Tina Turner Renounced Her US Citizenship To Chase Love, Fame & ‘Fresh Air’ In Switzerland

Jun 13, 2023

Tina Turner was one of our time's most recognized and celebrated music artists, and we are sure that her five-decades-long highly successful career will be remembered for years to come as well. Though she had a prodigious musical career, she also had to battle a lot of hardships and difficulties in her life, and the path to happiness was not easy. 

However, she found a peaceful pairing with her second husband, Erwin Bach, with whom she lived in Switzerland. The pair had been together for over two decades before they tied the knot in 2013 when Turner was 73, and Bach was 57. Their age difference had done nothing to deter them from having a blissful relationship. Together, they faced the joys and grief of life hand-in-hand and seemed very much in love until Turner’s passing on May 24, 2023.

With over 100 million albums sold, Turner is one of the best-selling recording artists ever. She is known for her hits "Proud Mary," "Nutbush City Limits," "Private Dancer" and many more. In 1984, she won Record of the Year at the Grammys for "What's Love Got To Do With It" and has received 12 Grammy Awards throughout her career as well as the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. 

But despite the acclaim and popularity she had in the United States, this did not stop the music icon from relocating to Europe, specifically to Zurich, Switzerland, where she found solace and peace overseas. At one point in her life, she renounced her American citizenship and became a fully-fledged Swiss citizen. Keep on reading to learn what pushed Turner to move to a different country overseas.

Turner and Bach first met in 1985 at an airport, which Turner described as a "simple meeting," according to Closer Weekly.

They did not begin dating right away and were in a platonic relationship for more than a year. Turner was especially hesitant to give love another chance after everything she had been through, but she said that she was glad she "listened to her heart" and gave Bach a chance.

Bach is a German music producer and executive who has made a successful dent in the music industry throughout his career and is reportedly worth $50 million today. Moreover, he has also had a few small acting roles in his career. 

After beginning her relationship with Bach, Turner revealed in a Larry King interview on CNN in 1997 that she had left the United States because her “success” was in another country. Despite leaving the country and relocating to Germany at the time, Turner said then that she still paid taxes and that her family was in the country. 

“Basically, Europe has been very supportive of my music,” she confessed, which led King to ask if it was “more than America,” to which she “highly” confirmed. As King pursued Turner about the question, she said that she was not “as big as Madonna” in the United States, but that was different in Europe. "I’m as big as Madonna in Europe. I’m as big in some places as the Rolling Stones,” she continued. 

Turner also lived for quite a while in England and eventually in Germany with Bach before finally deciding to settle in Zurich, Switzerland, which she considered “home.” Asked why she chose to move to Zurich, she cheekily confessed that it was because of Bach, just her boyfriend then, being relocated to run the British conglomerate company EMI at the time. 

In an interview with the Swiss local media outlet Blick, Turner revealed that the thing that she loved most about living in the famed city was the “fresh air” that the city provided. 

“I found my home, my dream house. I’m at home finally, and I’m happy about it,” she told the outlet. 

At the time of Turner’s relocation to Switzerland, many seemed to think that the move to the country was also driven by “tax implications.” As for Turner’s citizenship, The Washington Post reported in 2013, the year Turner and Bach married, that the singer “renounced” her US citizenship so that she could apply for a Swiss one. 

In an article written by Forbes at the time, there was “little” evidence to suggest that Turner’s move was motivated by taxes, as Swiss taxes are relatively high compared to the United States. 

Turner and Bach went on to live happily in silence and peace in Zurich, Switzerland, while occasionally returning to the United States and Europe for some trips. 

However, at 83 years old, Turner passed away on May 24, 2023. She peacefully died in her home in Switzerland, according to a post on her official Instagram account.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow," the lengthy statement read. "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."

Are you a fan of Tina Turner? What can you say about her decision to renounce her US citizenship? Would you have done the same thing if you were in her shoes? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other Tina Turner fans out there!