Olivia Newton-John: We’ve lost part of our soundtrack

Ever the professional, Olivia Newton-John sang and danced with a lightness of spirit at what would be her final performance on Australian soil.

Olivia Newton-John as Sandy in Grease.

Near the end of a memorable night in Australian music, John Farnham had a request for the 70,000 or so fans who had gathered at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium.

“Would you please do me a favour and welcome to the stage my friend Dame Olivia Newton-John?” he asked. “Where are you, Your Highness?”

And out she strutted, one of the most famous faces in Australian culture, looking stunningly radiant at 71, waving to the crowd and offering her cheek to her longtime collaborator.

“What an amazing night,” said Newton-John, beaming. “I’m so proud to be a part of this, and to be singing with you again – that’s what’s so cool,” she said, before the pair ripped into a towering version of Two Strong Hearts while backed by Farnham’s band.

Ever the professional, Newton-John sang and danced with a lightness of spirit that had become familiar to global audiences for more than four decades, all the way back to pop hits such as Physical, Xanadu, Magic and her career-defining turn as co-star in the 1978 musical rom-com Grease alongside John Travolta.

It was the closing performance at Fire Fight Australia, a televised charity concert held on February 16, 2020, that would raise $9.5m for bushfire-affected communities who had suffered through the devastating Black Summer.

That night in 2020 would also be her final performance on Australian soil, as Newton-John died at her home in Southern California on Tuesday, aged 73, while surrounded by family and friends.

“Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer,” said her husband John Easterling in a statement.

“Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer.”

John Farnham, left, and Olivia Newton-John at ANZ Stadium in Sydney in February 2020. Picture: AAP

Her death caused tributes to flow in from across the world – from Paul Hogan and Barbra Streisand to Grease co-star John Travolta, Kylie Minogue and ­Mariah Carey – amid an outpouring of grief for the lost icon.

Radio star Jackie O had to leave her mic because she could not stop crying, and Nine’s entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins burst into tears on TV while reporting Newton-John’s death.

The smile cancer could never fade … Olivia Newton-John in 1974. Picture: Getty Images

Though she had been ill for many years, her passing still felt like a shock. Across generations, she had shone as an ever-smiling beacon of joy despite her health struggles, which began with a breast cancer diagnosis in 1992.

But rather than keep her illness under wraps, the British-born singer and actor – who became an Australian citizen in 1994 – opened herself up to discussing her situation. In turn, she became the nation’s most visible breast cancer survivor.

“I want to let other women know that it is possible to win when you find yourself with breast cancer, and that a positive attitude is very important, maybe the most important thing to help overcome this diagnosis,” she wrote to her many fans in 1993.

Her cancer returned in 2013 – the year after she had opened the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre at Melbourne’s Austin Hospital – and again in 2017.

Olivia Newton-John in London in 1971. Picture: Jeremy Fletcher/Redferns

Yet her resilience in the face of adversity made her an inspiration to many, and when a cultural loss of this magnitude occurs, it causes shockwaves around the world.

“Olivia Newton-John was a star,” tweeted Anthony Albanese. “A bright, joyful glow in our lives. From the moment we saw her, she was a warm, enduring presence and her voice became a big part of the Australian soundtrack. Above all she was a wonderful, generous person.”

Her old friend and colleague John Farnham said in a statement: “The Farnham family send love and sympathies to Olivia’s family. Behind that iconic smile was a tenacious fighter. A beautiful voice and a loyal friend. She will be greatly missed.”

Olivia Newton-John in the music video Physical

Fellow pop singers tried to find the words to sum up her influence. Kylie Minogue traced it back to her childhood: “Since I was 10, I have loved and looked up to Olivia Newton-John,” she tweeted. “I always will. She was, and always will be, an inspiration to me in so many, many ways.”

Since I was ten years old, I have loved and looked up to Olivia Newton John. And, I always will. (Just like this picture @nfsaonline) She was, and always will be, an inspiration to me in so many, many ways. My deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. x ONJ4EVER pic.twitter.com/3nE8PVDFLy

— Kylie Minogue (@kylieminogue) August 8, 2022

Delta Goodrem described her as “a force for good. A force of nature. Strong and kind. My mentor, my friend, my inspiration, someone who always guided me,” she wrote on Instagram. “The whole world will feel this heartbreak today because the entire world felt Olivia’s unmatched light.”

Grease co-star Travolta wrote on Instagram: “My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better. Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John!”