Bonnie Tyler is remembered as worldwide star at her Welsh funeral

Swansea, Wales (AP) — Fans gathered outside a Welsh church on Monday to pay their respects as family and friends honored the worldwide hitmaker Bonnie Tyler. Her 1983 hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart" boomed as her rose-wrapped coffin was brought into Swansea Minster for the exclusive funeral. Her somber composition "It's a Heartache" played as the casket was positioned in front of the altar.

Tyler's manager, Matthew Davis, reflected on her persona by saying, "Bonnie was always a star but never a diva. She never forgot her roots or where she came from." The Grammy-nominated star, famed for her powerful ballad "Total Eclipse of the Heart," passed away in Portugal at the age of 75 after suffering emergency intestinal surgery in May.

The funeral occurred just a week after her iconic song accompanied the festivities marking a solar eclipse visible across parts of Europe. Crowds lined the streets as a hearse carrying Tyler's casket, adorned with the Welsh flag, returned her body to her hometown of Mumbles. Kathleen Davies, who stood among the spectators, expressed her admiration for Tyler, stating, "She's Welsh through and through.

Everything about her, she's natural, there's no fake stuff. When you see her on interviews, she's just who she is." Born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, Wales, a coal miner's daughter in public housing, Tyler began her career by participating in a contest at a rugby club in the late 1960s, where she performed "Those Were The Days," a song popularized by Mary Hopkin.

Though she came in second, placing only one pound, she became captivated by the performing arts. Canon Justin Davies recounted Tyler's journey from her humble beginnings to earning three Grammy nominations and representing Britain at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing in 19th place. Tyler was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2022 for her contributions to music, largely due to the success of "Total Eclipse of the Heart."

The ballad soared to the top of the charts both in Britain and the United States and has amassed over 1 billion streams, aided by its resonance during solar eclipses in 2017, 2024, and most recently during last week's celestial event. Beyond her chart-topping hits, Tyler is remembered for "Holding Out For a Hero," featured in the soundtrack of the film "Footloose."