In a newly-released documentary, TINA, the legendary artist Tina Turner has revealed shocking revelations on her life and her rise to fame over six decades. First aired on HBO on March 27, the 81 year-old hopes the film is the closing chapter on her life as she retires.
“I think my farewell started already in 2009 when I retired from performing,” Turner told news.com.au before the doc’s release. “The documentary gives me a chance to complete the telling of my story – it’s out there now for everyone to see and I hope it answers all the questions. But my fans and I will always have a special relationship that lives on in the music and memories. The feelings we share aren’t going away.”
Turner retired from performing in 2009, 10 years after her last studio album. It is already known that the singer suffered a stroke in 2013 and had to learn to walk again. She was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2016 before undergoing a kidney transplant in 2017. But what we learn further is her abusive relationship with former husband, Ike Turner.
She alleges he beat her for 16 years and on one occasion, recalls receiving third-degree burns after Ike threw boiling hot coffee on her in front of her son. She attempted suicide before a show to try to escape the man. He died of cocaine toxicity in 2007. She was forced to take her name only and make a living on her own.
“For a long time I did hate Ike,” Turner says in Tina. “After he died I realized he was a sick person, an ill person at the soul. He did get me started, he was good to me in the beginning, so I do have some good thoughts .…”
“It hurts to have to remember those times,” Turner continues. “But at a certain stage forgiveness takes over, forgiving means not to hold on, you let it go, because it only hurts you. I had an abusive life, there’s no other way to tell the story, it’s a reality, it’s the truth, you have to accept it.”
In 1981, Turner famously opened up to People about the trauma she endured which prompted her to leave – at the time it was considered bold and revolutionary to leave your husband without any support.
“The article would be the first of many profiles that would cement Tina’s image as a survivor, helping to fuel the story of her extraordinary yet improbable career comeback,” reads a statement from HBO on the project.
The documentary follows similar productions from the likes of Audrey Hepburn and a more recent star, Demi Lovato. TINA is available to stream on HBO Max.
Watch the trailer below.
