About Olivia
Life, with all it's ups and downs; is a gift of grace, that I accept with gratitude.
Born in Cambridge, England in 1948, the youngest child of Professor Brin
Newton-John and Irene, daughter of Nobel Prize winning physicist, Max Born,
Olivia moved to Melbourne, Australia with her family when she was five.
By the age of fifteen, she had formed
an all-girl group called Sol Four.
Later that year she won a talent contest on the popular TV show, “Sing,
Sing, Sing,” which earned her a trip to London. By 1963, Olivia was
appearing on local daytime TV shows and weekly pop music programs in
Australia. Olivia cut her first single for Decca Records in 1966, a
version of Jackie DeShannon’s "Till You Say You’ll Be Mine." In 1971,
she recorded a cover of Bob Dylan’s "If Not For You," co-produced by
John Farrar, who she continues to collaborate with today.
Her 1973 U.S. album debut, "Let Me Be There," produced her first top ten
single of the same name, with Olivia being honored by the Academy Of
Country Music as Most Promising Female Vocalist and a Grammy Award as
Best Country Vocalist. This proved to be only the beginning of a very
exciting career. Her countless successes include three more Grammys,
numerous Country Music Awards, American Music Awards and Peoples Choice
Awards, five #1 hits including “Physical,” which topped the charts for
ten consecutive weeks, and 15 top 10 singles.
In 1978, her co-starring role with John Travolta in “Grease” catapulted
Olivia into super-stardom. This film led to the production of the most
successful movie musical soundtrack in history, featuring the duets
"You’re The One That I Want" and "Summer Nights," with Travolta, as well
as her mega-hit, "Hopelessly Devoted To You." The film was re-released
worldwide in 1998 in celebration of its 20th anniversary to even more
acclaim, a true testament to the film’s timeless quality. Her other film
credits include “Xanadu,” “Two Of A Kind,” “It’s My Party,” and “Sordid
Lives.” She followed that success, by co-starring with her daughter,
Chloe, in the Showtime movie, “The Wilde Girls.” Clearly following in
her mother’s footsteps, Chloe has recently signed her first record label
contract.
I became even more aware of the power of music. It can heal the body, calm the mind, and lift the spirit; but above all, it can connect us to our hearts.
Olivia’s appeal seems to be timeless. With a career spanning more than
three 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, was bestowed an O.B.E.
(Order Of The British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth in 1979, has held many
humanitarian causes close to her heart, particularly since the birth of
her daughter Chloe in 1986. She served as Goodwill Ambassador to the
United Nations Environment Programme and in 1991, the Colette Chuda
Environmental Fund/CHEC (Children’s Health Environ-mental Coalition) was
founded after the tragic death of Chloe’s best friend from a rare
childhood cancer, with Olivia serving as National Spokesperson for ten
years. Ms. Newton-John’s devotion and shared commitment to CHEC’s mission
and goals enabled the organization to receive worldwide attention and
support. (For more information visit
www.CHECnet.org.)
Her charmed life has not been without its share of upset. In the 90’s,
Olivia successfully overcame her own battle with breast cancer, which
inspired her self-penned and produced album, “GAIA,” her most personal
album reflecting upon her experiences with cancer. She used these
experiences to gain greater self-awareness and became a positive inspiration
to millions of people battling cancer. As a breast cancer survivor,
Olivia has become increasingly well known and respected for talking openly
about her battle with breast cancer and for promoting public awareness of
the importance of early detection. Her personal victory against cancer
led her to announce her partnership with the Austin & Repatriation
Medical Centre and the creation of the “Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre”
(ONJCC) on the Austin Campus in her hometown, Melbourne, Australia.
The ONJCC will provide a comprehensive range of services and facilities
for cancer treatment, education, training and research.
(For more information visit www.OliviaAppeal.com)
Olivia continues to give back to the community generously and has been
acknowledged many times by charitable and environmental organizations
for her ongoing efforts, among them: the American Red Cross, the
Environmental Media Association, the Women’s Guild of Cedar’s Sinai
Medical Center, the Rainforest Alliance and Concept Cure. Olivia promotes
breast health awareness and has introduced the “Olivia Breast Self-Exam
Kit,” an aid to help women perform self-exams with more ease and
confidence (www.liv.com).
I believe that all human beings are connected, like pearls on a chain. We have in common, the search for peace, love, and compassion.
In the new millennium, her interational recognition continued to grow.
She was invited by the Vatican on behalf of Pope John Paul II to perform
at the Jubilee Celebration for the Sick and Healthcare Workers. Olivia
was thrilled to perform at the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000
Olympics to an estimated global viewing audience of four billion people.
Adding to this Olympic experience is what Olivia feels is one of her most
memorable moments – the honor of carrying the Olympic Torch during the
Olympic Torch Relay. Her passion for Australia was ignited again when
Olivia reunited with friend and business partner, Pat Farrar, to promote
the Koala Blue brand with distinctly Australian wines to proudly bring
“the taste of Australia” to the rest of the world. Her healing spirit
also led to the opening of the GAIA Retreat & Spa in her homeland of
Australia (www.GaiaRetreat.com.au).
Olivia shows no signs of slowing down with recording. In 1999, her album,
"Back With A Heart," garnered her an Emmy Award for her songwriting.
In 2000/2001, Olivia released her only live album, "One Woman’s Live
Journey," followed by “Magic - The Very Best of Olivia Newton-John,” which
celebrated thirty years of recording. And if that wasn’t enough, she also
released her first holiday album, “The Christmas Collection.” In 2002, a
CD of duets simply titled, “2,” was recorded in Australia and features a
host of talented Ozzies along with a couple of her American friends,
followed by “Indigo: Women of Song,” a tribute to some of her favorite
female performers.
The CD “Stronger Than Before,” release in 2005, features songs of
inspiration, courage and hope that relate to the complex emotions cancer
patients and their loved ones experience. A portion of the CD’s proceeds
benefit cancer research.
Her latest recording, “Grace and Gratitude,” a CD for relaxation to promote
spiritual balance and physical and emotional healing, was released in
September 2006 and coincided with the launch of Olivia’s signature line of
body, heart and spirit wellness products for women available exclusively at
Wlagreens stores.
In 2002, Olivia was inducted into the prestigious Australian Music Hall Of Fame at the 16th Annual Aria Awards. Her latest honors include receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award by friend John Travolta at the G’Day L.A. Ball in 2006.
Olivia was also appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia by the
Queen for her “service to the entertainment industry as a singer and actor,
and to the community through organizations supporting breast cancer
treatment, education and training research, and the environment.”
With her current “Grace and Gratitude” concert tour, a new spiritual film with Deepak Chopra titled, “Seven Spiritual Laws of Success“, and her acceptance to participate in the up-and-coming “Sordid Lives“ Television series, as well as ongoing projects and philanthropic endeavors, Olivia’s worldwide popularity is as strong as ever! For more information visit www.OliviaNewton-John.com.
