Tina Turner’s story was well documented in the 1993 Oscar-nominated film What’s Love Got to Do With It, which may be the reason she doesn’t feel the need to rehash her life with ex-husband and abuser, Ike Turner.

Soon after his 2007 death, Ike’s ex-wife Jeanette Turner publicly asked Tina if she could ever forgive the musical genius for the years of abuse she endured at his hands. The rock star’s rep responded:

“Tina hasn’t had any contact with Ike for more than 35 years. No further comment will be made.”

Now, more than a decade after Ike’s December 2007 death, Turner is finally opening up about letting go of the animosity while continuing to safeguard her heart.

“As an old person, I have forgiven him, but it would not work with him,” she recently told UK’s The Times. “He asked for one more tour with me, and I said, ‘No, absolutely not.’ Ike wasn’t someone you could forgive and allow him back in. It’s all gone, all forgotten. I don’t know what the dreams are about. The dreams are still there—not the violence, the anger. I wonder if I’m still holding something in.”

The singer went on to say she was not only happy to separate herself from Ike personally but also musically, because she was never a fan of the songs he decided were best for the group.

“I didn’t like the blues because I didn’t like what they were singing about. The blues can bring you down a little,” The Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll said. “I like to be a little bit up, and as soon as I left Ike, I never sung heavy, heavy rhythm and blues any more. “I Can’t Stand the Rain” was a blues song, and also the songs of Tony Joe White were blues, but an up-tempo, fine kind of blues. That was the change in my life, to enjoy singing.”