Olivia Newton-John honoured with state memorial as huge stars pay tribute
A host of international stars including Dolly Parton and Mariah Carey paid emotional tributes to the late Australian star Olivia Newton-John at a state memorial service in Melbourne.
Thousands gathered at Hamer Hall on Sunday and video messages remembering the actor and singer came from global names including Dolly, Mariah, Elton John, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Pink and Bee Gees star Barry Gibb.
Dolly Parton, 77, opened the tributes, with the American country superstar sharing “the world lost one of its greatest talents when Olivia left us”.
She added: “I know it's especially painful for all the folks there in Australia since she is one of your own. As a country you should be very proud and know that the whole world mourns with you."
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Elton John, 75, described Olivia as “someone who I always looked forward to seeing”.
He added: “She was such a wonderful force of nature but she was funny, she was kind, she was warm and she was talented and every time we got together we laughed and laughed and laughed.
"Throughout her career I have watched her grow and grow and grow to be the artist she became.”
Dolly Parton opened the tributes with joyful recollections (9 News)Mariah Carey described herself as "a friend and fan" of the late singer.
The 53-year-old singer said: "I just want to give thanks for a moment here. She really affected my life. As a little girl I loved her so much growing up. Grease was probably the first movie I ever saw.
"And then I got to meet her later and we performed together. I looked up to her so much and I loved her songs.
"When I got to meet her she was just as nice as she was a star, and talented, and I know she went through so much."
Mariah said Olivia 'really affected by life'Nicole Kidman remembered seeing Olivia in Grease as a child and being inspired.
The 55-year-old Australian actor said: "She was just a light in this world, which I think all of us feel and I grew up with her, listening to her.
"I would perform her songs at school when I first saw Grease, I was like "I want to be Olivia Newton-John".
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"So to be able to pay tribute to her tonight is incredibly important to all of us. We all send you our love, Livvie."
Nicole Kidman recalled seeing Grease as a child and being inspired (9 News)Olivia, who had a string of No 1 hits worldwide and starred in movies such as Grease and Xanadu, died in August last year, aged 73, after several battles with cancer.
Singing along to a medley of hits performed by Delta Goodrem, the audience at Hamer Hall were able to connect to the star one final time through song.
She said: "Being able to honour and celebrate Olivia is incredibly special.
"I think it's really important to everybody for healing."
Pink called Olivia 'an absolute angel' (9 News)Members of Newton-John’s family also gave touching tributes, with her husband, John Easterling, saying she was a “healer”.
“You have to understand, I wasn’t an Olivia fan, I didn’t know any Olivia music, I’d never even seen Grease,” he said to laughs from the audience.
“But at this small theatre in Miami, she started singing Pearls on a Chain, and there was this healing moving through the audience.
"And it hit me like a laser beam in the chest, that Olivia was a healer, and this was one of her mediums of healing.”
(Instagram)Choking back tears, Olivia's daughter Chloe Lattanzi remembered just how much she enjoyed moments with her "mama".
"My mum could find the beauty in everything," she said.
"My favourite thing to do was watch her watching the birds and the flowers, smelling her roses. And the joy it brought to her face was a thing of beauty.
"I loved making her tea and then making it five times again until I got it right.
“I loved our snuggles. I would crawl into bed with her late at night, even if I was 20 years old. I loved the way she smelled. I love how she loved fully and completely.”
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