Tina Turner Left US That 'Looked Down upon' Her Race — She Found Solace in Switzerland with Husband Who Accepted Her

Tina Turner, the indomitable American Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, who found unparalleled fame and personal peace in Europe, passed away at the age of 83. Although she was born in Tennessee, her profound love for Europe, particularly Switzerland, her adopted home since 1995, was well-known.

After a grueling past in the United States, Turner found solace and a second home in Switzerland and eventually relinquished her U.S. citizenship in 2013.

"With Tina Turner's death, the world has lost an icon," mourned Swiss President Alain Berset, echoing the sentiments of millions around the globe. He called the legendary singer an “impressive woman who found a second home” in the country. In the quiet town of Küsnacht, on Lake Zurich’s Golden Coast, where Turner resided, locals paid homage with roses and candles.

Turner rapidly stole Europeans’ hearts with her talent, with British rock legend David Bowie's endorsement playing a significant role in solidifying her status as a major European star.

Her European success was not only restricted to her music career; it was also the birthplace of a beautiful love story.

In a 1997 interview with CNN's Larry King, Turner provided insight into her decision to leave her life in the United States. She stated, "At its core, Europe has always been incredibly supportive of my music." She pointed to her fifth solo studio album, "Private Dancer," as the catalyst for her success in England. This album, which was recorded in London and debuted in 1984, was a commercial hit, earning multi-platinum status.

Upon being asked by King if Europe had shown her more support than America, Turner affirmed with a smile, "Yes, significantly so."

King countered, "But you're a major star here; you're a superstar in America." To this, Turner responded candidly, "Not as big as Madonna. In Europe, I'm as big as Madonna."

The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll also shared that she experienced racism during her youth and even as a star in the U.S. “I am looked down upon because I’m Black,” she said. “It’s forever. It’s like a curse on you.”

Growing up, Turner lived under the care of her paternal grandmother, while also working as a babysitter for a white family. Reflecting on this time, she would later express her gratitude towards this family for encouraging her to pursue a solid education.

Turner's life in the USA was not without hardship. At 18, she met Ike Turner, with whom she shared a tumultuous and abusive relationship. Despite achieving fame together, Turner was subjected to physical violence and emotional torture by Ike. However, she revealed in 2018 that she had forgiven him. She cleared up for The Times what her forgiveness really meant: “He asked for one more tour with me, and I said, ‘No, absolutely not.’ Ike wasn’t someone you could forgive and allow him back in.”

The escape from this abusive relationship was as dramatic as it was courageous. With nothing with her but just 36 cents in her pocket, she fled across the Dallas Freeway at night, leaving Ike behind forever.

“I walked out without anything and had to make it on my own for my family and everyone so I just went back to work for myself… I had no money. I had no place to go,” she told the host during her appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show. “It was very difficult and dangerous because Ike was a violent person."

“It was a thoroughly unhappy situation I was in, but I was too far gone,” she also told Rolling Stone. Decades later, the tumultuous escape eventually led Tina to her “first” true marriage with Erwin Bach who would become the final love of her life.

In 1985, Turner met her future husband, German music executive Erwin Bach, in Germany, and they began dating the year after. They tied the knot in 2013 and settled in Switzerland. Bach, as Turner professed in her 2020 memoir "Happiness Becomes You: A Guide to Changing Your Life for Good," taught her "to love without giving up who I am."

Bach, who was with Turner for more than 35 years, was beside his beloved wife until the end. “With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow,” a post on her official Instagram account said. “Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly.”

Turner's extraordinary journey from Tennessee to Switzerland, her transformation from a young singer in an abusive relationship to a rock 'n' roll legend, is a testament to her indomitable spirit and unyielding resilience. Her impact on the music world is profound and her legacy is timeless. As the world mourns the loss of this remarkable woman, it is clear that Tina Turner was, and will remain, "simply the best."