Tina Turner has one helluva work ethic. The new HBO documentary about the icon, “Tina,” delves into her personal life, her art, and her legacy but the throughline is Turner’s incredible commitment to her work — from her aerobic dance routines to her determination to become “the first Black rock ‘n’ roll singer to pack places like The Stones.” She’s a pro in every sense of the word.
Turner has faced immense challenges in her life: both her parents left when she was a child, she survived an abusive marriage, and she has contended with racism and sexism. In “Tina,” she speaks openly about all of that, but is emphatic that she doesn’t like to dwell on the past and prefers to keep moving forward. The doc suggests that her work — her music, her dancing, her concerts, her ability to connect with her audience — has been as therapeutic as her Buddhist faith.
This is most apparent when Turner discusses her life after splitting up from Ike Turner, her husband, abuser, and musical collaborator, in 1978. She only came out of the divorce with the name Tina Turner (her given name is Anna Mae Bullock) and immediately began doing whatever she could to carve out her own professional identity, independent of Ike. She would take any gig she could get, whether it was appearing on “Hollywood Squares” or performing on “The Brady Bunch Hour.” These jobs were about financial survival, but they also signaled Turner’s steadfastness in making a career of her own, no matter what.
Turner’s tale is one of perseverance and triumph, but “Tina” doesn’t gloss over her truth. She is the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll yet is still associated with her abuser. No matter how many times she shares her story, hoping to put it to bed for good, people still want to hear it again. And that’s taken a toll.
Crucially, “Tina” recognizes that Turner is more than the ex-wife of an abusive man. She is a legend in her own right and someone who gives her all to her art. Maybe now, with this documentary’s release, we can stop focusing on the worst parts of her life and join her in celebrating her many victories.
“Tina” premieres March 27 on HBO and HBO Max.
