Opinion: The secret behind Olivia Newton-John’s magic

Olivia Newton-John waves goodbye in the 1978 movie “Grease.”

A young Newton-John is seen in front here with her father, Brin; her brother, Hugh; her mother, Irene; and her sister, Rona. Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England, in 1948. She moved with her family to Australia when she was 5.

Newton-John and singing partner Pat Carroll pose for a photo in London in 1966. Newton-John recorded her first single in England in 1966 and scored a few international hits, but she remained largely unknown to US audiences until 1973, when “Let Be There” became a top-10 hit on both the adult contemporary and the country charts.

After “Let Be There,” a series of No. 1 easy-listening hits followed, including “I Honestly Love You,” “Have You Never Been Mellow” and “Please Mr. Please.”

Newton-John is held by police officers in Brighton, England, where she was rehearsing for the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.

Newton-John films her first music video for her 1975 single “Follow Me.”

Newton-John performs in Detroit in 1975.

Newton-John stars in the 1978 musical “Grease” with John Travolta. “Grease,” 1978’s top-grossing movie, became a cultural phenomenon.

Although Newton-John had little acting experience when she starred in “Grease,” she gave an indelible performance as Sandy, a sweet-natured Australian transfer student who romances Travolta’s alpha greaser Danny at a Southern California high school in the 1950s.

Newton-John is interviewed on the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of “Grease.”

Newton-John appears in London to announce a series of concerts in 1978.

Newton-John appears with Andy Gibb in the 1980 film “Xanadu.” The musical fantasy bombed at the box office, but its soundtrack sold well and spawned “Magic,” a No. 1 hit.

In 1981, Newton-John displayed a new sexier persona with her song “Physical.” The song, which was banned by several radio stations for its suggestive lyrics, became her biggest hit.

Newton-John stars with Travolta again in 1983’s “Two of a Kind.”

Newton-John holds her daughter, Chloe, as she arrives at a Sydney airport with her first husband, Matt Lattanzi, in 1987.

Newton-John is interviewed by Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show” in 1990.

Newton-John promotes her album “Indigo: Women Of Song” at a store in Sydney in 2004.

Newton-John appears as a judge on the TV competition “American Idol” in 2007.

Newton-John performs at a Pride event in New York in 2011.

Newton-John is held by Nick Adams, Tony Sheldon and Will Swenson while attending the Broadway musical “Priscilla, Queen of The Desert” in 2011.

Newton-John celebrates at a charity walk in Melbourne in 2013. The event raised money for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre.

Newton-John receives a ceremonial key to the Las Vegas Strip in 2014. She was launching a residency show that month.

Newton-John poses with her second husband, John Easterling; her daughter, Chloe Lattanzi; and Chloe’s fiance, James Driskill, in 2015. They were attending an event celebrating the 35th anniversary of “Xanadu.”

Newton-John appears on an episode of “Dancing With the Stars” in 2015.

Newton-John shaves the head of Greg Chase, director of guest experience at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, during a fundraiser in Las Vegas in 2015.

Newton-John performs at a festival in Viña del Mar, Chile, in 2017.

Newton-John and Travolta attend a 40th anniversary screening of “Grease” in 2018.

Newton-John performs with John Farnham at a fundraiser in Sydney in 2020.

People in Ptuj, Slovenia, watch “Grease” at a drive-in movie theater in 2020.