What does love have to do with Tina Turner’s story and with you? Or to put it in Tina Turner’s own words: “What’s love got to do with it?”
On Thursday, Anke and I spontaneously visited our dear friend Nyassa Alberta in Utrecht, Holland. For many months she has been embodying a woman who is one of the greatest singers in the world – the wonderful Tina Turner in the musical “Tina – The Musical”. What hit me again during this amazing show, how important the right environment is and how fatal the wrong environment can be in your life.
Tina Turner, whose real name is Anne Mae Bullock, was discovered and promoted by Ike Turner in the late 1950s. The environment, which appears great at first glance, quickly turns out to be hell on earth. Beatings, drugs and other forms of violence were part of Tina’s everyday life back then. When she finally found the courage one day to leave Ike and flee to a hotel without money, her life changed. Not right away. But piece by piece. After all, she attracted the right people for her. Whether it’s her current husband Erwin Bach or various other producers; they all supported Tina to do her thing.
Nyassa was so in the zone for that last scene before the intermission that I had tears in my eyes. Standing alone on the front edge of the stage, her dress in tatters and her face covered in blood, she spoke to us in the audience as if we were the man at the hotel reception. “Sorry… my name is Tina Turner… I don’t have any money… …but I couldn’t bare to stay with him… and I’ve made a decision. I just can’t go back…” At least that’s how I got it out of the Dutch version of the musical for myself.
You know, I think the scene touched me so much alongside Nyassa’s terrific performance because I know something like that myself. Belittling yourself, holding back, not believing in yourself and following the opinions of others. And then having that one moment where everything changes. The moment when you finally find the courage and take that one step, because so many don’t take it. You’d rather keep suffering. What if you had people around you who push your courage and vision forward? Who make these unique ideas even bigger and accompany you on this, YOUR way? That’s what matters in life. To do what makes your heart leap. Because only then are you the greatest gift for yourself and for others.
What does all this have to do with love? From my point of view everything. How much self-love do you have in you to follow your dream and do your thing? Do you love yourself so much that you find the courage and finally get going? Or is the opinion of others more important again? The reason you should finally take the next step is simple. Because you are simply the best. Once you realize that for yourself, everything will change.
