Biography

Four-time Grammy award winner Olivia Newton-John is perhaps best known for her role as Sandy, opposite John Travolta, in the feature film Grease, which boasts one of the most successful film soundtracks ever. “You’re the One That I Want,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “Summer Nights” from the Grease soundtrack all became Top 5 singles for Olivia Newton-John. With more than 100 million albums sold, Olivia Newton-John has amassed ten No. 1 hits, including “You’re the One That I Want,” “ Magic” and “Physical,” numerous Country Music, American Music and People’s Choice Awards, and over 15 Top 10 singles.

Olivia Newton-John’s career began at 15 with her all-girl group, Sol Four. After winning a talent contest later that year on the Australian TV show, “Sing, Sing, Sing,” her career began to take off, with regular appearances on Australian TV shows and pop music programs. “Till You Say You’ll Be Mine,” Olivia Newton-John’s first single, was cut in 1966, and in 1971 she recorded a cover of Bob Dylan’s “If Not For You.”

Olivia Newton-John’s 1973 US album debut, “Let Me Be There,” featuring the single by the same name, became Olivia Newton-John’s first Top 10 single on Pop, Country and AC charts. The single also earned Olivia Newton-John both a Grammy for Best Country Female and an Academy of Country Music Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist.

Her next US release, If You Love Me, Let Me Know, showcased what would become Olivia Newton-John’s signature song, “I Honestly Love You.” The skyrocketing success of “I Honestly Love You” along with the title track, helped earn Olivia Newton-John two more Grammies for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance-Female. Olivia Newton-John’s follow-up album, Have You Never Been Mellow, featured two hits: the title track, written by long-time friend and collaborator John Farrar, and the single “Please Mr. Please.”

Olivia Newton-John’s next album, Clearly Love, featured the single, “Something Better to Do,” and achieved gold status. Olivia Newton-John’s 1976 hits “Let It Shine”/”He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” “Come on Over,” and “Don’t Stop Believin’” were all No. 1 singles. She also recorded her first US television special, A Special Olivia Newton-John, that same year. Olivia Newton-John followed her 1976 successes the next year with the albums Making a Good Thing Better and her first platinum album, Olivia Newton-John’s Greatest Hits.

In 1978, Olivia Newton-John starred in Grease, and her popularity soared. She was only the second female artist ever to have two singles – “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “Summer Nights” – top the charts simultaneously (both were in the Top 5). “Hopelessly Devoted to You” was also nominated for an Oscar. Grease’s popularity continues today, appearing often on Billboard’s Top Soundtracks chart. After the success of Grease, Olivia Newton-John released her next studio album, Totally Hot, which featured singles “A Little More Love,” “Deeper Than the Night,” and the title track.

The soundtrack from Olivia Newton-John’s next film, Xanadu, featured the No. 1 hit “ Magic,” “Suddenly,” and the title song, performed with the Electric Light Orchestra. Xanadu’s soundtrack went certified double platinum, with five Top 20 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. 1981’s release Physical went double platinum and featured “Make a Move on Me” and “Landslide.” The huge success of Physical was followed by the double platinum Olivia’s Greatest Hits Vol. 2, which included the singles “ Heart Attack” and “Tied Up.” The 1983 Two of a Kind soundtrack went platinum and featured “Twist of Fate,” “Livin’ in Desperate Times,” and the Travolta duet “Take a Chance,” followed by 1985’s Soul Kiss, 1988’s The Rumour, and 1992’s Back to Basics – The Essential Collection 1971-1992.

Shortly after the 1992 release, Olivia Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has since become an advocate for cancer and other health-related issues, and has released several projects in that vein, including Grace and Gratitude, Gaia: One Woman’s Journey, and Stronger Than Before, featuring the song “Phenomenal Woman,” based on the poem by Maya Angelou. Olivia Newton-John has also created the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia.

Despite her health challenges, Olivia Newton continued to perform and record between 2011 and 2016. She embarked on a Las Vegas residency in 2013, and continued those performances into 2015. In 2014, she released a brand new EP—Hotel Sessions. Three additional albums—Two Strong Hearts Live (2015), Liv On (2016), and Friends For Christmas (2016)—also arrived in recent years.