Coming 2024 Holiday Season:

Read a behind-the-curtain story about what I had to do to get my 2019 interview with Olivia Newton-John to happen in my soon-to-be-released book, Behind The Curtain: The Mistakes, Lessons Learned & Triumphs of Interviewing Celebrities.

2009 Interview:

Always spreading love and positive energy, whether through her artistry or personal causes, Olivia Newton-John is here to stay. I'm honored that someone I've admired for so many years and has helped me get through some rough times, has taken the time to answer my questions.

 

Thank you Olivia for your love and light and showing me how to "Pass It On."

 

In this interview, Olivia answered my call to reveal some everyday things about herself:

• Who inspired her to become a singer
• Who she dreams of when she sleeps
• Favorite store
• What she would do if she quit show business
• So much more 

Connect with Olivia: Website

 

 

1. Who inspired you to become a performer? I have always loved to sing and have done so since I was girl, but I guess I have to credit my sister and my mother for really encouraging me to work hard and pursue a career as a young girl.

 

2. Who is the one person you haven't worked with that you would like to? That is a huge question! So much talent in the world and I have worked with so many, but one would be Tony Bennett.

 

3. Who do you consider to be your hero? I have to say my mum for sure. She was an amazing woman who had a gift of seeing the beauty in everything and she passed on this gift - and by her example I learned to deal with everything in life.

 

4. Is there ever a time you thought about quitting? If so, what did you think about doing instead? The only time I thought of retiring was after I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 1992. I thought I was going to take time off to just be a mum and enjoy my life in a quiet way, but during and after my treatment I kept writing songs - I couldn't help it. Music will always be a major therapy for me!

 

5. If you could dream about anyone while you sleep, who would it be? My wonderful husband, "Amazon John" Easterling. He is definitely - and excuse the pun - the man of my dreams!

 

6. Favorite pastime? Spending time with my daughter, my husband, and our dogs.

 

7. Favorite way to stay in shape? I love to play tennis, go for long walks on the beach, do yoga, and I now love to kayak. My husband gave me one for my birthday and I just love it! I also take his company's herbs and drink his organic rainforest health juice ZAMU every day. It makes you feel amazing and it is extremely good for your body, mind, and spirit!

 

8. Favorite store to shop in? CVS!!

 

9. Favorite skin care product? Definitely the Amazon Herb Company's Lluvia skin care line. I love their Camu C Serum - it smells delicious. It is great for your skin - packed with Vitamin C!

 

10. Superman or Wonder Woman? Wonder Woman. (My husband is Superman!)

 

More Olivia Newton-John Interviews:

2011 (Read Here): Woman of Song
2019 (Read Here): Don't Stop Believin' - print version
2019 (Listen Here): Don't Stop Believin' - audio version

 

Olivia Newton-John

 

More on Olivia Newton-John:

Olivia Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England in 1948, moving to Melbourne, Australia when she was five. By 1963, Olivia was appearing on local Australian TV and weekly music programs. She cut her first single in 1966, a cover of Jackie DeShannon's "Till You Say You'll Be Mine" and in 1971 she recorded a cover of "Bob Dylan's "If Not For You," co-produced by John Farrar, with whom she continues to collaborate with today. In 1973, Olivia released her first U.S. album, "Let Me Be There," which earned her her first top ten single of the same name. That year, the Academy of Country Music honored her as "Most Promising Female Vocalist" and a Grammy Award as "Best Country Vocalist." In addition to the multiple awards listed above, Olivia has had five #1 hits (including the smash hit "Physical," which topped the charts for ten consecutive weeks), 15 top 10 singles, and has been inducted into the Australian Music Hall of Fame.

 

Other music career highlights include: the 1994 release of Gaia: One Woman's Journey, her most personal (and my favorite) album, which reflects upon her experiences with cancer, the 1999 release of her album Back With A Heart earned her a Daytime Emmy Award for her song "Love Is A Gift" which was featured on As The World Turns, performing "Dare to Dream" at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the release of Magic-The Very Best of Olivia Newton-John, which celebrated 30 years of recordings as well her first holiday album in 2002, The Christmas Collection. She has also released a duets album titled 2, which features many of her Australian friends as well as Indigo: Women of Song, a tribute album to many of Olivia's favorite female performers.

 

In addition to music, Olivia has delighted fans in such movies as the mega-hit movie musical Grease, the cult-favorite Xanadu (in which she danced her away across the screen with Gene Kelly), Two of A Kind, It's My Party and Sordid Lives. On television she has light up the screen as host of the internationally syndicated Wild Life television show, in the Showtime movie The Wilde Girls (co-starring with her real-life daughter Chloe), as a guest judge on American Idol, a series regular on Del Shores' Sordid Lives: The Series (co-starring Rue McClanahan, Leslie Jordan, and Jason Dottley), as well as the television movies A Mom For Christmas and My Christmas Romance.

 

Olivia Newton-John as Bitsy Mae Harling in Del Shores' Sordid Lives

 

In addition to her artistry, Olivia dedicates much of her time to many humanitarian & environmental causes such as "The Colette Chuda Environment Fund/CHEC (Children's Health Environ-mental Coalition) which was founded in 1991 after the tragic death of Chloe's best friend from a rare childhood cancer. She is creating the "Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre" (ONJCWC) in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia which hopes to break ground in 2010 as they are still in the fundraising stages (but almost there). The Wellness Centre is the major passion of the centre for Olivia. It will provide a comprehensive range of services and facilities for cancer treatment, education, training and research. Olivia has also released "Liv Aid," a breast self-examination device which helps women perform self-breast exams with more ease and confidence.

 

Everyone needs to get away and rejuvenate, so Olivia opened the GAIA Retreat & Spa, in Bryon Bay, Australia, a retreat site that bases your stay upon your individual needs. Her outreach and dedication to these causes, always brings Olivia back to music. In 2005 she released the CD "Stronger Than Before," featuring songs of inspiration, courage, and hope that relate to the many emotions cancer patients and their loved ones face, with a portion of the proceeds going to cancer research.

 

In 2006, Olivia released Grace and Gratitude, a relaxation CD to help promote spiritual balance and physical and emotional healing. Its release coincided with the launch of Olivia's signature line of body, heart, and spirit wellness products for women, exclusively available at Walgreens stores.