26 May 2023  |   04:47am IST

The Queen of rock n roll lives in the heart of her fans

Musical legend Tina Turner gave the world great hits that will remain in the playlist for generations to come. As she bid adieu to this world, the power of her songs and her unique stage persona are etched in the minds of music lovers in Goa

Dolcy D’Cruz

H

er gravelly voice and mesmerising costumes, Tina Turner had a stunning ability to capture the attention of her audience with her legendary songs. Born Anna Mae Bullock in the US, Tina Turner became famous after meeting her former husband, Ike Turner, who played with the band Kings Of Rhythm. The pair, Ike and Tina Turner, went on to have huge chart success as a duo and had their own Walk of Fame. However, that fame came with a huge price for Tina, who was mentally and physically abused by her husband until she could take no more.

She divorced Ike in 1977 and made a huge comeback by reinventing herself in the 1980s selling over 200 million records and breaking several records. Tina won three honorary Grammy Awards and eight competitive Grammys, toured 11 times, has released nine studio albums, two live albums, two soundtrack and five compilation albums throughout the course of her career. She also recorded ‘ Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu’, a peace mantra in 2011 in the album ‘Beyond’ which includes Buddhist and Christian prayers, as well as a spoken intro and interludes from Tina.

Renowned radio jockey, Joed Almeida believes that Tina Turner was a larger than life hero and truly a superstar in every sense of the word. “We lost another revered one from the world of music. How do you bridge the gap between R&B and rock ’n’ roll? Tina Turner showed it was possible. A lady who travelled from victimhood and made it into an art, empowering herself and others around her. From the crisis and battles of her life, she went on to become who we all know today. I will remember her voice without a doubt and her hair was something that was phenomenal. A few wigs along the way but I loved them all. Can’t forget that growl she had, something we’ve been blessed to hear here in Goa, courtesy the Nightingale of Goa, Lorna. A formidable and influential personality, a style icon and a sex symbol, whose prime did not even really begin until 1984, when, at 44, she released the album, ‘Private Dancer’, and it sold five million copies. Thank you for the music Tina Turner, you’re simply the best, forever and always,” says RJ Joed.

Often referred to as the ‘Queen of Rock and Roll’, Tina Turner was inducted in the Rock n Roll Walk of Fame in 2021 as a solo act which made this milestone the second for her, who was first inducted into the Rock Hall in 1991 as part of Ike & Tina Turner. She was touring till the age of 80 and was known as one of the hardest working women in show business. Angela Bassett immortalised her in the film industry by portraying her in the film, ‘What’s Love Got To Do with it’ in 1991.

“For inspiration, I would look up to singers like Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion but I love singing Tina Turner songs because she was simply the best. I didn’t perform her songs for any stage performances but if I am out for Karaoke, I would definitely pick a song like ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’. I was saddened by her story and for most singers, we see them as celebrities but they too have gone through pain and abuse. And they don’t show this side of their life as they don’t want to spoil the name of the person. The same was with Tina as she loved Ike Turner, her ex-husband and tolerated his abuse. However, I believe that a person can be a demon and an angel. If her first husband literally tortured her, her second husband Erwin Bach saved her life by donating his kidney. It was very saddening to hear her say that she will not perform anymore in 2007 but she lived a good life,” says Hema Sardesai, who recently presented ‘Mhadei Amchi Mai’, an original song, written and composed by her and dedicated to the Mandovi River.

Ayesha Barretto brightens the day of her listeners on air and she paid tribute to Tina Turner by playing the hits of her career. “It is a sad day for fans of Tina Turner. I wish I could see her perform live but that was never to be. She was a powerhouse when it came her music and epitome as a woman sticking to her guns. She fought to keep her name and left Ike in the dust. She was not just an icon but an inspiration to women who are suffering to have faith and belief in themselves to get out of an abusive relationship and she proved it. It is a huge loss to the music industry,” says Ayesha.

Lulu Fortes, singer of the band Rhythms and Blues says that Tina Turner’s songs will last forever. “She was simply the best. Her songs are those that will never die and she was an icon with her music that will live forever in the hearts of music lovers. Though my favourite song is ‘Proud Mary,’ the people’s favourite is ‘The Best’, which is requested very often. We have grown up listening to her music but I learnt about her life story later on in life and she has been through hell and made it out strong with her music,” says Lulu.

Performing for six years with the Goan band A-26, Chrystal Farrell was inspired by the life of Tina Turner. “Her whole story was reflected in her music after her major comeback. She was a black musician making waves with her music and through her emotional life struggle, she brought out ‘Private Dancer’ a very vulnerable yet powerful song. It is very unfortunate that she was not given the due credit when she was alive but her music should not be forgotten and her hits like ‘Proud Mary’, ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’ and ‘The Best’ should be played every time,” says Chrystal.

A power packed performer on stage, Tina Turner performed with the same zest and energy till the age of 70 when she retired from live concerts. Her carefree nature with her dazzling outfits made performers take note. “Her very free stage performances is something that I emulate a lot for my own performances. The way she carried herself with confidence was amazing. She also stayed very relevant with the times and her legs are still being talked about. She had the ability to give a great performance with so much going on with her own personal life. We are truly going to miss this musical legend,” adds Chrystal.

Noted musician and radio jockey, Bambino Dias still plays Tina Turner’s songs on the airwaves which are still requested with much love. “Her most requested song on the radio is ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’ as in those days very few songs of Tina Turner were known in Goa but this remained one of the favourite hits. She was the female side of Michael Jackson, she was a tremendous singer but her live performances were just like his, full of energy even as she grew older. Her gravelly voice was also noteworthy. She also did a lot for charity. The younger generation especially musicians can identify with her later hits after her comeback in the 1980s. Her earlier records with Ike Turner were not available in the radio as we didn’t have the LPs. With the internet, these songs are now easily available,” explains Bambino.

Benson Coutinho also known as DJ Benz is also a fan of Tina Turner’s music. “Her songs were intense yet soothing to the ear. Her songs are evergreen and even though they were released earlier, they are very contemporary and blend well with the sets. I don’t play them as a single song but parts are added to the set,” says DJ Benz.

With songs that will never go out of style, thank you Tina Turner for making our musical world simply the best!