Portugal's Parliament has unanimously approved a so-called voto de pesar (vote of condolence), a formal parliamentary motion expressing sorrow and paying tribute to a deceased individual, following the death of British singer and Albufeira resident Bonnie Tyler, who passed away at Faro Hospital on 8 July.
The motion, tabled by the Chega party, was approved by all MPs, and honours the Welsh artist's contribution to music, and the impact of her death on fans in Portugal and around the world.
Bonnie Tyler died at the age of 75 after a prolonged period of hospitalisation.
The singer rose to international fame with "It's a Heartache" in 1978 before cementing her status as one of the defining voices of the 1980s with "Total Eclipse of the Heart", which topped the charts in both the UK and the United States in 1983. She also enjoyed worldwide success with "Holding Out for a Hero", featured on the soundtrack to the hit film Footloose.
Her 1983 album Faster Than the Speed of Night made history by becoming the first album by a British female solo artist to debut at number one on the UK Albums Chart. Three decades later, she represented the United Kingdom at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest.
In 2023, Tyler was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by King Charles III in recognition of her services to music.
"The passing of Bonnie Tyler is an enormous loss to world music and to all those, both in Portugal and abroad, who followed her career and recognised her talent," the motion states.
Source: LUSA
Photo credit: Ann Mary
