The Tina Turner doll came out in limited quantities to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the singer's hit song 'What's Love Got to Do With It', released on October 24, 1982. It is part of the Barbie Signature Music Series, which honors iconic musicians worldwide. Bill Greening, Principal Designer of the Barbie Signature line at Mattel, said in an interview that 'initially the Barbie team was having challenges getting in touch with Tina. I asked a good friend who used to work at Capitol Records, and luckily, he had a contact. We were in the early stages of the project right about the time she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so the timing was perfect. She was very involved in the design process.'