Meet the performer carrying on Tina Turner's legacy

Growing up as a black woman in South Africa, Caroline Borole and her family found themselves infatuated with the music and life of Tina Turner.

As a child, she simply enjoyed the rhythm and singing along to Turner’s soulful music, but over time she appreciated the music for its deeper meaning.

“As I grew older, I got to understand her story fully and know exactly what her trials and tribulations were,” Borole told Kelowna10 in the lead up to her appearance in Kelowna later this month.

“I found out that they're not so far off from what we were going through as well.”

As soon as she left high school, Borole immediately pursued a career in the arts, taking inspiration from the artist that shaped her childhood so much.

Now, at 38 years old, she tours as a tribute artist, covering Turner’s music.

The recent news of the artists passing was something that affected her greatly.

“I remember just stopping on the side of the road and just having to take a moment because I had no idea,” she said. “It's almost like the whole world knew except me at that time.”

It was a shock to the producers and cast who were already in rehearsals for their Canadian tour when the news broke, giving them cause to reflect on the impact and importance that their tour will now have on the nation’s audiences.

“Now that she's passed, it adds on a different element of emotion completely to now having to sing the songs and do the shows,” she explained. “I think even my approach to them going forward is going to be very different, obviously, with the same energy and emotion. But just with a layer of something else. She's closer to my heart now.”

Borole said it’s a bittersweet feeling knowing her show may become more popular as a result of Turner’s death but hopes that she can provide a show that celebrates the life and career of the enigmatic artist.

“I would hope that more people will come to remember her legacy, to remember her voice, to remember who she was, to remember that day, to come from where she comes from,” she said. “And for anybody that has gone through something that needs healing, that they too can come through to the show and be able to celebrate with us.”

Borole’s show, ‘TINA Simply the Best’ will be coming to Kelowna’s community Theatre on June 28, tickets are available for purchase here.