Olivia Newton John, who rose to fame as the star of Grease and gained international acclaim as a singer (who racked up four Grammy wins and another 12 nominations), has died at 73 after a decades-long struggle with breast cancer.
The singer’s estate shared the news of her passing on social media on Monday, detailing first in a Facebook post that Newton John died at her ranch in Southern California.
Olivia Newton-John has died at 73 after a decades-long battle with breast cancer, according to a post from her Facebook page. pic.twitter.com/cHTFRshhdY
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 8, 2022
TMZ reported that a source indicated Newton-John had died of breast cancer complications, though the initial Facebook post did not offer a cause of death. As The Hollywood Reporter detailed, Newton-John had to cancel a singing tour in recent years due to complications from her battle with breast cancer:
Born in England and raised in Melbourne, Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, and she announced in May 2017 that after 25 years in remission the disease had spread to her lower back. The singer in August 2018 canceled a two-date tour just three weeks after announcing it; she was to reminisce about her career with an interviewer in Melbourne and Sydney.
A country-pop and soft-rock sensation in the 1970s and ’80s with girl-next-door appeal, Newton-John sold more than 100 million albums and had nearly 40 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 during her five decades in music.
Following news of her death, fans shared some of their favorite moments from her film career, including one of the most famous scenes from Grease, which is currently making the social media rounds.
https://twitter.com/danceronfilm/status/1556726760502337539
