Pop icon Beyoncé paid the sweetest tribute to legendary singer/songwriter Tina Turner following her passing at 83, on May 24, 2023, after a long illness.
Turner, who was widely referred to as the “Queen Of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” was an inspirational artiste and served as a beacon of hope to other black female singers in the industry after striking out alone to pursue her singing career following two decades of working with her abusive husband, Ike Turner.
Notwithstanding the hardship she faced at the beginning, she turned out to become one of the defining pop icons of the 1980s and a major inspiration for Queen B.
Beyoncé Gets Emotional As She Honors The Life And Legacy Of Idol Tina Turner
Arguably one of the best singers of the late 1990s and 2000s and regarded as the most awarded artist in Grammy history, the “Cuff It” singer seems to have learned from the best, as she has often referred to Turner as her biggest musical inspiration.
Expressing her feelings after learning about the death of the “What’s Love Got To Do With It” crooner, announced by the late singer’s publicist, Bernard Doherty, Beyoncé took to her website to pen down a sweet message to reverence the late songwriter.
She uploaded a powerful image of herself and Turner performing on stage for an iconic duet at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
The inspirational singers wowed the crowd as the “Halo” singer looked breathtaking, dressed in a gold studded playsuit that accentuated her cleavage and revealed her toned thighs. On the other hand, the late singer sported a skin-tight silver bustier and matching capri pants.
Turner’s side-by-side performance with Beyoncé in 2008 was notably the late songstress’s first concert appearance at the time in more than seven years since she last performed.
The accompanying tear-jerking message read, “My beloved queen. I love you endlessly. I’m so grateful for your inspiration, and all the ways you have paved the way. You are strength and resilience. You are the epitome of power and passion. We are all so fortunate to have witnessed your kindness and beautiful spirit that will forever remain. Thank you for all you have done.”
Additionally, Beyonce’s mom, Tina Knowles-Lawson, also took to her Instagram account to pay homage to the “Queen Of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The outspoken activist uploaded a collage of images and videos featuring her celebrity daughter and the “Proud Mary” hitmaker.
The clips included moments from when Beyoncé finally got to meet her role model during rehearsal practice as the pair teamed up for their duet performance at the 2008 Grammys.
Another video captured the electrifying moment Beyoncé spoke directly to the late singer during a tribute performance to her to celebrate the Kennedy Center Honor she received in 2005, awarded by President George W. Bush.
Addressing the iconic songwriter, she said, “I’ll never forget the first time I saw you perform. I never in my life saw a woman so powerful, so fearless, so fabulous – and those legs”!
Captioning her post, the matriarch of the celebrated Knowles family penned, “I remember this day like it was yesterday. It was the day that Beyoncé was to rehearse with Tina Turner for the Grammys. We were both so excited and when she arrived and we were told that she was in the other rm we all witnessed Beyoncé, turning into a five-year-old actually skipping across the floor to embrace her.”
She continued, “(I was the biggest fan and had my own story of when I met Tina in 1980. Beyonce always talked about the two Tinas that she loved and admired. She had done a tribute to her years before at the Kennedy honors and we had a chance to meet her there She was lovely. She was bigger than life but she was different.”
The Art collector further revealed how the “Partition” singer had the privilege of performing side-by-side with the late singer and how “it is one of Beyonce’s best memories.”
View this post on Instagram
Exalting Turner, she added, “When I need to get my super strength together and know that I can overcome anything I think of Tina Turner, who started over in her mid 40’s and became the biggest superstar. It always gives me hope that it’s not about the age. It’s about the person.”
She sweetly concluded, “Today, I celebrate this amazing, beautiful, resilient queen she will be sadly missed. She was ‘Simply The Best’ 🙏🙏❤❤.”
Beyoncé Testified Of Turner’s Impact On Her Life
Amid the tears and pain flowing from the death of the great entertainer and naturalized Swiss singer, her legacy in the music industry continues to be celebrated by many sensational artists but it is most exemplified in Beyoncé’s successful career.
From the young stages of her career when she was part of Destiny’s Child, Bey has been outspoken about how the “Steamy Windows” singer inspired her life from a tender age. “When I was a kid and I saw her tapes, I wanted to be like her,” she said in an interview that resurfaced in one of Beehive’s many fan pages.
Despite having a deep adoration for the “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and even performing a tribute to the icon in 2005 to celebrate the Kennedy Center Honor bestowed on her by former President George W. Bush, the pair didn’t meet until years later.
It was in 2008 and the two songstresses met up a few days before the Grammys to rehearse for a joint rendition of “Proud Mary.” Achieving one of her biggest dreams and meeting her idol, Beyoncé gushed at the time, “This is literally a dream to me because she’s the ultimate. To actually be on the stage with her is crazy.”
