I don't know about you, but I absolutely cannot believe that we have reached the time of the year when this topic even needs to be discussed. I mean, it's like 2021 is on steroids times 10. And yet, here we are. Many of us are vaccinated. The world is opening up. It's hotter than a mutha outdoors. This means that it's time to head to the pool or the beach. Not with a graphic tee and a pair of Bermuda shorts. Nah, sis. Where's your bathing suit at?
If you're already slightly hyperventilating at the mere thought of going through one of your drawers to pull it out or — even better — shopping for something new, I've got 12 tips that can make you feel so much more comfortable and confident in your swimwear. For no other reason than you should. Let's do this, aight?
1. Repeat: There Is No “Perfect Body”. Only Personal Preferences.
Bikini body. We've all heard that phrase before and, if a lot of us were honest with ourselves, it's a HUGE part of the reason why we avoid wearing a bathing suit like the plague. The main thing to remember with this particular point is there is no perfect body. For one thing, very few things are "without flaw" (especially when it comes to humans) and secondly, if ever the saying "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" applied, it would be when it comes to how our bodies look. Some people dig big breasts and a small butt. Some folks prefer small breasts and a huge rump. Some out here like an athletic build. Some are all about the thicker/curvier woman.
Bottom line is, it's all about personal preference. That's why your main focus needs to be on you preferring you. The confidence that comes with that? It will make you look amazing in pretty much anything that you wear (check out "These 10 Hacks Will Help You Love Your Body More").
2. Learn/Recall What Your Body Type Is
Getty Images
After you develop some inner self-confidence, the next step is to find a bathing suit that complements your body type. This too can help you to feel so much better about how you look in swimwear. To tell you the truth, this is an article all on its own. For now, I'll share a few pointers.
- If you've got large breasts, consider a halter top or a suit with thick straps for support.
- If you've got smaller breasts, go with a padded top or one that has designs on it (to give the illusion that your breasts are fuller).
- If you have a long torso, two-piece bathing suits or ones with horizontal lines can "shorten" your waist's appearance a bit.
- If you have a short torso, a one piece with asymmetrical lines or a suit with designs on the front will help to make your torso appear longer.
- If you're smaller at the top than the bottom (basically, you've got a pear shape), a suit that has a bright color at the top and a darker hue at the bottom can bring about a bit of balance.
- If you're on the curvier side period, avoid solid colors.
Again, this is basically a CliffsNotes version of what to look for. If you'd like to read more about what kind of suit looks best on different body types, check out Who What Wear's "5 New Swimsuit Trends That Work For Every Body Type" article.
3. A One-Piece or Tankini Is Great for Tummies
What if you dig everything about your body except your stomach area? Chile, that is not uncommon at all. The best thing to do would be to invest in either a one-piece or a tankini which is basically a tank top that is made out of a spandex/Lycra/nylon blend that is complemented with a bikini bottom. Both will give you more coverage and support which can make you feel more comfortable. And, when it comes to one-piece suits, they have a way of making you look sophisticated (especially if you wear some cute sandals, wedges or sometimes, even heels with them to elongate your legs).
4. Accentuate Your “Strengths”
Getty Images
OK. What I mean by "strengths" is two-fold. One, think about the parts of your body that you know are killin' the game. Do you have toned calves? If so, you definitely need to get the right shoes. Do you adore your cleavage line? Then the cut of your suit needs to accentuate that. Does your skin have a natural glow? Where's your bronzer at? When it comes to feeling great in your swimwear, you've got to remember that it's not just about the suit itself; it's about the entire presentation. For instance, if your 'fro is all things, definitely bring it out on swimsuit day!
5. Wear Your Favorite Color
Color psychology is very much a real thing. Matter of fact, when it comes to the hues that you're drawn to the most, it can say a lot about where you are mentally/emotionally. Red speaks to passion. Yellow is all about happiness and hope. Orange is about excitement and enthusiasm. Green is all about health and abundance. Blue keeps you calm and tranquil. The list goes on and on.
Point here is, there's something about wearing a color that we really like that can instantly make us feel good. While there are some shades that complement skin tones better than others, you really can't go wrong with getting at least one bathing suit in your favorite color. It will make you smile and probably improve your posture too. That definitely makes it a worthwhile investment.
6. Rock a Cover-Up
Getty Images
While your low-key goal may be to wear a cover-up to literally cover up areas of your body that you aren't the most comfortable with, no one has to know that is your motivation. To me, cover-ups are simply another way to add some flavor to a bathing suit. Sarongs can make your suit appear more elegant and festive. A long sheer robe will have you looking like you are floating wherever you are. Your man's shirt (or just an oversized button-down one, period) can be sexy as hell (kinda like when you wear one over some lingerie). Caftan cover-ups are super playful. I really like those because different materials (crocket, knit, organic cotton, silk, etc.) can make them look totally different from casual to something on the dressier side.
7. Accessorize
Who said that you had to go to the pool or beach with nothing on but the basics? Just like accessories can do wonders for an outfit, it can also take swimwear to another level too! A gemstone bracelet. A turban on your head. Fly sunglasses. A big ass straw hat. The biggest fashion bag you've ever seen in your life. The bottom line is to have fun while creating your swimwear style. If you enjoy putting your overall look together, you will radiate the kind of energy that will make people smile, just by looking at you!
8. Do Some Thorough “Prepping”
Getty Images
I recently saw a picture of a woman whose body was unbelievable. I was still a little put off, though, because she posed in her lingerie in such a way where it was quite clear that it had been many moons since she had done any kind of landscaping down below (if you know what I mean). Look, I know some of y'all are team body hair. It is 1000 percent your right, sis. Do you. For the rest of us, it's important that we make sure to do some upkeep when it comes to body hair if we plan on rocking a suit.
Whether you wax or shave, make sure to get that done. Also, try and do it a couple of days before you plan on putting your suit on, especially if you want to get into the water. Sometimes hair removal processes can irritate the skin which means that your armpits, legs, etc. may need a little bit of time to "recover" first so that the chlorine or saltwater doesn't further irritate it (shea butter and Aloe vera can certainly speed up the healing process, by the way).
9. Make Your Skin Glow
I don't care who it is or what they've got on, one of the first things that I tend to notice about someone is their skin. Beautiful skin is the ultimate in every way! And while having flawless skin is probably the goal for most of us (check out "All-Natural Ways To Get Adult Body Acne Under Control"), I think it's important to also state that freckles, birthmarks and even scars can be quite beautiful. The main thing to focus on here is the quality of your skin. Exfoliate. Deeply moisturize. Hop out of the shower and put on a carrier oil like jojoba, grapeseed or coconut to make your skin appear absolutely radiant. You know what else can make this happen? Making your own bronzer and applying it to places like your shoulders and breasts. Glow, baby, glow!
10. Do an Impromptu Fashion Show
Getty Images
I recently watched a video of a little baby being tossed into the water, only to almost immediately slightly arch its body and start to float. When someone asked me why I wasn't terrified to see the footage, I simply said, "Babies develop in water in their mother's womb. Water is their first home." That's why, when it comes to actually getting into the water, sometimes, even as adults, we need to stop overthinking and just do it.
When it comes to wearing a swimsuit in public? If you know you don't feel the best about doing it, take a step back and "model" to some family members or friends first. While this isn't so much to get their opinion (although that could prove to be helpful too), the main benefit is so you can feel more comfortable and confident around other humans while you're in swimwear overall. If you can feel good around folks you know and trust, it will give you the courage that you may need to be in your suit around complete strangers.
11. Meditate
While I get that this might sound a little crazy on the surface, think about it. A lot of times, our days end up going south because we start off all tense and anxious, right? Well, if those are the same emotions that you have when you go out in a swimsuit, it makes perfect sense to set aside 10-20 minutes to do a bit of meditating first. Especially since it's been proven that meditation helps to reduce stress, relieve anxiety, improve emotional health, decrease blood pressure and cause you to be kinder — including to yourself. So yeah, while you're in that super cute swimsuit, sit on the floor with your legs crossed and deep breathe in 10-30 five-second intervals before heading out of the door. Getting calm and thinking positive thoughts can be the icing on the cake of feeling more confident in your swimwear.
12. Actually Go Swimming in It
Getty Images
Some of you might say that this is the biggest "duh" of all of the tips. But you know what, sometimes it's the most obvious things that need to be reiterated. You know how many folks say that we all look the same in the dark? This point, on some levels, applies once we're in water too. While some people like to sit out and tan or whatever, you've got that gorgeous melanin. Girl, at least go wade in the water! Because, at the end of the day, that's what a swimsuit is (ultimately) made for. Right? #wink
Join our xoTribe, an exclusive community dedicated to YOU and your stories and all things xoNecole. Be a part of a growing community of women from all over the world who come together to uplift, inspire, and inform each other on all things related to the glow up.
Featured image by Getty Images
- Summer's Hottest Swimsuit Trends 2021 - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- How To Take Care Of Your Bikini Line & Make It Smooth - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- How to Be Body-Confident in a Bikini | Who What Wear ›
- Here's How I Felt Comfortable In A Bathing Suit As A Plus Size ... ›
- How to Feel More Confident in a Bathing Suit • BrightonTheDay ›
- How to Get a Bikini Body Without Making Any Physical Changes ›
- 5 Ways To Feel More Confident In A Swimsuit — Because, Yes ... ›
- How to Feel Confident in a Swimsuit When You Have Body Image ... ›
- Bikini body confidence: 11 women who will inspire you to feel ... ›
Amber Riley has the type of laugh that sticks with you long after the raspy, rhythmic sounds have ceased. It punctuates her sentences sometimes, whether she’s giving a chuckle to denote the serious nature of something she just said or throwing her head back in rip-roarious laughter after a joke. She laughs as if she understands the fragility of each minute. She chooses laughter often with the understanding that future joy is not guaranteed.
Credit: Ally Green
The sound of her laughter is rivaled only by her singing voice, an emblem of the past and the future resilience of Black women stretched over a few octaves. On Fox’s Glee, her character Mercedes Jones was portrayed, perhaps unfairly, as the vocal duel to Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), offering rough, full-throated belts behind her co-star’s smooth, pristine vocals. Riley’s always been more than the singer who could deliver a finishing note, though.
Portraying Effie White, she displayed the dynamic emotions of a song such as “And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going” in Dreamgirls on London’s West End without buckling under the historic weight of her predecessors. With her instrument, John Mayer’s “Gravity” became a religious experience, a belted hymnal full of growls and churchy riffs. In her voice, Nicole Scherzinger once said she heard “the power of God.”
Credit: Ally Green
Riley’s voice has been a staple throughout pop culture for nearly 15 years now. Her tone has become so distinguishable that most viewers of Fox’s The Masked Singer recognized the multihyphenate even before it was revealed that she was Harp, the competition-winning, gold-masked figure with an actual harp strapped to her back.
Still, it wasn’t until recently that Riley began to feel like she’d found her voice. This sounds unbelievable. But she’s not referring to the one she uses on stage. She’s referencing the voice that speaks to who she is at her core. “Therapy kind of gave me the training to speak my mind,” the 37-year-old says. “It’s not something we’re taught, especially as Black women. I got so comfortable in [doing so], and I really want other people, especially Black women, to get more comfortable in that space.”
“Therapy kind of gave me the training to speak my mind. It’s not something we’re taught, especially as Black women."
If you ask Riley’s manager, Myisha Brooks, she’ll tell you the foundation of who the multihyphenate is hasn’t changed much since she was a kid growing up in Compton. “She is who she is from when I met her back when she was singing in the front of the church to back when she landed major roles in film and TV,” Brooks says. Time has allowed Riley to grow more comfortable, giving fans a more intimate glimpse into her life, including her mental health journey and the ins and outs of show business.
The actress/singer has been in therapy since 2019, although she suffered from depression and anxiety way before that. In a recent interview with Jason Lee, she recalls having suicidal ideation as a kid. By the time she started seeing a psychologist and taking antidepressants in her thirties, her body had become jittery, a physical reminder of the trauma stacked high inside her. “I was shaking in [my therapist’s] office,” she tells xoNecole. “My fight or flight was on such a high level. I was constantly in survival mode. My heart was beating fast all the time. All I did was sweat.”
There wasn’t just childhood trauma to account for. After auditioning for American Idol and being turned away by producers, Riley began working for Ikea and nearly missed her Glee audition because her car broke down on the highway while en route. Thankfully, Riley had been cast to play Mercedes Jones. American Idol had temporarily convinced her she wasn’t cut out for the entertainment industry, but this was validation that she was right where she belonged. Glee launched in 2009 with the promise of becoming Riley’s big break.
In some ways, it was. The show introduced Riley to millions of fans and catapulted her into major Hollywood circles. But in other ways, it became a reminder of the types of roles Black women, especially those who are plus-sized, are relegated to. Behind the scenes, Riley says she fought for her character "to have a voice" but eventually realized her efforts were useless. "It finally got to a point where I was like, this is not my moment. I'm not who they're choosing, and this is just going to have to be a job for me for now," she says. "And, that's okay because it pays my bills, I still get to be on television, I'm doing more than any other Black plus-sized women that I'm seeing right now on screen."
The actress can recognize now that she was navigating issues associated with trauma and low self-esteem at the time. She now knows that she's long had anxiety and depression and can recognize the ways in which she was triggered by how the cult-like following of the show conflicted with her individual, isolated experiences behind the scenes. But she was in her early '20s back then. She didn't yet have the language or the tools to process how she was feeling.
Riley says she eventually sought out medical intervention. "When you're in Hollywood, and you go to a doctor, they give you pills," she says, sharing a part of her story that she'd never revealed publicly before now. "[I was] on medication and developing a habit of medicating to numb, not understanding I was developing an addiction to something that's not fixing my problem. If anything, it's making it worse."
“[I was] on medication and developing a habit of medicating to numb, not understanding I was developing an addiction to something that’s not fixing my problem. If anything it’s making it worse.”
Credit: Ally Green
At one point, while in her dressing room on set, she rested her arm on a curling iron without realizing it. It wasn't until her makeup artist alerted her that she even realized her skin was burning. Once she noticed, she says she was "so zonked out on pills" that she barely reacted. Speaking today, she holds up her arm and motions towards a scar that remains from the incident. She sought help for her reliance on the pills, but it would still be years before she finally attended therapy.
This stress was only compounded by the trauma of growing up in poverty and the realities of being a "contract worker." "Imagine going from literally one week having to borrow a car to get to set to the next week being on a private jet to New York City," she says. After Glee ended, so did the rides on private planes. The fury of opportunities she expected to follow her appearance on the show failed to materialize. She wasn't even 30 yet, and she was already forced to consider if she'd hit her career peak.
. . .
We’re only four minutes into our Zoom call before Riley delivers her new adage to me. “My new mantra is ‘humility does not serve me.’ Humility does not serve Black women. The world works so hard to humble us anyway,” she says.
On this Thursday afternoon in April, the LA-based entertainer is seated inside her closet/dressing room wearing a cerulean blue tank top with matching shorts and eating hot wings. This current phase of healing hinges on balance. It’s about having discipline and consistency, but not at the risk of inflexibility. She was planning to head to the gym, for instance, but she’s still tired from the “exhausting” day before. Instead, she’s spent her day receiving a massage, eating some chicken wings, and planning to spend quality time with friends. “I’m not going to beat myself up for it. I’m not going to talk down to myself. I’m going to eat my chicken wings, and then tomorrow I’m [back] in the gym,” she says.
“My new mantra is ‘humility does not serve me.’ Humility does not serve Black women. The world works so hard to humble us anyway."
This is the balance with which she's been approaching much of her life these days. It's why she's worried less about whether or not people see her as someone who is humble. She'd rather be respected. "I think you should be a person that's easy to work with, but in the moments where I have to ruffle feathers and make waves, I'm not shying away from that anymore. You can do it in love, you don't have to be nasty about it, but I had to finally be comfortable with the fact that setting boundaries around my life – in whatever aspect, whether that's personal or business – people are not going to like it. Some people are not going to have nice things to say about you, and you gotta be okay with it," she says.
When Amber talks about the constant humbling of Black women in Hollywood, I think of the entertainers before her who have suffered from this. The brilliant, consistent, overqualified Black women who have spoken of having to fight for opportunities and fair pay. Aretha Franklin. Viola Davis. Tracee Ellis Ross. There's a long list of stars whose success hasn't mirrored their experiences behind the scenes.
Credit: Ally Green
If Black women outside of Hollywood are struggling to decrease the pay gap, so, too, are their wealthier, more famous peers.
Riley says there’s been progress in recent years, but only in small ways and for a limited group of people. “This business is exhausting. The goalpost is constantly moving, and sometimes it’s unfair,” she says. But, I have to say it’s the love that keeps you going.”
“There’s no way you can continue to be in this business and not love it, especially being a plus-sized Black woman,” she continues. “We’re still niche. We’re still not main characters.”
"There’s no way you can continue to be in this business and not love it, especially being a plus-sized Black woman. We’re still niche. We’re still not main characters.”
Last year, Riley starred alongside Raven Goodwin in the Lifetime thriller Single Black Female (a modern, diversified take on 1992’s Single White Female). It was more than a leading role for the actress, it also served as proof that someone who looks like her can front a successful project without it hinging on her identity. It showcased that the characters she portrays don’t “have to be about being a big girl. It can just be a regular story.”
Riley sees her work in music as an extension of her efforts to push past the rigid stereotypes in entertainment. Take her appearance on The Masked Singer, for instance. Riley said she decided to perform Mayer’s “Gravity” after being told she couldn’t sing it years earlier. “I wanted to do ‘Gravity’ on Glee. [I] was told no, because that’s not a song that Mercedes would do,” she says. “That was a full circle moment for me, doing that on that show and to hear what it is they had to say.”
As Scherzinger praised the “anointed” performance, a masked Riley began to cry, her chest heaving as she stood on stage, her eyes shielded from view. “You have to understand, I have really big names – casting directors, producers, show creators – that constantly tell me ‘I’m such a big fan. Your talent is unmatched.’ Hire me, then,” she says, reflecting on the moment.
Recently, she’s been in the studio working on original music, the follow-up to her independently-released debut EP, 2020’s Riley. The sequel to songs such as the anthemic “Big Girl Energy” and the reflective ballad “A Moment” on Riley, this new project hones in on the singer’s R&B roots with sensual grooves such as the tentatively titled “All Night.” “You said I wasn’t shit, turns out that I’m the shit. Then you called me a bitch, turns out that I’m that bitch. You said no one would want me, well you should call your homies,” she sings on the tentatively titled “Lately,” a cut about reflecting on a past relationship. From the forthcoming project, xoNecole received five potential tracks. Fans likely already know the strengths and contours of Riley’s vocals, but these new songs are her strongest, most confident offerings as an artist.
“I am so much more comfortable as a writer, and I know who I am as an artist now. I’m evolving as a human being, in general, so I’m way more vulnerable in my music. I’m way more willing to talk about whatever is on my mind. I don’t stop myself from saying what it is I want to say,” she says.
Credit: Ally Green
“Every era and alliteration of Amber, the baseline is ‘Big Girl Energy.’ That’s the name of her company,” her manager Brooks says, referencing the imprint through which Riley releases her music after getting out of a label deal several years ago. “It’s just what she stands for. She’s not just talking about size, it’s in all things. Whether it’s putting your big girl pants on and having to face a boardroom full of executives or sell yourself in front of a casting agent. It’s her trying to achieve the things she wants to do in life.”
Riley says she has big dreams beyond releasing this new music, too. She’d love to star in a rom-com with Winston Duke. She hasn't starred in a biopic yet, but she’d revel in the opportunity to portray Rosetta Tharpe on screen. She’s determined that her previous setbacks won’t stop her from dreaming big.
“I think one of my superpowers is resilience because, at the end of the day, I’m going to kick, scream, cry, cuss, be mad and disappointed, but I’m going to get up and risk having to deal with it all again. It’s worth it for the happy moments,” she says.
If Riley seems more comfortable and confident professionally, it’s because of the work she’s been doing in her personal life.
She’d previously spoken to xoNecole about becoming engaged to a man she discovered in a post on the site, but she called things off last year. For Valentine’s Day, she revealed her new boyfriend publicly. “I decided to post him on Valentine’s Day, partially because I was in the dog house. I got in trouble with him,” she says, half-joking before turning serious. “The breakup was never going to stop me from finding love. Or at least trying. I don’t owe anybody a happily ever after. People break up. It happens. When it was good, it was good. When it was bad, it was terrible, hunny. I had to get the fuck up out of there. You find happiness, and you enjoy it and work through it.”
Credit: Ally Green
"I don’t owe anybody a happily ever after. People break up. It happens. When it was good, it was good. When it was bad, it was terrible, hunny. I had to get the fuck up out of there. You find happiness and you enjoy it and work through it.”
With her ex, Riley was pretty outspoken about her relationship, even appearing in content for Netflix with him. This time around is different. She’s not hiding her boyfriend of eight months, but she’s more protective of him, especially because he’s a father and isn’t interested in becoming a public figure.
She’s traveling more, too. It’s a deliberate effort on her part to enjoy her money and reject the trauma she’s developed after experiencing poverty in her childhood. “I live in constant fear of being broke. I don’t think you ever don’t remember that trauma or move past that. Now I travel and I’m like, listen, if it goes, it goes. I’m not saying [to] be reckless, but I deserve to enjoy my hard work.”
After everything she’s been through, she certainly deserves to finally let loose a bit. “I have to have a life to live,” she says. “I’ve got to have a life worth fighting for.”
Credits
Director of Content: Jasmine Grant
Campaign Manager: Chantal Gainous
Managing Editor: Sheriden Garrett
Creative Director/Executive Producer: Tracey Woods
Cover Designer: Tierra Taylor
Photographer: Ally Green
Photo Assistant: Avery Mulally
Digital Tech: Kim Tran
Video by Third and Sunset
DP & Editor: Sam Akinyele
2nd Camera: Skylar Smith
Camera Assistant: Charles Belcher
Stylist: Casey Billingsley
Hairstylist: DaVonte Blanton
Makeup Artist: Drini Marie
Production Assistants: Gade De Santana, Apu Gomes
Powered by: European Wax Center
In a statement to People magazine, Doherty revealed that Turner had "died peacefully" in her home in Switzerland, which she shared with her husband, music producer Erwin Bach. Doherty also announced that a private funeral service would be held at an undisclosed date for Turner's close family and friends.
"Tina Turner, the 'Queen of Rock'n' Roll,' has died peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland. With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model. There will be a private funeral ceremony attended by close friends and family. Please respect the privacy of her family at this difficult time," the statement read.
Tina Turner
Photo by Harry Langdon/Getty Images
In addition to the public statement, Turner's passing was also confirmed on her social media accounts. Although, at the time, details surrounding Turner's cause of death were limited, it was ultimately revealed that the "River Deep Mountain High" songstress passed away from natural causes. This comes years after Turner underwent a kidney transplant, which her husband donated, and suffering from various health issues. The list included high blood pressure, stroke, and intestinal cancer.
As the news circulated online, many of Turner's close friends and fans paid homage to the icon by expressing how much she meant to them. The list included Angela Bassett --who played Turner in the 1993 film What's Love Got To Do With It-- Beyoncé, Dionne Warwick, Mariah Carey, Ciara, and longtime friend Oprah Winfrey.
In an Instagram post, Winfrey recounted how her friendship with Turner started. The 69-year-old explained that she was a massive fan of the "Proud Mary" vocalist, and upon meeting, the pair's bond would blossom into a decades-long sisterhood.
During that time, Winfrey shared that she was in awe of Turner's resilience from her past childhood traumas and being abandoned by both her parents to how she overcame her violent relationship with ex-husband Ike Turner. The former television host added that Turner's ability to preserve through life's hardships inspired an entire nation.
"I started out as a fan of Tina Turner, then a full-on groupie, following her from show to show around the country, and then, eventually, we became real friends. She is our forever goddess of rock 'n' roll who contained a magnitude of inner strength that grew throughout her life. She was a role model not only for me but for the world. She encouraged a part of me I didn't know existed," Winfrey wrote while honoring her longtime friend.
Tina Turner
Photo by Rob Verhorst/Redferns
"Once she claimed her freedom from years of domestic abuse, her life became a clarion call for triumph. I'm grateful for her courage, for showing us what victory looks like wearing Manolo's and a leather miniskirt."
Winfrey wrapped up her words by recalling her conversation with Turner regarding death. The Oprah Winfrey Show host revealed that Turner embraced it because "she had learned how to live surrounded by her beloved husband, Erwin, and friends."
"She once shared with me that when her time came to leave this earth, she would not be afraid, but excited and curious. Because she had learned how to LIVE surrounded by her beloved husband, Erwin, and friends. I am a better woman, a better human, because her life touched mine. She was indeed simply the best," Winfrey stated.
With Turner's untimely death, the "What's Love Got To Do With It" singer leaves behind an immaculate career spanning over 60 years. Alongside her countless hit songs, Turner's past accolades consist of eight Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Grammy Hall of Fame for three of her songs.
"The Best" songstress' other achievements included Turner earning her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, becoming a double inductee in the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame once in 1991 with Ike Turner, and again in 2021 as a solo artist, etc.
Turner is survived by her husband, Erwin Bach, many friends, and fans. Turner had four sons, two of whom she adopted while married to Ike. Her biological sons, Craig and Ronnie, both sadly passed away in recent years. To date, it is unclear if Turner has mended her relationship with her two adopted sons, who belonged to her ex-husband Ike Turner.
Turner’s music has impacted many people thanks to the beautiful storytelling and powerful words. In honor of Turner's legacy, xoNecole is looking back at her most memorable quotes on life, love, aging, and beauty over the years.
Tina Turner
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Tina On Life
"If you are unhappy with anything…Whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you'll find that when you're free, your true creativity, your true self, comes out."
-via 1986 interview with Ebony magazine.
Tina On Love
"He [Erwin] shows me that true love doesn't require the dimming of my light so that he can shine. On the contrary, we are the light of each other's lives, and we want to shine as bright as we can, together."
via Turner's book, Happiness Becomes You: A Guide to Changing Your Life for Good.
Tina On Her Greatest Beauty Secret
"My greatest beauty secret is being happy with myself. It's a mistake to think you are what you put on yourself. I believe that a lot of how you look has to do with how you feel about yourself and your life."
-via 2016 interview with Woman & Homemagazine.
Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It (Official Music Video)
Tina On Aging
"Fifty is the new 30. Seventy is the new 50. There are no rules that say you have to dress a certain way, or be a certain way. We are living in exciting times for women. Keep up with fashion, keep up with your figure and the clothes you wear. If you look good and you can still do it, then go and do it. I have never worried about age."
-via 2009 interview with the Daily Express.
Tina On Death
"Even when it's time to go and leave to another planet, I'm excited about that because I'm curious to know what it is about. Nobody can tell you because nobody has come back. I'm not excited to die, but I don't regret it when it's time for me. I've done what I came here to do. Now is [time for] pleasure. I've got great friends. I have a great man in my life now. I have a great husband, and I'm happy."
-via 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Tina On The Legacy She's Leaving Behind
"My legacy is that I stayed on course from the beginning to the end because I believed in something inside of me that told me that it can get better…So my legacy is a person that strived for wanting it better and got it."
-via 2013 Oprah interview.
Tina On How She Would Want To Be Remembered
"As the Queen of Rock 'N' Roll. As a woman who showed other women that it is OK to strive for success on their own terms."
via April 2023 interview with The Guardian.
Although xoNecole and the world are mourning the loss of the incredible Tina Turner, it is humbling to know that she accomplished so many things, personally and professionally, during her time here and continues to show why she was, in fact, "simply the best," even after death.
We will miss you, Queen. Rest in Power!
Tina Turner - The Best (Official Music Video)
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
