Born on June 8: Bonnie Tyler's gravelly voice still breaks our hearts

Born in Wales in 1951, Gaynor Hopkins celebrates her 74th birthday today. But she's better known by her stage name: Bonnie Tyler!

Known for her unmistakable gravelly voice, Bonnie Tyler's success began with her debut album "The World Starts Tonight" in 1977, featuring songs such as "Lost In France" and "More Than A Lover". However, this was the year that saw the eruption of the punk movement in England, without this having the slightest influence on the singer's career...

In 1978, a few months after the Sex Pistols' only studio album, "Never Minds The Bollocks", she propelled "It's A Heartache" to the top of the charts. Two worlds at opposite ends of the spectrum! In the 80s, with the help of producer Jim Steinman, she turned to a more rock-oriented repertoire. Meat Loaf's mentor wrote her second big hit, "Total Eclipse Of The Heart", for her in 1983.

In the decades that followed, she maintained a certain popularity in the Nordic countries and Germany, but her career nevertheless suffered a few... eclipses. "The Best Is Yet To Come", her latest studio album released in 2021, demonstrates her determination to continue her career for the better...

Photo: Bonnie Tyler on stage at Forest-National, Brussels (Belgium), April 25, 1984