively. In October, she toured with Robin Gibb in Australia and New Zealand.[59]

"Something Going On" (with Wayne Warner) A sample of Wayne Warner and Bonnie Tyler's 2010 single "Something Going On", a prelude to Tyler's return to country music with her 2013 album Rocks and Honey. Problems playing this file? See media help.