Hundreds of fans lined the streets of the seaside Welsh village of Mumbles on Saturday to bid farewell to singer Bonnie Tyler, who died last month in Portugal at the age of 75.
The procession brought the Grammy-nominated artist's coffin, draped in a Welsh flag, through the village near Swansea. Locals and fans from across the United Kingdom and beyond gathered to honor the beloved vocalist, with many leaving floral tributes at her former home.
"She was always coming home and making sure that she came back to her fans in Wales," said 18-year-old Carys Edwards. "Her songs really did touch a lot of people here in Wales; we loved her a lot."
Fans were seen wearing Tyler's merchandise as they joined the crowds to pay their respects. The hearse carrying her coffin traveled through Mumbles towards her home in Llwynderw.
Bonnie Tyler, born Gaynor Hopkins, was the daughter of a coal miner and grew up in Skewen, Wales. She rose to international fame with her 1983 chart-topping power ballad “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” The song has garnered more than 1 billion streams, with its popularity seeing renewed boosts during recent solar eclipses.
Her career also included hits such as “It’s a Heartache” and “Holding Out For a Hero,” which was featured on the soundtrack for the film Footloose. Tyler received three Grammy nominations and represented Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013. In 2022, she was honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to music.
Tyler had been hospitalized in May in Faro, Portugal, where she owned a home, for emergency intestinal surgery. She died on July 8.
A celebration of her life for family and friends is scheduled to take place at a church in Swansea on Monday, followed by a final journey through her hometown of Skewen.