Bonnie Tyler's Swansea funeral draws crowds and tributes

Bonnie Tyler was remembered as a worldwide star at her funeral in Swansea, Wales, on Monday, with fans lining the streets and a service broadcast to the public. The singer, born Gaynor Hopkins, died unexpectedly on 8 July in Portugal at the age of 75 Source: AP News.

The service

The invite-only celebration of life at Swansea Minster was projected on a screen in nearby St David's Square, where mourners gathered to watch Source: The Guardian. Her songs "If I Sing You A Love Song" and "It's a Heartache" played as her rose-covered coffin was carried in Source: AP News. Talent scout Roger Bell, who discovered her, told mourners she was "loved by millions worldwide" but in Swansea she was "loved by Robert and the family as Gaynor and auntie Gaynor" Source: BBC.

Tributes

Her long-time manager Matthew Davis said she was "always a star but never a diva" and "never forgot her roots" Source: AP News. Fans travelled from as far as Germany and Austria to pay their respects Source: The Guardian. The funeral followed a procession on Saturday when her coffin, draped in a Welsh flag, was brought through Mumbles, where crowds threw flowers and sang "Total Eclipse of the Heart" Source: The Guardian.

Legacy

Tyler's signature song "Total Eclipse of the Heart" has had more than 1 billion streams, boosted by real eclipses in 2017, 2024, and most recently during last week's solar eclipse Source: AP News. Spotify data showed a 94% rise in UK streams of the song on eclipse day Source: Euronews. Tyler earned three Grammy nominations, represented the UK at Eurovision in 2013, and was made an MBE in 2022 Source: AP News.