Exclusive interview with Tina Turner as the musical of her life heads to Sydney

A musical about the life and times of rock’n’roll legend Tina Turner are coming to the Sydney stage, and she sat down for an exclusive interview to tell why she is so excited about the project.

Music icon Tina Turner has issued a challenge to her Australian fans – “I defy anyone not to leave elated”.

That is the message the rock’n’roll legend wants people to walk away with when they see her story told on stage in Tina – The Tina Turner Musical.

Turner’s story is a painful one. It is also uplifting and inspirational. The 12-time Grammy Award winner, now aged 82, is one of the most successful female artists of all time. She has sold more concert tickets than any other solo performer, ever.

Turner sold more than 100 million albums in a career spanning some six decades, with massive global hits including What’s Love Got To Do With it, Private Dancer, and What You Get Is What You See.

Together with late ex-husband Ike Turner, she had hits with tracks River Deep – Mountain High, Proud Mary, and Nutbush City Limits.

Aisha Jawando as Tina Turner in the musical about the iconic artist’s life. Picture: Manuel Harlan

Turner promises audiences that they will leave the show feeling elated.

Behind the glitz of life touring the world, selling out shows and hit records, Turner suffered physically and emotionally at the hands of her ex-husband.

She initially didn’t want her story told on stage but, speaking exclusively to The Sunday Telegraph, explained that she now wanted fans to take away an important message from her story.

Turner, now 82, is one of the most successful female recording artists of all time.

“My faith has been core to my strength as a person and growth as an artist, and I feel the musical is true to me and my journey,” she said.

“But at the same time, which I think is why our show is so special, it celebrates my music throughout my career.

“I defy anyone to not leave elated. I loved being part of the development process … and I can’t wait for Australia to see it.”

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical won rave reviews on London’s West End and on Broadway in New York.

Aisha Jawando on stage as Turner. Picture: Manuel Harlan

Casting is currently under way for the show that will play at Sydney's Theatre Royal from May — first access presale tickets are on sale from Monday, and general public tickets from Thursday.

“I’m hugely proud of all the wonderful Tinas who are performing around the world,” Turner said.

“To play me, sing 23 songs, barely leave the stage and take that lifetime journey every evening is hugely demanding vocally, mentally and physically — I don’t know how they do it.”

It was at the London opening in 2018 that Turner realised the power of her story being told on stage.

“I don’t think I realised until after the show opened … just how much my story meant to so many people, how much it was needed as a source of inspiration,” she explained.

“I believe if that is the case, then I have a duty to share it.

“I gave a lot of time to this project, and it was hard at times to revisit through some painful memories, but that was all a long time ago; and what I prefer to focus on is the positive messages that can be taken away from our show.”

Australia, specifically an Australian, is very much part of Turner’s story. It was artist manager Roger Davies who was instrumental in turning Turner’s career around after she split from her ex-husband.

Davies was also central to shaping the careers of artists including Olivia Newton-John, Joe Cocker, Sade and Pink.

“Roger believed in me from the start and fought for me to make it as a solo artist — together we were the dream team,” she said.

“He is a very important person in my life and it was natural that he would be a part of the story we tell on stage.”

It was Davies who helped foster a special relationship between Turner and her Australian fans. She toured here, but also shot George Miller’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, in which she played Aunty Entity alongside Mel Gibson in the outback mining town of Coober Pedy. Turner also famously fronted campaigns for the NRL with her song, The Best, remaining an anthem of the game.

“Every time I visited on tour I was welcomed so warmly, (there are) so many highlights but the NRL grand final performance in 1993 … that was out of this world,” she recalled.

“I’m so excited that the people of Australia will get a chance to see my show.

“One of my first ever solo tours was received so well in Australia and I will never forget that.

“And then I always made sure I returned whenever I could.”

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