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Every now and then you and I would get news of the passing of some of the best voices in music. In June 2026, the world lost Peabo Bryson, and by now, you would have heard that Bonnie Tyler is no longer on this Earth. Fortunately, Tyler’s music lives on. And if “Total Eclipse of the Heart” has completely taken over your usual playlist, I don’t blame you. Its lyrics are highly visual and paints profound grief of a past relationship effectively and sincerely. We all acknowledge that there’s no one else in the universe as magical and wondrous as you, Tyler.

Everyone who has listened to her songs would notice her signature raspy voice. Did you know her voice wasn’t always like that? Her raspy voice was accidental. It was born out of frustration. Tyler had undergone surgery to remove vocal cord nodules in 1977, and was later ordered to rest her voice. However, one day, out of frustration, she screamed. That scream led to a permanent alteration of her vocal cords, giving rise to her husky tone, making it work to her advantage since she was pursuing rock music.

While Tyler had other songs recorded, “Total Eclipse of the Heart” has an instantly recognisable piano introduction, a triplet-like arpeggio, perfect for building tension. Tyler’s raspy voice gives off a desperate effect to suit the lyrics, revolving around heartbreak and loneliness.  Together with Canada’s Rory Dodd as Tyler’s duet partner, they made the song a success.

Jim Steinman, who had previously done albums for Meat Loaf and Air Supply, was the man behind this work of art, meant to be a “showpiece” for Tyler’s voice. Tyler apparently liked songs that challenge her vocal ability, and did not just want to sing songs that anybody else can sing, making her stand out from other artists in the music world.

While Tyler would interpret “Total Eclipse of the Heart” as a different, dramatic kind of love song, Steinman originally had written this track for a 1922 musical adaptation of the film, “Nosferatu” hence the initial title of “Vampires in Love”. Comb through the lyrics and you’ll find mentions of darkness – although “Turn around, bright eyes” also appears repeatedly. This contrast is also probably why this song is a hit that sticks with you for a long time.

When the song was out, it was seven minutes long, making it not as radio-friendly. So, ultimately it had to be shortened for the radio, lasting four minutes plus. The accompanying music video was directed by Australian director Russell Mulcahy and was filmed in a large Victorian Gothic hospital, meant for the treatment of temporary mental illness, in Surrey, England.

Tyler has said that she never gets tired of singing “Total Eclipse of the Heart”.

In 2017, Tyler performed the song alongside American rock outfit DNCE aboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise. It seems that via this performance, Tyler’s voice was less raspy. By 2026, the song received more than 1 billion streams on Spotify.

The power ballad is the lead single from Tyler’s fifth studio album, Faster than the Speed of Night. The song, which also has a French version (duet with French singer Kareen Antonn of Greek and Spanish ancestry), peaked at number one in several countries including the US, UK, South Africa, Canada and New Zealand.

The most memorable cover of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” goes to the comedic Filipino duo, auditioning for Asia’s Got Talent in 2015.

A few months ago, it was reported that Tyler was in an induced coma post-treatment for intestinal perforation in Portugal. While she did eventually wake up from her coma, the Welsh singer remained unwell. In July, she passed on in Portugal, where she had been living with her spouse.

Bonnie Tyler is the stage name of Gaynor Sullivan Hopkins. She was the daughter of a former World War II serviceman and coal miner and grew up in public housing. She left school at 16, and started singing backup, before starting her own band, in which she had adopted the stage name Sherene Davis to avoid confusion with another Welsh singer with nearly the same last name. Months later, upon landing a recording contract, at the request of her record company, she changed her name again, which was how the world came to know her as Bonnie Tyler, also known as the First Lady of Rock.