Fantasia Barrino was recruited to pay tribute to Tina Turner during the Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 4.
Dressed in all gold, the American Idol alum, 39, took to that stage to honor Tina by performing “Proud Mary.” While she initially began singing the song slowly, the performance picked up and she showed off her singing chops and dance moves alongside several dancers.
“Grammys, get up on your feet,” Fantasia said as she swayed back and forth on stage. “You know what time it is.”
Many stars in the audience listened to the instructions and got up on their feet to dance along to the performance.
Not only did the nominees and presenters seem to enjoy the performance, but several viewers took to social media to applaud the tribute. “You better sing!” one person wrote via X. Another added, “I’m crying!”
Tina was honored at the awards ceremony just nine months after her passing in May 2023. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner,” a statement on Tina’s official Instagram page read at the time. “With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow. Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly.”
The Tennessee native – who won eight Grammy awards throughout her career – was survived by her children Ike Turner Jr. and Michael Turner. Additionally, she was the mother to late sons Ronnie Turner and Craig Turner. Tina was married to her second husband, Erwin Bach, at the time of her death, whom she married in 2013. Before she married Erwin, 68, the “I Don’t Wanna Lose You” singer was married to her first husband, Ike Turner, from 1962 to 1978.
Tina faced several health issues in the years leading up to her death. She was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2016, and she underwent a kidney transplant after Erwin donated his kidney to her one year later.
It’s clear that Tina and Edwin loved each other, and she previously gushed about him in interviews. “He was [16 years] younger [than me]. He was 30 years old at the time and had the prettiest face. I mean, you cannot [describe] it,” she recalled in a clip from the 2021 HBO documentary titled Tina. “It was like insane. [I thought], ‘Where did he come from?’ He was really so good-looking. My heart [was beating fast] and it means that a soul has met, and my hands were shaking.”