Concerning Tina Turner, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 83, Winfrey said, “I am a better woman, a better human, because her life touched mine.”
Oprah Winfrey is remembering the late Tina Turner.
Winfrey, 69, shared a carousel of images of her and Turner hanging out over the years on Instagram after learning of Turner’s passing on Wednesday.
“I started out as a fan of Tina Turner, then a full-on groupie, following her from show to show around the country, and then, eventually, we became real friends,” she wrote in the caption for the photo.
“She is our eternal rock ‘n’ roll goddess. She had a tremendous inner strength that grew throughout her life.”
She stated that Turner served as “a role model not only for me but for the world” and “encouraged a part of me I didn’t know existed.”
The TV host talked about how the “What’s Love Got to Do with It” singer gave her the strength to live bravely.
“Once she claimed her freedom from years of domestic abuse, her life became a clarion call for triumph,” she said. “I appreciate her bravery in demonstrating what triumph looks like while wearing a leather miniskirt and Manolo shoes.”
“She once told me that when it was her time to leave this world, she would not be afraid but excited and curious,” she continued. “Because surrounded by her devoted husband Erwin and friends, she had learned how to LIVE.”
Winfrey expressed her gratitude for the impact her life had on her by saying that it had made her “a better woman, a better human.”
A video of Winfrey and Turner grooving out on stage and performing “The Best” together was posted by Winfrey in a subsequent post.
She captioned the video, “I got the opportunity to accompany Tina onstage on her ‘Wildest Dreams’ tour and felt a peek of her beautiful universe. I was so anxious that my knees started to bang against one another. The most enjoyable experience I can recall having outside of my comfort zone was dancing on stage with her in Los Angeles.”
She said, “Tina encouraged me and every woman to do the same. She lived outside the box.”
“Watching Tina perform is what I call a spiritual experience,” she said then. “I am here,” she conveys with each energizing swing of her miniskirt and each slide of her three-inch Manolos across the stage.
“I feel the same way I feel after seeing any great art,” she continued, “when I leave a Tina concert: I want to be a better human being.”
After a protracted illness, the iconic singer passed away at the age of 83 on Wednesday at her home in Switzerland’s Zurich region, according to her staff.
“With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow,” read a message on Turner’s Instagram.
“Today, we say farewell to a close friend, leaving behind her greatest contribution to the world: her music. Our deepest sympathies are with her family. We will miss you terribly, Tina.”
