Delta Goodrem has opened up about how her connection with the late Olivia Newton-John deepened after she was diagnosed with cancer at age 18.
Days before she’s set to take to the Eurovision Song Contest stage, the Born to Try singer spoke about her connection with the late Grease star.
While they had known each other prior, Delta was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2003.
Olivia was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. She died in August 2022, aged 73, after battling the disease for over 30 years.
“[She wrote] a long letter talking about a [cancer] journey and how it’s a gift to give back to people, and we bonded instantly,” she told our sister publication Woman’s Day.
From watching Olivia at Phantom Of The Opera in New York when she was seven, Delta then went on to share the stage with her idol.
Not only that, but Delta has also written songs for her hero and played her in the two-part series, Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted To You.
Now, Delta feels like she is following in her footsteps once again with her Eurovision bid, given that Olivia also competed.
The Xanadu star competed for the United Kingdom in 1974 and came fourth.
Delta’s other singing idol, Celine Dion, also competed in the song contest and then went on to win it in 1988.
“I’m just really grateful that [Olivia and Celine] have all been a part of it,” she told the publication, adding that they were the “biggest influences” in music for her.
This week, Delta will take to the stage during the second semi-final in Vienna, Austria, in the Wiener Stadthalle.
Even though she has given people a teaser with her rehearsal, she said she is ready to show everyone what she’s got planned.
“We’ve definitely got some staging surprises,” she told Seven News.
“It’s been very hard to hold these things back, but I’m finally excited to share what staging we have this week.”
You can watch it all on SBS and SBS on Demand.
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