Tina Turner was an “indlama” and her death is a “very great loss,” said White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre.

Upon learning the news of the 83-year-old singer’s death during a press conference at the White House, the spokeswoman said she too was a “huge fan of hers,” adding “our thoughts go out to her family and friends.”

Her death is “incredibly sad news” and a “very big loss” for the communities that loved her and the music industry, said Karin Jean-Pierre.

The singer passed away “quietly” today from complications of a long illness, her representative said.

Despite her brilliance and success, Turner encountered many difficulties in her life. In 1986, in her bestselling autobiography Tina Turner, she revealed the abuse she suffered during her marriage to Ike Turner.

In 2017, the singer underwent a kidney transplant and in 2018, her first-born son ended his life at the age of 59.