AceShowbiz - Tina Turner said to Oprah Winfrey she would be "excited" when it was her time to "leave this earth." The legendary musician passed away on Wednesday, May 24 aged 83 after battling a "long illness" and she once told her friend how she would feel when the time came.

"Once she claimed her freedom from years of domestic abuse, her life became a clarion call for triumph. I'm grateful for her courage, for showing us what victory looks like wearing Manolo's and a leather miniskirt," 69-year-old star Oprah wrote in an emotional tribute on Instagram.

"She once shared with me that when her time came to leave this earth, she would not be afraid, but excited and curious. Because she had learned how to LIVE surrounded by her beloved husband, Erwin, and friends."

In her social media post, Oprah revealed how she went from being a "fan" of the "Proud Mary" singer to becoming "real friends." She said, "I started out as a fan of Tina Turner, then a full-on groupie, following her from show to show around the country, and then, eventually, we became real friends."

"She is our forever goddess of rock 'n' roll who contained a magnitude of inner strength that grew throughout her life. She was a role model not only for me but for the world. She encouraged a part of me I didn't know existed."

Concluding her moving message, the star referenced "The Best" - one of Tina's most iconic songs - and insisted she has become a "better human" just by knowing her late friend. She added, "I am a better woman, a better human, because her life touched mine. She was indeed simply the best."

Tina's spokesperson revealed her death in a statement on Wednesday, revealing she died "peacefully" at home. They said, "Tina Turner, the 'Queen of Rock 'n' Roll' has died peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland. With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model."