It's hard to believe Tina Turner is 81 years old, especially judging from her appearance, but it's true. The icon celebrated her birthday on November 26, and honestly? She doesn't look a day over 60 — especially her legs, which simply never age.
Of course, the incomparable Tina is far from slowing down. In fact, we've been seeing her in headlines quite a bit recently. Last year just before her birthday, she surprised the audience by appearing onstage after opening night of the new Broadway show celebrating her life, her heartaches, and her triumphs. The musical is fittingly called Tina, and it's been getting rave reviews. Tina appeared alongside her husband and Oprah at the premiere of the show before taking the stage at the end to deliver a heartfelt speech.
The musical was a big moment for Tina, as it delves into her past and does a beautiful job of telling her life story and celebrating her for the amazing talent she is. But the star has had plenty of big moments over the years.
Tina has had an amazing life and career. She has experienced a ton of highs and lows, but she always has managed to prove herself a survivor and a star. She is … how do we put this? Simply the best.
Most recently, Tina was in the spotlight when she appeared onstage during opening night of the new Broadway show celebrating her life. She gave an emotional speech. In it, she said, “This musical is my life, but it’s like poison that turned to medicine. I can never be as happy as I am now.”
The event was star-studded. Many celebrities were present, including like Oprah, Gayle King, Tiffany Haddish, Whoopi Goldberg, and Spike Lee. The musical is the story of Tina's life and follows actress Adrienne Warren as Tina as she moves from Tennessee to St. Louis. It delves into Tina's abusive relationship with Ike Turner and, ultimately, explores her rock and roll career.
Tina doesn't stay out of the spotlight for long. Her career started way back in the 1950s when she performed with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm. But she always had bigger things ahead of her.
Ike and Tina produced a number of hits together. They were married in 1962 but ultimately divorced due to Ike's physical and emotional abuse. Tina's solo career began to take off in the early 1980s.
Private Dancer, her fifth studio solo album, became a huge smash hit. The following year, Tina began starring in films. She also published a hugely popular autobiography, I, Tina: My Life Story, cowritten with music critic Kurt Loder.
In 1991, Tina was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
In 1993, a film, What's Love Got To Do With It, was adapted from her book. The title comes from one of her biggest hits with the same name.
In 2008, Tina went on a 50th anniversary tour. It was the highest-selling tour that year. Honestly, nothing can stop Tina from selling out concerts. Who wouldn't want to hear her iconic voice?
At 73 years old, Tina appeared on the cover of German Vogue. It made her the oldest woman to ever appear on a Vogue cover. She's still breaking records and paving her own way after all these years in the public eye.
The musical Tina is almost perfectly timed to help the star celebrate her 81st birthday. It's wonderful that we're still seeing her onstage. It's also great to hear her say that she's the happiest she's ever been as she enters this next chapter of her life. Happy birthday, Tina!
