Rock icon Tina Turner: Giving up her American citizenship.

American No More: Tina Turner to Become a Swiss Citizen (Zurichsee-Zeitung, Switzerland)

"Today's edition of Zurichsee-Zeitung can report that the naturalization of the most famous rock singer of all time will be made public with an official announcement by the municipality of Kusnacht. ... Despite Turner's celebrity status, the municipality of Küsnacht showed her no favoritism with regard to her naturalization. ... Her interview with the responsible agency representative was conducted in German, and she continues to take lessons. Tina feels at home in the region." 

By Christian Dietz Saluz

Translated By Stephanie Martin

January 25, 2013

Switzerland - Zurichsee-Zeitung - Original Article (German)

The world's most famous rock singer wants to be Swiss. Her application for naturalization has already been approved by the municipality of Küsnacht. The only thing missing is approval by federal and cantonal authorities.

For the past eighteen years, Tina Turner has been living in Küsnacht. Now the American is making the definitive commitment to her new home. She has applied for Swiss citizenship. The municipality of Küsnacht has already processed her application and granted "Tina Turner-Bullock " conditional citizenship, subject to cantonal immigration law and receipt of a Swiss naturalization permit.

So now, today's edition of Zürichsee-Zeitun can report that the naturalization of the most famous rock singer of all time will be made public with an official announcement by the municipality of Küsnacht.

Just Swiss

In 1995, Tina Turner first moved from the United States to Zurich, and then to Küsnacht, because of her partner;s professional transfer to Switzerland [German record executive Erwin Bach].  She quickly felt at home on Lake Zurich.

"She appreciates the beautiful scenery, the friendly people, and the change of seasons," Turner conveyed through her spokeswoman Karin Rhomberg. Above all, she enjoys being a private person. According to Rhomberg, Turner's privacy is highly respected here.

"She is pleased with how she's been accepted here, and is treated with friendliness and discretion," said the spokeswoman. Switzerland has long been central to their lives. This led to the desire of the 73-year-old to obtain Swiss citizenship.

"She would like to clarify her situation," Karin Rhomberg explained. "For the same reason, Tina will give up her U.S. citizenship." Anna Mae Bullock, as Tina was originally named, grew up in Tennessee in the Southern United States. In 1962, she married Ike Turner. As Ike and Tina Turner, they rose to become one of the most successful acts in the rock music business. But in her private life, everything fell apart. Tina left her husband in 1976 and had to start again as a solo article at the very bottom.

Posted By Worldmeets.US

With the album Private Dancer, her class, as well as good management, brought her back to the top. And that's where she remained until her 2009 World Farewell Tour, when she performed to sold-out concert halls everywhere. She has sold 180 million records and CDs. She has been awarded eight Grammys, the highest award in the pop music industry. Above all, Tina was the first woman to shatter the age barrier in the "juvenile profession" of rock music - which is another reason she is so revered by millions of fans.

Normal naturalization

Despite Turner's celebrity status, the municipality of Küsnacht showed her no favoritism with regard to her naturalization. "She has completed the usual process, just like everyone else," said spokeswoman Rhomberg. Her interview with the responsible agency representative was conducted in German, and she continues to take lessons. Tina feels at home in the region. In collaboration with her Erlenbach Yoga teacher, music therapist Regula Curti and mantra singer Dechen Shak-Dagsay, she released the album Beyond in 2009, followed by Children Beyond in 2011.