With the honors she deserves, Australia bids farewell to the singer and actress Olivia Newton John, who breathed her last defeated by cancer at the age of 73 years.
Η Sydney Opera House is expected to turn ... pink on Wednesday to commemorate the "Grease" star, while yesterday, Tuesday, other Australian attractions such as Optus Stadium in Perth and the train station flinders street in Melbourne, they were lit up in the same color for the great performer who was born in the UK but became one of Australia's most loved celebrities.
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews said the gesture was “to remember Olivia Newton John and her enormous contribution to cancer awareness, research and treatment".
Her figure also appeared in Fed Square, an arts and culture venue in Melbourne's city centre.
https://twitter.com/FedSquare/status/1556943122034302976
Hours after her death, Andrews said the state would talk to her family about the possibility of a state funeral. Newton's niece, Toti Goldsmith, said the family plans to give their approval.
"I think Australia needs it. She is so loved. And I think our country needs it, so we will accept it."
Funeral details have yet to be announced or confirmed by the prime minister's office.
Who was Olivia Newton John?
Olivia Newton John was born on September 26, 1948 in Cambridge, England, where she lived until the age of five and then her family moved to Australia when her father was offered a job as dean of a college in Melbourne.
Passionate about music, she won a local singing competition at the age of 16. Her mother encouraged her to cultivate her talent and returned with her to England. She had several hit singles and appeared in a TV series with Cliff Richard as well as the film Toomorrow (1970). For a time she was engaged to Bruce Welch, a member of The Shadows.
In 1974 he represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest, coming 4th, with ABBA taking first place with Waterloo.
In the mid-70s she left Britain and moved to California, where she had already established herself as a pop and country singer.
The English-Australian was named "most popular singer in the USA" twice and won one of the four Grammys opposite Dolly Parton.
Eleven of her singles (including two platinum) and 14 of her albums (including two platinum and four double platinum) went gold. She had sold nearly 100 million records worldwide and was considered one of the best-selling artists in the world.
She became famous all over the world thanks to her performance in the musical "Grease', where she played Sandy, a conservative schoolgirl who transforms into a femme fatale and wins the heart of 'rebel' Danny, played by John Travolta.
The film was released in 1978 and was a box office smash. The song of the same name is one of the most successful in the history of music, while the single "You're the One That I Want", co-starring John Travolta, is one of the best-selling singles of all time.
John Travolta – Olivia Newton John: You're The One That I Want
Her biggest hit was “Physical” which sold over two million copies and spent 10 consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 (beginning November 21, 1981).
Olivia Newton John: Physical
Other well-known hits were “If Not for You”, “If You Love Me, Let Me Know”, “Let Me Be There”, “I Honestly Love You”, “Heart Attack”, “Have You Never Been Mellow”, “Summer Nights”, “You're The One That I Want”, “Hopelessly Devoted to You”, “Magic”, “Xanadu”, “Physical” and “Twist of Fate”.
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