Tina Turner, who died at age 83 on Wednesday, wasn’t only recognized as the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” for her standout hits and ever-evolving edgy fashion but also for her hairstyles.
Turner’s hair was often styled as a direct extension of her talent, representing her fierce stage presence and emotional resilience throughout life’s hardships. The Grammy-winning singer was known to wear wigs and went on to embrace what the world would remember as one of her most popular hairstyles: spiky, gravity-defying hair.
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In an interview with ABC News in 1985, Turner detailed the “recipe” for her signature hairdo, saying “You sort of got to wash it and let it dry, naturally. Then after that, you have to, what I call ‘fork it up.’ You’ve got to sort of tease it up.”
Ahead, here is a deeper dive into Turner’s hairstyles.
1968
In the ’60s, Turner started to fully embrace wigs after a disastrous trip to the hair salon, which was reenacted in the 1993 biographical film titled “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” starring Angela Bassett.
Turner was often seen wearing straight-haired wigs including the one above, which featured deep brown tresses, slight-curled ends and a fan-like front bang.
1979
As the singer’s career advanced, especially in her solo era, Turner started to customize her wigs. While performing in the U.S. in 1979, Turner wore a short auburn wig that matched the red, yellow and orange sequins in her Bob Mackie “flame dress.” The wig also featured a front bang, which framed her face.
1989
In the ’80s, Turner started to fully lean into her edgy, rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic, which was reflected in her music, clothes and hair.
Performing in New York City in 1989, the singer donned a voluminous wig with brown and blond highlights. The larger-than-life teased hair would become one of Turner’s signature looks.
1993
While in Sydney in 1993, the singer wore a shorter brown and blond wig with chopped ends. The hairstyle prompted a lot of movement while still having the texture and volume the singer was used to.
2008
Turner took the stage with Beyoncé in 2008 to perform at the 50th annual Grammy Awards. Singing a rendition of “Proud Mary,” the pair’s moment has been solidified as one of the most widely known in pop-culture history.
Turner paired her formfitting metallic outfit with a straight asymmetrical bob wig with brown highlights, which coordinated with Beyoncé’s blond highlighted hair.