Olivia Newton-John got here to the world’s consideration enjoying Sandy Olsson within the 1978 hit Grease.
In 1964, on the age of 15, she received a singing contest – the prize a visit to London the place she constructed a decent profession with hits that blended nation music and pop.
The Australian performer’s first album, launched in 1971, was referred to as If Not For You. It was a departure from her nation music roots and entered the High 25 in the US.
She received the Academy of Nation Music honour for New Feminine Vocalist in 1973 and from there, her star continued to rise.
READ MORE: Tributes move for Olivia Newton-John as she loses battle with breast most cancers
Her music profession went from power to power, with hit singles and album success culminating in her look on the Eurovision Track Contest in 1974, the place she represented Britain, performing ‘Lengthy Stay Love’.
Newton-John got here in fourth place, whereas ABBA took out the highest prize on behalf of Sweden, performing ‘Waterloo’.
That very same 12 months, the songstress launched her single ‘I Truthfully Love You’, which grew to become her first pop primary.
READ MORE: John Travolta’s touching tribute to Olivia
She was reportedly inspired by fellow singer/songwriter Helen Reddy to make the transfer from the UK to the US to pursue her profession, and though she had some success, it wasn’t till she was solid as Sandy in Grease in 1978 that she hit the large time.
Earlier than she discovered Hollywood fame, nonetheless, Newton-John grew to become embroiled in a lawsuit that may change recording contracts for future artists.
Her efforts to be launched from an unsatisfactory take care of MCA meant future contracts have been based mostly on variety of albums produced by the artist versus a lot of years
Grease started as a Broadway musical earlier than plans for a film have been unveiled and John Travolta solid as Danny Zuko.
READ MORE: Olivia Newton-John’s daughter Chloe Lattanzi shares tribute after her dying
It was Newton-John’s insistence on a display take a look at with Travolta that nabbed her the position, owing to their unbelievable chemistry.
The position of Sandy was rewritten to mirror her Australian background and have become the most important field workplace hit of 1978. The film’s success served to rework her singing profession, with Newton-John attaining two primary singles that 12 months – ‘Summer time Nights’ and ‘Hopelessly Dedicated to You’.
Owing to their apparent chemistry, rumours Newton-John and Travolta dated each throughout and after the filming of Grease circulated however have been by no means confirmed.
She later defined they have been each with different individuals throughout their time filming the film and their bond was one in every of friendship.
On the time, Newton-John was in an on-again-off-again relationship with British businessman Lee Kramer, who additionally served as her supervisor till the couple referred to as it quits in 1979.
Following the success of the film and the music it produced, Newton-John was as soon as once more compelled to file authorized motion in opposition to a document label – this time in opposition to Common Music Group for unpaid royalties from the Grease soundtrack, which resulted in an undisclosed settlement.
Newton-John was a fighter who knew her worth. That spirit would see her by means of a devastating well being battle that may finally declare her life at 73.
Following the success of Grease, each the film and the soundtrack, Newton-John had a string of hits.
In 1980 she starred in cult basic Xanadu alongside Gene Kelly. The soundtrack featured a duet with Cliff Richard referred to as ‘Immediately’, which carried out nicely alongside ‘Magic’ and title tune ‘Xanadu’.
It was throughout filming of Xanadu that Newton John met her future husband Matt Lattanzi, the daddy of her daughter Chloe, 36.
The couple married in 1984. Newton-John took a three-year hiatus from her profession following Chloe’s delivery earlier than she and Lattanzi divorced in 1995.
Following the success of Grease and Xanadu, Newton-John determined to pivot, transferring away from heartfelt ballads with the discharge of the album Bodily, by means of which she shed her schoolgirl picture perpetually; its lyrics have been so risque, some radio stations refused to play it.
To counter this, Newton-John filmed a music video that turned the tune into an train anthem, displaying her in an train class sporting a headscarf.
A world tour adopted, and the discharge of her first best hits album.
Newton-John and Travolta starred in one other film collectively referred to as Two of a Sort, launched in 1983, although it achieved mediocre success.
That very same 12 months she entered the enterprise world, launching the model Koala Blue with buddy Pat Farrar. The style line ran till 1992 when it was pressured to file for chapter.
That very same 12 months, Newton-John was recognized with and overcame breast most cancers for the primary time.
She grew to become a fierce advocate for breast most cancers analysis, establishing the Olivia Newton-John Most cancers Analysis Institute.
A 12 months after her divorce from Lattanzi, Newton-John started relationship cameraman Patrick McDermott.
The couple’s relationship was on once more and off once more till McDermott disappeared in mysterious circumstances in 2005 following a fishing journey.
The couple had reportedly break up on the time of his disappearance. There have been claims McDermott had faked his disappearance, nonetheless this has by no means been confirmed.
Newton-John finally discovered true and lasting love with John Easterling, founder and president of the Amazon Herb Firm. They have been married in a non secular ceremony in 2008 and he was reportedly by her facet on the time of her dying.
Newton-John continued to tour internationally, alongside Cliff Richard and John Farnham, till her well being declined in recent times. She additionally appeared within the hit US TV present Glee, during which she carried out ‘Bodily’ with sequence common Jane Lynch.
In 2014, she was an artist in residence Las Vegas, and was a visitor decide on an episode RuPaul’s Drag Race the next 12 months.
Additionally in 2015, Newton-John scored her first number-one single on the Billboard Dance Membership Songs chart with ‘You Should Imagine’ alongside daughter Chloe.
Olivia Newton-John’s film and music legacy will dwell on, together with, most significantly, her work to assist advance breast most cancers analysis and remedy.
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Olivia Newton-John: Her extraordinary life remembered
