Dame Olivia Newton-JohnACDBE (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British and Australian singer and actress.[3] With over 100 million records sold,[4] Newton-John was one of thebest-selling music artists of all time, as well as the highest-selling female Australian recording artist of all time.[4][5]
Olivia Newton-John was born on 26 September 1948[10] inCambridge toBrinley "Brin" Newton-John (1914–1992) and Irene Helene (née Born; 1914–2003).[10] Her father was born and raised inWales to a middle-class family. Her mother was born and raised in Germany to aGerman-Jewish academic family who came to the UK in 1933 to escape theNazi regime.[11][12]
Newton-John's maternal grandfather wasGerman JewishNobel Prize–winning physicistMax Born.[13][14][15] Her maternal grandmother Hedwig was the daughter of German Jewish juristVictor Ehrenberg and his Lutheran wife, Helene Agatha von Jhering. Through Helene Agatha, Newton-John was a descendant of Protestant theologianMartin Luther. She was also descended from an unspecified Spanish monarch.[16][17] Helene Agatha's own father, Newton-John's great-great-grandfather, was juristRudolf von Jhering. Newton-John's uncle was pharmacologistGustav Victor Rudolf Born. Through her Ehrenberg line, Newton-John was a third cousin of comedianBen Elton.[13]
In early 1954, when Newton-John was five, her family emigrated toMelbourne,Victoria, on theSSStrathaird.[22] Her father worked as a professor of German and as the master ofOrmond College at theUniversity of Melbourne.[23] Her family attended church while her father served as the head of the Presbyterian college.[24]
Newton-John was the youngest of three children.[27] The eldest sibling was Hugh Newton-John, who became a physician and infectious diseases specialist.[28]
Newton-John's older sister, Rona Newton-John, became a model and actress whose acting career in the UK included appearances onThe Benny Hill Show and Gerry Anderson'sUFO. Rona was married three times and had four children. Offspring from her first marriage (1961–1968) to restaurateur and nightclub owner Brian Goldsmith include music producerBrett Goldsmith and entertainerTottie Goldsmith, a founder member of the bandThe Chantoozies. Racing car driverEmerson Newton-John is the son from her second marriage to Graham Hall, and Rona was also married from 1980 to 1985 toGrease andTaxi actorJeff Conaway.[29][30]
Newton-John's parents divorced in 1958. Her father Brin remarried two more times and also had two more children with his second wife.[31]
Career
Career beginnings
Newton-John went to primary school withDaryl Braithwaite, who also followed a singing career.[32] At age 14, with three classmates, Newton-John formed a short-lived, all-girl group called Sol Four which often performed at a coffee shop owned by her brother-in-law.[33]
Newton-John originally wanted to become a veterinarian but then chose to focus on performance after doubting her ability to pass science exams.[34]
In 1964, Newton-John's acting talent was first recognised portraying Lady Mary Lasenby in herUniversity High School's production ofThe Admirable Crichton as she became the Young Sun's Drama Award best schoolgirl actress runner-up.[35] She then became a regular on local Australian television shows, includingTime for Terry andHSV-7'sThe Happy Show, where she performed as "Lovely Livvy".[36] She also appeared onThe Go!! Show, where she met her future duet partner, singerPat Carroll, and her future music producer,John Farrar. (Carroll and Farrar later married.)
In 1965, she entered and won a talent contest on the television programSing, Sing, Sing, hosted by 1960s Australian iconJohnny O'Keefe. She performed the songs "Anyone Who Had a Heart" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses". She was initially reluctant to use her prize, a trip to Great Britain, but travelled there nearly a year later after her mother encouraged her to broaden her horizons.[6]
While in Britain, Newton-John missed her then-boyfriend,Ian Turpie,[37] with whom she had co-starred in the 1965 Australian telefilmFunny Things Happen Down Under. She repeatedly booked trips back to Australia that her mother cancelled.[33]
In 1966, Newton-John recorded her first single, "Till You Say You'll Be Mine", in Britain forDecca Records.[6]
Newton-John's outlook changed when Pat Carroll moved to the UK. The two formed a duo called Pat and Olivia and toured nightclubs in Europe. (In one incident, they were booked atPaul Raymond's Revue inSoho, London, and were unaware that it was astrip club until they began to perform onstage dressed primly in frilly high-collared dresses.)[38] During this period, she and Carroll contributed backup vocals to recordings by a number of other artists, notably the song "Come In, You'll Get Pneumonia" bythe Easybeats. After Carroll's visa expired, Carroll was forced to return to Australia but Newton-John remained in Britain to pursue solo work.[38]
Newton-John was recruited for the group Toomorrow,[39] formed by American producerDon Kirshner. In 1970, the group starred in the science fiction musicalToomorrow and recorded an accompanyingsoundtrack album onRCA Records; both the LP and the movie were named after the group. That same year, the group made two single recordings: "You're My Baby Now"/"Goin' Back" and "I Could Never Live Without Your Love"/"Roll Like a River". Neither track became a chart success; the project failed and the group disbanded.[40]
In 1971, Newton-John released her first solo album,If Not for You (US No. 158 Pop). In the UK, the album was released asOlivia Newton-John. Thetitle track, written byBob Dylan, was her first international hit (US No. 25 Pop, No. 1Adult Contemporary/"AC").[41] Her follow-up single, "Banks of the Ohio", was a top 10 hit in the UK and Australia, but only peaked at number 94 in the United States. She was voted Best British Female Vocalist two years in a row by the magazineRecord Mirror. She made frequent appearances onCliff Richard's weekly showIt's Cliff Richard[42] and starred with him in the telefilmThe Case.
Newton-John's 1972 single "What Is Life" (No. 34 AC) made minimal impact in the United States. As a result, her second studio albumOlivia was never formally issued in the United States. The subsequent single, "Take Me Home, Country Roads", similarly saw little success. Her fortune changed with the release of "Let Me Be There" in 1973. The song reached the American top 10 on the Pop (No. 6), Country (No. 7),[43] and AC (No. 3) charts and earned her aGrammy for Best Country Female[42] and an Academy of Country Music award for Most Promising Female Vocalist.[41]
Her third studio albumLet Me Be There was released in November 1973, retitledMusic Makes My Day in Britain. The US and Canadian versions featured an alternate track list that mixed new cuts with selections fromOlivia and also recycled six songs fromIf Not for You, which was going out of print.
In 1974, Newton-John represented the United Kingdom in theEurovision Song Contest with the song "Long Live Love". The song was chosen for Newton-John by the British public out of six possible entries (Newton-John later admitted that she disliked the song).[44] Newton-John finished fourth at the contest, held inBrighton, behind the Swedish winning entry, "Waterloo" byABBA. All six Eurovision contest song candidates—"Have Love, Will Travel", "Lovin' You Ain't Easy", "Long Live Love", "Someday", "Angel Eyes" and "Hands Across the Sea"—were recorded by Newton-John and included on herLong Live Love album, her first for theEMI Records label.[45]
TheLong Live Love album was released in the US and Canada asIf You Love Me, Let Me Know. All the Eurovision entries were dropped for different and more country-flavoured tunes intended to capitalise on the success of "Let Me Be There"; the North American offering used selections fromLong Live Love,Olivia andMusic Makes My Day, and only the title cut was new. The album reached No. 1 on both the pop (one week)[46] and country (eight weeks) albums charts.[citation needed]If You Love Me, Let Me Know'stitle track was its first single and reached No. 5 Pop, No. 2 Country[6] (her highest-peaking song on the chart) and No. 2 AC. The next single, "I Honestly Love You", became Newton-John's signature song. Written and composed byJeff Barry andPeter Allen,[42] the ballad became her first Pop number-one (staying there for two weeks), second AC number-one (for three weeks) and third top-10 Country (No. 6) hit and earned Newton-John two moreGrammys for Record of the Year[47] and Best Pop Vocal Performance – Female. In her 2018 autobiography,Don't Stop Believin', Newton-John describes "I Honestly Love You" as a song which is "so simple, with a meaning that was deeper than the ocean".[48] In 1974, she received the (BCMA) British Country Music Association Award for "Female Vocalist of the Year" in London, England.[49]
Newton-John in 1978
In the United States, Newton-John's success incountry music sparked a debate among purists, who took issue with a foreigner singing country-flavoured pop music being classed with native Nashville artists.[39] In addition to her Grammy for "Let Me Be There", in 1974 Newton-John was also named theCountry Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year, a designation which made her the first British singer to have won the award;[50][51][52] and the title also meant she defeated more established Nashville-based nomineesLoretta Lynn,Dolly Parton andTanya Tucker, as well as Canadian artistAnne Murray.[42]
This protest by country music participants led to the formation of the short-lived Association of Country Entertainers (ACE).[53] Newton-John was eventually supported by the country music community.Stella Parton, Dolly's sister, recorded "Ode to Olivia" and Newton-John recorded her 1976 album,Don't Stop Believin', inNashville, Tennessee.[42]
1975–1977:Have You Never Been Mellow,Clearly Love, and continued success
Encouraged by expatriate Australian singerHelen Reddy, Newton-John left the UK and moved to the US. Newton-John topped the Pop (one week) and Country (six weeks) albums charts with her next album,Have You Never Been Mellow. For 45 years, Olivia held theGuinness World Record for the shortest gap (154 days) by a female between new Number 1 albums (If You Love Me, Let Me Know > Have You Never Been Mellow) on the US Billboard 200 album charts untilTaylor Swift in 2020 (140 days withfolklore >evermore).[54]
Her pop career cooled with the release of her next album,Clearly Love. Her streak of five consecutive gold top 10 singles on theBillboard Hot 100 ended when the album's first single, "Something Better to Do", stopped at No. 13 (also No. 19 Country and No. 1 AC). Her albums still achieved gold status, and she returned to the top ten of the Hot 100 andBillboard 200 charts again in 1978.[56]
Newton-John's singles continued to top the AC chart, where she amassed ten No. 1 singles, including a record seven consecutively:[57]
She provided a prominent, but uncredited, vocal onJohn Denver's "Fly Away" single, which was succeeded by her own single, "Let It Shine"/"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", at No. 1 on the AC chart. ("Fly Away" returned to No. 1 after the two-week reign of "Let It Shine".) In December 1975, she appeared on the ABC specialJohn Denver - A Rocky Mountain Christmas, where she performed the duet of "Fly Away" with John, as well as "Let It Shine". Newton-John also continued to reach the Country top 10 where she tallied seven top-10 singles through 1976's "Come on Over" (No. 23 Pop, No. 5 Country,[43] No. 1 AC) (from the same-titledalbum) and six consecutive (of a career nine total) top-10 albums through 1976'sDon't Stop Believin' (No. 30 Pop, No. 7 Country).[43] She headlined her first US television special,A Special Olivia Newton-John, in November 1976.[42]
In 1977, the single "Sam", a mid-tempowaltz fromDon't Stop Believin', returned her to the No. 1 spot on the AC (No. 40 Country) and also reached No. 20 Pop, her highest chart placement since "Something Better to Do". By mid-1977, Newton-John's pop, AC, and country success all suffered a slight blow. HerMaking a Good Thing Better album (No. 34 Pop, No. 13 Country) was not certified gold, and its only single, the title track (No. 87 Pop, No. 20 AC), did not reach the AC top 10 or the Country chart. Later that year,Olivia Newton-John's Greatest Hits (No. 13 Pop, No. 7 Country) became her firstplatinum album.[58]
In 1978, Newton-John's career soared after she starred as Sandy in thefilm adaptation of the Broadway musicalGrease. She was offered the role after meeting producerAllan Carr at a dinner party atHelen Reddy's home.[23] Disillusioned by herToomorrow experience and concerned that she was too old to play a high school senior (she was 28 during the filming ofGrease), Newton-John insisted on ascreen test with the film's co-lead,John Travolta.[23] Newton-John previewed some of the film's soundtrack during her second American network television special,Olivia, featuring guestsABBA andAndy Gibb.[61]
Grease became the biggest box-office hit of 1978.[62] Newton-John's performance, however, received mixed reviews.[63]The soundtrack album spent 12 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 and yielded three Top 5 singles for Newton-John: the platinum "You're the One That I Want" (No. 1 Pop, No. 23 AC) with John Travolta, the gold "Hopelessly Devoted to You" (No. 3 Pop, No. 20 Country, No. 7 AC) and the gold "Summer Nights" (No. 5 Pop, No. 21 AC) with John Travolta and the film's cast. Newton-John became the second woman (afterLinda Ronstadt in 1977) to have two singles—"Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Summer Nights"—in theBillboard top 5 simultaneously.[42] The soundtrack is one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time.[64] In June 2006, Newton-John's company ON-J Productions Ltd filed a lawsuit againstUniversal Music Group (UMG) for $1 million in unpaid royalties from theGrease soundtrack.[65] In 2007, it was announced that she and UMG had reached a "conditional settlement".[66]
Newton-John's performance earned her aPeople's Choice Award for Favourite Film Actress. She was nominated for aGolden Globe as Best Actress in a Musical and performed the Oscar-nominated "Hopelessly Devoted to You" at the 1979Academy Awards.[67] The film's popularity has endured. It was re-released for its 20th anniversary in 1998[68] and ranked as the second highest-grossing film behindTitanic in its opening weekend.[69] Following her death in August 2022, AMC announced that the picture would reappear in some of its cinemas over the weekend and that a portion of the proceeds would go to breast cancer research.[70]
In November 1978, she released her next studio album,Totally Hot, which became her first solo top-10 (No. 7) album sinceHave You Never Been Mellow. Dressed on the cover all in leather, Newton-John capitalised on her character's look that was introduced at the end ofGrease; moreover,Totally Hot's singles—"A Little More Love" (No. 3 Pop, No. 94 Country, No. 4 AC), "Deeper Than the Night" (No. 11 Pop, No. 87 Country, No. 4 AC), and the title track (No. 52 Pop)—all demonstrated a more aggressive and uptempo sound for Newton-John.[71] Although the album de-emphasised the country sound, the LP still reached No. 4 on the Country Albums chart. Newton-John released the B-side, "Dancin' 'Round and 'Round", of the "Totally Hot" single to Country radio. The entry peaked at No. 29[72] (as well as No. 82 Pop and No. 25 AC), and it became her last charted solo Country airplay single.[73]
Newton-John cancelled a 1978 concert tour of Japan in protest at the slaughter of dolphins caught in tuna fishing nets. She subsequently rescheduled the tour when the Japanese government assured her that the practice was being curbed.[74] In honor of dolphins, in 1981 she also composed and recorded the song "The Promise (the Dolphin Song)" on thePhysical album.[75]
She was a performer on the 1979Music for UNICEF Concert for the UN'sInternational Year of the Child televised worldwide. During the concert, artists performed songs for which they donated their royalties, some in perpetuity, to benefit the cause.
Lawsuit against MCA Records
In April 1975, Newton-John andMCA entered into an initial two-year, four-album deal in which she was expected to deliver two LPs a year for the record company. MCA also had the option of extending the contract for six more records and three more years; and if the artist did not deliver on time, MCA was allegedly allowed to lengthen the term of the contract.[76]
Per her new agreement with MCA, Newton-John's first three albums, beginning withClearly Love, came out on schedule. Her fourth,Making a Good Thing Better, was late. This delay occurred around the same time she was working onGrease forRSO Records, and the postponement arguably gave MCA—which seemed to want to keep its hold on the performer—the right to exercise its option, extend its contract, and stop her from signing with another enterprise. She also did not deliver a "newly optioned" album.[77]
On 31 May 1978, Newton-John and MCA each filed breach-of-contract actions against the other. Newton-John sued for $10 million and claimed that MCA's failure to adequately promote and advertise her product freed her from their agreement. MCA's countersuit requested $1 million in damages and an injunction against Newton-John working with another music firm.[78]
Ultimately, Newton-John was forbidden from offering her recording services to another label until the five-year pact had run its course. The original covenant was not automatically extended, though she had not duly supplied the total sum of vinyls indicated in the contract.[79]
As a result of the lawsuit, record companies changed their contracts to be based on the number of albums recorded by a musician and not a specific number of years.[80]
Newton-John began 1980 by releasing "I Can't Help It" (No. 12 Pop, No. 8 AC), a duet withAndy Gibb from hisAfter Dark album, and by starring in her third television special,Hollywood Nights. Later that year, she appeared in her first film sinceGrease when she starred withGene Kelly andMichael Beck in the musical fantasyXanadu. Although the film was a critical failure,its soundtrack (No. 4 Pop) was certified double platinum and scored five top 20 singles on theBillboard Hot 100.[81] Newton-John charted with "Magic" (No. 1 Pop, No. 1 AC), "Suddenly" withCliff Richard (No. 20 Pop, No. 4 AC) and the title song "Xanadu" with theElectric Light Orchestra (No. 8 Pop, No. 2 AC). [ELO also charted with "I'm Alive" (No. 16 Pop, No. 48 AC) and "All Over the World" (No. 13 Pop, No. 46 AC).][82]
"Magic" was Newton-John's biggest pop hit to that point (four weeks at No. 1)[81] and still ranks as the biggest AC hit of her career (five weeks at No. 1). The filmXanadu has since become a cult classic and the basis for aBroadway show that ran for more than 500 performances beginning in 2007 and was nominated for fourTony Awards, including Best Musical.[83]
In 1981, Newton-John released her most successful studio album, the double platinumPhysical, which strongly reinforced her image change by showcasing risqué, rock-oriented material. Newton-John explained: "I just wasn't in the mood for tender ballads. I wanted peppy stuff because that's how I'm feeling."[84] Of the title cut, Newton-John said: "Roger Davies was my manager at the time; he played it for me and I knew it was a very catchy song."[85]The title track, written bySteve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, spent ten weeks atop theBillboard Hot 100.[86] This matched the record at that time held byDebby Boone's "You Light Up My Life" for most weeks spent at No. 1 on the Hot 100. The single was certified platinum, and it ultimately ranked as the biggest song of the decade. (In 2008,Billboard ranked the song No. 6 among all songs that charted in the 50-year history of the Hot 100.)[87]
"Physical" earned Newton-John her only placement ever on the R&B Singles (No. 28) and Albums (No. 32) charts. ThePhysical album spawned two more singles, "Make a Move on Me" (No. 5 Pop, No. 6 AC)[88] and "Landslide" (No. 52 Pop).[89]
Newton-John at the opening of a Koala Blue store in 1988
The provocative lyrics of the "Physical" title track prompted twoUtah radio stations to ban the single from their playlists.[90] (In 2010,Billboard magazine ranked this as the most popular single ever about sex.)[91] To counter its overtly suggestive tone, Newton-John filmed an exercise-themed video that turned the song into anaerobics anthem and madeheadbands a fashion accessory outside the gym.[85][92]
She helped pioneer the music video industry by recording avideo album forPhysical, featuring videos of all the album's tracks and three of her older hits. The video album earned her a fourth Grammy and was aired as an ABC prime-time special,Let's Get Physical,[86] becoming a top-10Nielsen hit. Newton-John asserted: "Like everyone, I've got different sides of my personality. I've my dominant self, my need-to-be-dominated self, the sane Olivia and the crazy Olivia. Playing these different characters gave me a chance to show strange parts people haven't seen much."[84]
The success ofPhysical led to an international tour and the release of her second hits collection, the double-platinumOlivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (No. 16 Pop), which yielded two more top-40 singles: "Heart Attack" (No. 3 Pop)[88] and "Tied Up" (No. 38 Pop). The tour was filmed for herOlivia in Concert television special, which premiered onHBO in January 1983. The special was subsequently released to video, earning Newton-John another Grammy nomination.[93]
Newton-John reteamed with Travolta in 1983 for the critically and commercially unsuccessful movieTwo of a Kind,[94] redeemed by its platinum soundtrack (No. 26 Pop) featuring "Twist of Fate" (No. 5 Pop),[88] "Livin' in Desperate Times" (No. 31 Pop), and a new duet with Travolta, "Take a Chance" (No. 3 AC). Newton-John released another video package, the Grammy-nominatedTwist of Fate, featuring videos of her four songs on theTwo of a Kind soundtrack and the two new singles fromOlivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2.[95]
That same year Newton-John and Pat Farrar (formerly Pat Carroll) founded Koala Blue.[96][97] The store, originally for Australian imports, evolved into a chain of women's clothing boutiques.[96] The chain was initially successful, but it eventually declared bankruptcy and closed in 1992.[96][98] Newton-John and Farrar were the targets of a multimillion-dollar lawsuit when Koala Blue franchise holders alleged breach of contract and unfair competition; agreeing with a motion citing insufficient evidence, a judge dismissed the case on summary judgment in 1993.[99] Newton-John and Farrar later licensed the brand name for a line of Australian wines.[100]
Newton-John's music career cooled again with the release of her next studio album, the gold[102]Soul Kiss (No. 29 Pop),[103] in 1985.[104] The album's only charted single was the title track (No. 20 Pop, No. 20 AC).[104] The video album forSoul Kiss featured only five of the album's ten tracks (concept videos for the album's singles "Soul Kiss" and "Toughen Up" as well as performance videos of the tracks "Culture Shock", "Emotional Tangle" and "The Right Moment").[105]
After a nearly three-year hiatus following the birth of her daughter Chloe in January 1986, Newton-John resumed her recording career with the 1988 albumThe Rumour. The album was promoted by an HBO special,Olivia Down Under. Its first single, the title track, was written and produced byElton John. Both the single (No. 62 Pop, No. 33 AC) and the album (No. 67 Pop) faltered commercially[106] as the nearly 40-year-old Newton-John seemed "old" when compared with the teen queensDebbie Gibson andTiffany ruling the pop charts at that time. (The album was praised by critics as more mature, with Newton-John addressing topics such asAIDS ("Love and Let Live"), the environment and single-parent households.)[107]
The second single, "Can't We Talk It Over in Bed", did not chart, but was released in 1989 byGrayson Hugh, the song's arranger, and became a top-20 pop hit as "Talk It Over".[108]
1989–1998: Motherhood, cancer, and advocacy
In September 1989, Newton-John released her self-described "self-indulgent" album,Warm and Tender, which reunited her with producer John Farrar, absent from her previous LP, and also marked a return to a more wholesome image. Inspired by her daughter, who appeared on the cover, the album featuredlullabies and love songs for parents and their children.[71] This album, the last one produced by Farrar, also failed to revive her recording career, as the disc reached only No. 124 Pop.[109]
She was appointed a Goodwill ambassador to the United Nations Environment Programme.
Newton-John's television work included starring in two Christmas films,A Mom for Christmas (1990) andA Christmas Romance (1994) – both top 10 Nielsen hits.
Newton-John was primed for another comeback in 1992 when she compiled her third hits collection,Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971–1992, and planned her first tour since herPhysical trek ten years earlier. Shortly after the album's release, Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer, forcing her to cancel all publicity for the album, including the tour. She received her diagnosis the same weekend her father died.[110]
Newton-John recovered.[111] In 1991, she became the National Spokesperson for the Colette Chuda Environmental Fund/CHEC (Children's Health Environmental Coalition)[112] following the death fromWilms' tumour of five-year-old Colette Chuda, daughter of Newton-John's friend Nancy Chuda.[113] Later, Newton-John became an advocate forbreast cancer research and other health issues. She was a product spokesperson for the Liv-Kit, a breast self-examination product, and also founded her own cancer centre in her home town in Australia.
Newton-John's cancer diagnosis also affected the type of music she recorded. In 1994, she releasedGaia: One Woman's Journey, which chronicled her ordeal. Co-produced by Newton-John for ONJ Productions,Gaia was originally issued byFestival in Australia but also distributed by various independent labels in Japan and Europe. In 2002, there was an American distribution byHip-O Records, and a subsequent re-release in 2012 by Green Hill featured an alternative cover photo.[114][115]Gaia was the first album on which Newton-John wrote all the music and lyrics herself, and this endeavour encouraged her to become more active as a songwriter thereafter. The single "No Matter What You Do" entered the Australian top 40, and the second single, the environmentally themed "Don't Cut Me Down", was also used in the filmIt's My Party, a 1996 AIDS drama. The Latin-fuelled "Not Gonna Give into It" eventually became heavily showcased in concert performance; "The Way of Love" was featured in the telefilmA Christmas Romance,[116] and "Trust Yourself" was incorporated into both the TV movieThe Wilde Girls[117][better source needed] and the theatrical filmSordid Lives.[118]
Newton-John continued to record and perform pop-oriented music as well. In 1998, she returned toNashville to recordBack with a Heart (No. 59 Pop).[68] The album returned her to the top 10 (No. 9) on the Country Albums chart. Its first single was a re-recording of "I Honestly Love You" produced byDavid Foster and featuringKenneth "Babyface" Edmonds on background vocals[68] that charted on the Pop (No. 67) and AC (No. 18) charts. Country radio dismissed the song, though it did peak at No. 16 on the Country Sales chart. The album track, "Love Is a Gift", won Newton-John a 1999Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Song after being featured on the daytime serial,As the World Turns.[120]
In December 1998, following a hiatus of about 16 years, Newton-John also resumed touring by herself and in 2000 released a solo CD,One Woman's Live Journey, her first live album since 1981'sLove Performance.[129][130]
In 2000, she appeared in a dramatically different role as Bitsy Mae Harling, a bisexual former-convict country singer, inDel Shores'Sordid Lives.[127] Newton-John reprised her role forSordid Lives: The Series which aired one season on theLOGO television network. The series featured five original songs written and composed by Newton-John specifically for the show.[131] In 2000, she teamed withVince Gill and theLondon Symphony Orchestra for'Tis the Season sold exclusively through Hallmark. The following year, she releasedThe Christmas Collection, which compiled seasonal music previously recorded for her Hallmark Christmas album, her appearance onKenny Loggins' 1999 TNN Christmas special and her contributions to theMother and Child andSpirit of Christmas multi-artist collections.
Newton-John's subsequent albums were released primarily in Australia. In 2002, she released(2), a duets album featuring mostly Australian artists (Tina Arena,Darren Hayes, Jimmy Little, Johnny O'Keefe, Billy Thorpe andKeith Urban), as well as a "duet" with the deceasedPeter Allen. In addition,(2) offered a hidden 12th track, a samba version of "Physical" which Newton-John later performed occasionally in concert instead of the more rock-style original. The album's 2004 Japanese release includes the bonus track "Let It Be Me", a duet with Cliff Richard with whom she had previously been coupled on "Suddenly" andSongs from Heathcliff.[132][133]
Produced byPhil Ramone and recorded at the Indigo Recording Studios in Malibu for ONJ Productions,Indigo: Women of Song was released in October 2004 in Australia. The tribute album featured Newton-John covering songs by artists such asJoan Baez,the Carpenters,Doris Day,Nina Simone andMinnie Riperton. She dedicated the album to her mother, who had died the previous year of breast cancer.[135][136]Indigo was subsequently released in the UK in April 2005 and in Japan in March 2006. A rebranded and resequenced version calledPortraits: A Tribute to Great Women of Song was eventually issued in the United States in 2011.
In 2006, Newton-John released a healing CD,Grace and Gratitude.[138] The album was sold exclusively byWalgreens,[139] also to benefit various charities includingY-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. The CD was the "heart" of theirBody – Heart – Spirit Wellness Collection, which also featured a re-branded Liv-Kit and breast-health dietary supplements.
In 2007, she re-teamed with herGrace and Gratitude producer,Amy Sky, forChristmas Wish (No. 187 Pop) which was sold exclusively byTarget in its first year of release.[140] Newton-John released another concert DVD,Olivia Newton-John and the Sydney Symphony:Live at the Sydney Opera House and a companion CD, her third live album titledOlivia's Live Hits.[141][142]
She re-recorded some tracks fromGrace and Gratitude in 2010 and re-released the album asGrace and Gratitude Renewed on the Green Hill music label. TheRenewed CD includes a new track, "Help Me to Heal", not featured on the original album.[147]
Newton-John was featured in UniGlobe Entertainment's breast cancer docu-drama,1 a Minute, released in October 2010.[148] The documentary was made by actressNamrata Singh Gujral and featured other celebrities who had survived breast cancer or who were affected by the disease. During the same month,Bluewater Productions released a comic book featuring Newton-John to coincide withBreast Cancer Awareness Month.[149]
For her firstGlee appearance, Newton-John recreated her "Physical" video with series regularJane Lynch.[153][154] The performance was released as a digital single which peaked at number 89 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 2010.[155] In Australia, Newton-John hosted the animal and nature seriesWild Life[156][157] and guest-starred as Joanna on two episodes of the Australian seriesThe Man From Snowy River.[158][159][160]
In January 2011, Newton-John began filming the comedyA Few Best Men in Australia with directorStephan Elliott, in the role of mother of the bride. The groom is played byXavier Samuel.[161]
2012–2022: Vegas residency and final releases
Newton-John was actively touring and doing concerts from 2012 to 2017 and also performed a handful of shows in 2018.[162][163] Her dates forA Summer Night with Olivia Newton-John even included stops in Asia and Canada and culminated in a rare concert appearance in London in 2013. Her March 2013 UK trek also encompassed Bournemouth, Brighton, Birmingham, Manchester and Cardiff, Wales.[164]
A 2013 residency at theFlamingo Las Vegas was postponed due to the May 2013 death of her elder sister, Rona (aged 72), from a brain tumour.[166] Newton-John resumed performing, doing 45 shows beginning in April 2014.[167][168] Along with the Vegas shows, Newton-John released a new EP in April 2014 entitledHotel Sessions, which consisted of seven tracks of unreleased demos that were recorded between 2002 and 2011 with her nephewBrett Goldsmith. The CD contains a cover of "Broken Wings" as well as the popular-with-fans original "Best of My Love", which had leaked on the internet many years prior.[169]
Her Vegas stay was eventually extended beyond August 2014,[170][171][172] and herSummer Nights residency finished in December 2016 after 175 shows.[173] Her successful three-year run even prompted a fourth live album,Summer Nights: Live in Las Vegas (2015). In 2015, Newton-John also reunited with John Farnham for a joint venture calledTwo Strong Hearts Live.[174][175]
In 2015, Newton-John was a guest judge onan episode ofRuPaul's Drag Race. That same year, she scored her first number-one single onBillboard'sDance Club Songs chart with "You Have to Believe" with daughter Chloe and producerDave Audé. The song was a re-imagining of her 1980 single "Magic", which she noted was to celebrate both the 35th anniversary ofXanadu and as a dedication to her daughter. About the latter, Newton-John stated: "I met Chloe's dad on the set ofXanadu; so, without that film, Chloe wouldn't be here. She was the real 'magic' that came out of that film!"[176] The song became the first mother-daughter single to reach No. 1 on theBillboard Dance Club Play chart.[177]
On 7 May 2019, Newton-John's elder brother Hugh, a doctor, died at age 80;[180] his death left Newton-John as the sole surviving sibling from the original family.
In recognition for "her work as an entertainer and philanthropist", she was bestowed Australia's highest honour, theCompanion of the Order of Australia, in June 2019.[181]
In December 2019, Newton-John and Travolta also re-teamed for three live Meet 'n' Grease[182] sing-along events in the Florida cities ofTampa,West Palm Beach andJacksonville.[183] Subsequently, a sing-along re-broadcast ofGrease aired on CBS Television.[184]
In February 2020, Newton-John appeared at theFire Fight Australia charity event. This was her final public performance.[185]
In January 2021, Newton-John released her final single, "Window in the Wall", a duet about unity which she recorded with her daughter Chloe Lattanzi. The music video for the song peaked at No. 1 on theiTunes pop music video chart the week of its release.[186][187]
In the media
On 2 November 2019,Julien's Auctions auctioned hundreds of memorabilia items from Newton-John's career. The sale raised $2.4 million. Newton-John'sGrease outfit garnered $405,700; her pants and jacket were purchased separately by two different billionaires.Sara Blakely, founder ofSpanx, bought Newton-John's black skintight pants fromGrease for $162,000.[188] The anonymous buyer who acquired her famousGrease leather jacket for $243,200 (£185,000) returned the item to her and said: "It should not sit in a billionaire's closet for country-club bragging rights [...] The odds of beating a recurring cancer using the newest emerging therapies is a thousandfold greater than someone appearing out of the blue, buying your most famous and cherished icon, and returning it to you." All proceeds were donated to her Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Australia.[189][190][191]
In December 2024 and January 2025, Julien's and TCM also held posthumous sales of Newton-John commemoratives.[192][193]
Musical legacy
Newton-John's first boyfriend,Ian Turpie, once said of her early appearances: "In those days she had a small voice, but it was very pure. She could sing prettily in tune....The improvement in her singing since she went to England has been remarkable. She told meShirley Bassey has been a big influence on her. After hearing Bassey, she worked at developing her head voice to sound like a chest voice, the way Bassey uses hers. The power she's developed is amazing".[37]
Michael Dwyer of theSydney Morning Herald maintains that following Newton-John's career was like watching "our slightly older and braver sister growing up in public" and her passing "feels today like a lost member of the family".[194] Rachel Syme ofThe New Yorker also suggests that her familial, down-to-earth demeanor and humanity may have even superseded her singing accomplishments: "Her most lasting legacy might be as the rare celebrity who was almost universally well liked, and thought of as an essentially kind and warmhearted person".[195][196]
Her musical abilities on their own merits were also impressive. In her 1982Olivia in Concert performance ofDolly Parton's "Jolene," Newton-John showcases a down-falling note range covering three octaves. (Much later, Newton-John and Parton recorded a duet of "Jolene," which was not formally released until after Newton-John's death.)[197] In her memoir, Newton-John describes herself as "not a power singer but more of an interpretive one";[198] and author Lauren O'Neill concurs: "She sang with clarity and precision, her high notes bright and open like a window on a summer morning, but her voice was never clinical – a sultry purr, euphoric cry or breathy gasp seemed always available to her....Her vocal [on "Hopelessly Devoted to You" fromGrease] is clean and soaring, but to hear it is to be right down in the dirt with Sandy too; to feel, and perhaps even identify with, her total frustration with herself. As she slides between notes while singing 'I'm out of my head,' she shows us her emotional freefall as well as telling us about it."[199]
Long before and after the career summit ofGrease, Newton-John proved herself to be a fairly versatile performer, lending her instrument to everything from sentimental ballads and New Age soul searching to lively dance productions and rock & soul fervor.Maura Johnston ofVulture assesses: "Newton-John was a regular chart-topper...throughout the '70s, her lithe soprano adapting well to the soft pop sound" of the era with "AM Gold staples and tracks from the folk and country world...As it turned out, Newton-John's voice was pretty well suited to the spiky dance pop that would become popular in the early 1980s" too.[48] However, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of theLos Angeles Times offers a counterpoint on her career decline in the mid-1980s: "Hardness never was Newton-John's comfort zone, though, and the 1980s were a much harder decade than the 1970s. The inherent warmth of 1970s studio sessions gave way to the cold, synthesized gleam of the 1980s, a sterile sound that suited her well only once: the candied faux-new wave of 'Twist of Fate'", produced byDavid Foster.[200] Johnston further maintains: "Her pop heyday transcended any attempts to musically pigeonhole her"; and by the time she stopped having many new hits, "her musical legacy ... had been pretty well solidified."[48]
Newton-John with her first husbandMatt Lattanzi at the61st Academy Awards in 1989Newton-John with her second husband John Easterling in 2010
In the mid-1960s, Newton-John dated Australian actor and singerIan Turpie, her co-star in the 1965 musical filmFunny Things Happen Down Under.[33][208] They met in 1963 when Turpie attended the coffee shop where Newton-John's group Sol Four performed.[37] The relationship continued until she returned to England in 1966.[37]
In 1968, Newton-John was engaged to but never marriedBruce Welch, one of her early producers and co-writer of her hit "Please Mr. Please".[209] In 1972, Newton-John ended her relationship with Welch, who subsequently attempted suicide.[209]
In 1973, while vacationing on theFrench Riviera, Newton-John met British businessman Lee Kramer, who became both her new boyfriend and manager.[210] Newton-John lived with Kramer on and off and they stayed a couple until 1979; she called their turbulent pairing "one long breakup".[84][211] Kramer subsequently returned to England and married. He also managed vocalistKrishna Das. Kramer died in 2017.[212]
Newton-John married her long-time, live-in partner, actorMatt Lattanzi, in December 1984.[213] The pair had met in 1980 while filmingXanadu. They announced their separation in April 1995, and they divorced in 1996.[214] The couple remained friends. Their daughter,Chloe Rose, was born in January 1986.[127]
Newton-John metgaffer/cameramanPatrick McDermott soon after her divorce from Lattanzi. They dated on and off for nine years. McDermott vanished during a 2005 fishing trip off the Californian coast.[215] Newton-John was in Australia at her Gaia Retreat & Spa at the time of McDermott's disappearance.[216] AUnited States Coast Guard investigation, based on then-available evidence and released in 2008, pointed to McDermott having been lost at sea.[217][218][219] Various unsubstantiated claims have been made that he faked his own death.[220][221]
In 1993, Newton-John met John Easterling, founder and president of the Amazon Herb Company, which he started in 1990 and sold to TriVita in 2012.[222][223] Also known as "Amazon John", Easterling initially marketed rainforest botanicals and later owned Happy Tree Microbes, which offered natural plant performance products.[224] When Newton-John and Easterling first met, they were both married to other people. In 2007, they started dating and married in anIncan spiritual ceremony inPeru on 21 June 2008, followed by a legal ceremony nine days later (30 June 2008) onJupiter Island, Florida.[225][222]
Residences and citizenship
Although principally raised in Australia, Newton-John remained aBritish subject throughout her childhood. She initially pursuedAustralian citizenship in 1981 with an application that Prime MinisterMalcolm Fraser was asked to expedite.[226] However, she finally became an Australian citizen in 1994.[227]
After relocating from England to the United States in late 1974, Newton-John set up residence inMalibu, California, where for 35 years she owned various real estate, including a horse ranch and several beachfront properties.[228][229]
In June 2009, Newton-John and her second husband, John Easterling, purchased a new $4.1 million home inJupiter Inlet, Florida.[230] In 2013, while renovations were being done on the property and the couple was not there, a contractor named Christopher Pariseleti committed suicide on the estate, which at the time was up for sale.[231] Following the death on the premises, Newton-John and Easterling bought a nearby condo; their larger home lingered on and off the market for two years but was eventually sold in 2015 to a Swedish advertising executive for $5 million.[232]
In 2015, the couple purchased a $5.3 million, 12-acre horse ranch in theSanta Ynez Valley outsideSanta Barbara.[233][234] Her widower sold the estate, known as Indian Way, in early 2025 for $7.9 million.[235][236]
In 2019, Newton-John sold her 187-acre Australian farm, which she had owned for nearly 40 years and is located nearByron Bay in New South Wales .[237] The Dalwood estate sold for $4.6 million; in 1980, Newton-John had paid $622,000 for the property, which had additional land adjoined in both 1983 and in 2002.[238]
Newton-John was also partial owner of Byron Bay's Gaia Retreat & Spa, which was founded in 2005 and sold in 2021 for $30 million to the investment firm of Tattarang.[239]
When asked in 2017 whether she considered herself to be a British, Australian, or American citizen, she said, "I am still Australian."[240] In December 2019, upon being given the title of Dame, she expressed her thanks by stating: "As a girl born in Cambridge [England], I am very proud of my British ancestry and so appreciative to be recognised in this way by the United Kingdom."[241]
Illness and death
In May 2017, it was announced that Newton-John's breast cancer had returned andmetastasised to her lower back.[242] Her back pains had initially been diagnosed assciatica.[243] She subsequently revealed this was actually her third bout with breast cancer, as she had experienced a recurrence of the disease in 2013 in addition to her initial 1992 diagnosis.[244] With the 2017 recurrence, the cancer had spread to her bones and progressed tostage IV.[245] Newton-John experienced significant pain from the metastatic bone lesions and had spoken of usingcannabis oil to ease her pain. She was an advocate for the use ofmedical cannabis;[246] her daughter Chloe owns a cannabis farm in Oregon.[244]
Newton-John died on 8 August 2022, at the age of 73, at her home in the Santa Ynez Valley of California.[247][248] Tributes were paid byJohn Travolta,Barbra Streisand, Australian Prime MinisterAnthony Albanese and many other celebrities.[249][250] As a mark of respect, Melbourne and Sydney lit up many of their landmarks.[251]
In September 2022, Newton-John's family held a "small and very private" memorial service in California for the singer, who asked to be cremated and have her ashes scattered inByron Bay, on her Santa Ynez ranch, and "in other places that I love".[252][253][254]
Herself sings "Yesterday Once More" / "Let Me Be There"
The New-Fangled Wandering Minstrel Show
Herself sings "If We Only Have Love" / "All I Ever Need Is You" / "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" (with Georgie Fame) / "Scarborough Fair" / "I Say Yeh Yeh" (with Georgie Fame)
TV special, UK
1973–1974
Moods Of Love
Herself sings
1974
Eddy Go Round
Herself sings "Long Live Love" / "I Love You, I Honestly Love You", "If You Love Me, Let Me Know"
TV series Netherlands, 1 episode
Clunk Click: Songs for Eurovision
Herself sings "Have Love Will Travel" / "Loving You Ain't Easy" / "Long Live Love" / "Someday" / "Angel Eyes" / "Hands Across The Sea"
Guest – Herself chats about career, music 'Grease' and 'Xanadu'
Sounds: Olivia's 32nd Birthday
Herself – Archive clips: "Let Me Be There" / "Don't Stop Believin' / "Sam" / "Jolene" / "Hopelessly Devoted To You" / "You're The One That I Want" / "Magic" / "Xanandu" / "Don't Cry For Me Argentina
John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – Two Of A Kind
Special is introduced by Ian Turpie, Herself & John Travolta on set film 'Two Of A Kind' Muisc clips include "Twist Of Fate"/ "Take A Chance" / "(Livin' In) Desperate Times" / "Shaking You" scenes from films 'Staying Alive' and 'Grease' "Youre The One That I Want' clip
TV special, UNITED STATES/AUSTRALIA
Olympic Gala
Introduced by Paul Hogan: Guest Performer sings "Waltzing Matilda" / "I Still Call Australia Home"
Guest – Herself chats to Molly at Koala Blue store
ABC TV series, 1 episode
1985
Olivia Newton-John: Soul Kiss
Herself chats about Soul Kiss songs from album music video clips include "Soul Kiss"/ "Toughen Up" / "Culture Shock" / "Emotional Tangle" / "The Right Moment"
Guest cameo as herself with Matt Lattanzi & Chloe Lattanzi
1994
Australia's Best For The Bush Concert
Herself sings "No Matter What You Do"
TV special, AUSTRALIA
Ray Martin Presents... Olivia Newton-John
Herself in live TV interview. Performs "I Honestly Love You" / "No Matter What You Do" / "Don't Cut Me Down" Music clips include "Here, There & Everywhere" / "Let Me Be There" / "Greensleeves" "Physical"/
Midday With Derryn Hinch
Guest – Herself chats to Derryn Hinch on her birthday
TV series, 1 episode, AUSTRALIA
Rugby League Grand Final
Herself with Tommy Emmanuel on guitar sing "Australian National Anthem"
Wolf, Emil (1995). "Recollections of Max Born".Astrophysics and Space Science.227 (1):277–97.Bibcode:1995Ap&SS.227..277W.doi:10.1007/bf00678085.S2CID189849885. Born was practising Lutheranism before being officially baptised as a Lutheran in March 1914, before Irene's birth.
^Stowell, John; Stowell, Jill,"Brinley (Brin) Newton-John (1914–1992)",Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved7 October 2025
^Stowell, John; Stowell, Jill,"Brinley (Brin) Newton-John (1914–1992)",Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved7 October 2025
Murphy, Jim (18 November 1981)."Ian Turpie My love for Olivia!".Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 49, no. 24. p. 178. Retrieved9 August 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^abPore-Lee-Dunn Productions (26 September 1948)."Olivia Newton-John". Classicbands.com. Retrieved13 August 2010."
^abWindeler, Robert (24 February 1975)."Pop's Hottest Pipes".People. Retrieved10 November 2008.
^ab"1998 – Highlights from The Main Event".Internet Archive. 1998. Retrieved15 August 2022.The Main Event tour was a homecoming of sorts for Olivia Newton-John. Away from the stage for some years, she returned with brothers-in-arms Anthony Warlow and John Farnham to perform a truly spectacular hybrid of the three artists' back catalogue including all their greatest hits. The album was recorded live at the Melbourne Park show and features Age Of Reason (Newton-John, Farnham and Warlow), Hopelessly Devoted To You (Newton-John), You're The One That I Want (Farnham and Newton-John), If Not For You (Newton-John, Farnham and Warlow) and Let Me Be There (Newton-John, Farnham and Warlow).
^Issa, Natalie (9 August 2022)."Olivia Newton-John's most iconic pop culture moments".Deseret News. Retrieved13 August 2022.Newton-John's film and TV appearances were scarce in the 2000s, but she did a make a rare guest appearance on the hit show "Glee." In Season 1, Episode 17, a video of Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) dancing along to "Physical" gets leaked and subsequently ridiculed. The video catches the attention of Newton-John, playing herself, who enlists Sue's help to recreate her iconic "Physical" music video. This guest appearance was a delight to fans, who loved seeing Newton-John recreating "Physical" after over 30 years.
^"Tuned In to Olivia Newton-John".ABC7 Chicago. 17 April 2010. Retrieved13 August 2022.Olivia's appeal seems to be timeless. With a career spanning more than four decades she is still a vibrant, creative individual that is adored by fans across the world. Throughout her career, the much-loved star, who danced with Gene Kelly in "Xanadu," hosted the popular internationally syndicated "Wild Life" television show, ....
^"British-born Australian singer Olivia Newton-John poses for..."Getty Images. 14 April 2007.British-born Australian singer Olivia Newton-John poses for photographers during a press conference to promote her concert tour... is in the Chinese territory for one-night concert 15 April, as part of her Asian tour dubbed "Body Heart and Spirit Tour" which will take her also to Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia.
^"Newton-John set for maiden Malaysian concert on April 29".The Star. 17 March 2007. Retrieved13 August 2022.Are you prepared to "get physical" with Olivia Newton-John? The 59-year-old pop star will be performing at Genting's Arena of the Stars on April 29 as part of her Body, Heart and Spirit Tour. Newton-John's tour will kick off in Hong Kong on April 15, followed by Taiwan (April 21 and 22), Shanghai (April 25), Singapore (April 27) and Kuala Lumpur (April 29).
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