unilad homepage
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • World News
    • Crime
    • Health
    • Money
    • Sport
    • Travel
  • Film and TV
    • Netflix
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Tina Turner fans blast 'disrespectful' 10-foot tribute statue unveiled in her hometown

Home> News> US News

Published 10:23 30 Sep 2025 GMT+1

Tina Turner fans blast 'disrespectful' 10-foot tribute statue unveiled in her hometown

Fans of the queen of rock 'n' roll have been left less than impressed by the statue

Kit Roberts

Kit Roberts

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover
Featured Image Credit: Dave Hogan/Getty Images

Topics: Art, News, Tina Turner, US News, Music

Kit Roberts
Kit Roberts

Kit joined UNILAD in 2023 as a community journalist. They have previously worked for StokeonTrentLive, the Daily Mirror, and the Daily Star.

Advert

Advert

Advert

A new statue of Tina Turner has been unveiled where the star grew up - but some fans have had a less than favourable reaction to it.

The 10-feet-tall statue was unveiled in the Tennessee community where Tina grew up, just steps away from where she attended high school.

In the work, Tina is depicted mic in hand, appearing as though she is performing on stage, and sporting her signature hair do.

Sculptor Fred Ajanogha created the statue, saying that he paid particular attention to her hair, which he said was like the 'mane of a lion'.

Advert

It was unveiled as part of an annual ceremony in the town of Brownsville which marks the iconic singer's early years spent growing up before she moved away and found stardom as one of the most iconic singers of the 20th century.

Unfortunately, since the statue's unveiling, some fans have felt that it has not captured the essence of Tina and took to social media to share their thoughts.

The statue has had a mixed reaction (WBBJ)
The statue has had a mixed reaction (WBBJ)

One person had a very strong reaction to the artwork, even suggesting it should have been taken down.

They wrote: “That statue should have been kicked down after the unveiling. That is a very poor replica of what is supposed to be The Iconic Tina Turner. So Disrespectful!”

Another said they couldn't take the piece seriously, writing: “I’m sorry, but the Tina Turner statue is hilarious. I can’t look at it without laughing. And that’s my girl, but why they do that to her hair?”

A third fan wrote simply: “She deserves better.”

Tina overcame immense difficulties in her life, including an abusive relationship with her husband Ike who she started her career performing with in the 1960s.

In 1976, Tina left Ike with literal cents in her pocket.

As if separating from an abusive husband wasn't hard enough, following their split, Tina was then hit with a series of lawsuits over cancelled concerts, and turned to performing to pay her debts.

Tina Turner performing in Chicago in 1984 (Paul Natkin/Getty Images)
Tina Turner performing in Chicago in 1984 (Paul Natkin/Getty Images)

Despite the immense challenge, Tina went on to build a hugely successful career as a solo artist, even outshining her previous career with her ex-husband as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll.

It's not the first time that fans have had a strong reaction to a statue erected in honor of a celebrity.

Sofia Vergara previously had a similar statue unveiled in her hometown of Barranquilla, and fans were also left unimpressed by the results.

One wrote: "As Shakira and Sofia I also share the same place of birth as them. And let me tell you they need to stop making these statues they are horrendous I've seen the one for Shakira and it looks nothing like her."

UNILAD has approached Fred Ajanogha for comment.

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
5 hours ago
7 hours ago
10 hours ago
  • Raymond Hall/GC Images
    4 hours ago

    Drew Barrymore waves goodbye to bras as she admits she’s ‘over’ wearing them

    "I don't care if these sausages fall down to my knees," the actress declared on her talk show.

    Celebrity
  • Adrian Shellard / University of Calgary
    5 hours ago

    University Marks 60th Anniversary with Record-Breaking Dinosaur Gathering

    They managed to dwarf the existing Guinness World Record by more than 200

    News
  • Salwan Georges/Bloomberg via Getty Images
    7 hours ago

    Dr.Oz shares reason behind Trump’s diet soda obsession as he claims it ‘kills cancer’

    The comments came amid an ongoing shakeup of US nutritional guidelines in a bid to 'Make America Healthy Again'

    News
  • Jesse Grant/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
    10 hours ago

    Actor Jennie Garth opens up about 'bad vibes' while working with Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider

    The actor opened up about the feeling on set

    Celebrity
  • Tina Turner feared her son would ‘turn out like’ his father
  • Patti LaBelle forgets lyrics as she performs Tina Turner tribute
  • Tina Turner shared way she wanted to be remembered in final interview weeks before death
  • Tina Turner's song 'What's Love Got To Do With It' hits #1 on the charts following her death