She’s not just a singer, she’s a full-fledged phenomenon. Olivia Newton-John appeared, almost as a vision, from England (via Australia) and her first records began spontaneous climbs to the top of both the country and pop charts.
Perhaps her influences have something to do with this eclectic background. A country star who has never played the Opry, much of her childhood was spent listening to Ray Charles, Joan Baez and Nina Simone.
At 27 it is clear that she is the leading songstress in American pop music. Immediately, it seems, her albums turn to platinum, and her singles are playing on stations before they’re in the stores.
Her voice is clear, expressive, and although she often covers other people’s tunes, she manages to make them her own in remarkably short order. So if you want to keep a close eye on contemporary pop music, you can save some time by just watching Olivia Newton-John. We think she’ll be around for a long time.