KISS NIGHT – In her adopted homeland, Tina Turner was more than just a swinging-hipped rock, R&B and pop superstar. Because of the discretion and calm there, she moved to Switzerland without any apology and carried her very public personality to a very private country. She enjoyed her life as a Swiss – and this feeling was mutual.
On Thursday, mourners laid flowers and candles in front of the gate of their lakeside villa in the posh town of Küsnacht, southeast of Zurich, where she lived for decades with her German music producer husband Erwin Bach until her death death on Wednesday at the age of 83.
It was an understated homage – an expression of the Swiss discretion that had drawn her to the wealthy Alpine country in the first place.
The neighbors didn’t stare at her, didn’t chase her for autographs or photos. Many Swiss were proud that they were able to escape the pressure of the media limelight here. It gave her the semblance of a normal life after a tumultuous life in her native United States, including at the hand of her late ex-husband Ike, who discovered her, married her and – according to her memoirs – brutally beat her.
Celebrities of the past, including Charlie Chaplin and Freddie Mercury, as well as living stars such as Sophia Loren and Shania Twain, have been drawn to Switzerland – often because of the alleged respect for private life. Roman Polanski briefly holed up in a mountain cabin to evade US justice, and some of the world’s financial tycoons and business gurus were drawn to the country’s relatively low taxes and monetary secrecy.
Turner, who relocated in the mid-1990s and took Swiss citizenship in 2013 – renounces her US passport – was probably the most famous resident of recent years.
Swiss President Alain Berset paid tribute to Turner on Twitter, calling her an icon and saying his “thoughts go out to the family of this amazing woman who has found a second home in Switzerland.”
Markus Ernst, the mayor of Küsnacht, a quaint town on the shores of Lake Zurich, said Turner was committed to the community — he regularly lit the annual Christmas tree and once inaugurated a city lifeboat christened “Tina” — but the They do everything they can to help a mostly public figure enjoy her private life as well.
“One of the reasons why she came to Switzerland was to lead a completely normal life,” he said on the phone. “She could walk into restaurants without being constantly photographed … On the street, people didn’t stare at her or ask for her autograph.”
A statement from her longtime manager, Bernard Doherty, said a private memorial service was planned to be attended by close family and friends, adding: “Please respect her privacy.”
Years ago, Turner recounted milestones in her life and her affection and affinity for Switzerland in a glamorous TV spot for communications company Swisscom, in which young actors portrayed her both at a young age and at the height of her career.
It alluded to stereotypes about Switzerland, such as the home of William Tell or the center of the art of figure skating; She sat in a rocking rowboat in a lake surrounded by majestic mountains, cellphone in hand. Turner recounted how her friends had to adjust to their Swiss tastes when an actor portraying her carried a pot of cheese fondue under the questioning gazes of fictional guests.
Another actress waved to fans as flashing lights went on as she climbed into the back seat of a limousine alongside the real-life gymnast, and the superstar quipped, “Over time I’ve learned more and more about Switzerland, so safety and discretion come to people.” belong.” top priority – as they are for me.”
“And when I finally moved to Switzerland, it immediately felt like home,” she mused. “Here, people respect each other’s privacy and take care of each other.”
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Jamey Keaten contributed to this report.
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