Olivia Newton-John's Spirit Lives On With Never-Before-Heard New Single 'My Dream'
The demo was initially recorded 15 years ago.
Fifteen years ago, GRAMMY®-nominated songwriter, pianist, and best-selling author Jim Brickman got together with his dear friend, Olivia Newton-John, for a songwriting session. Brickman’s first tour ever was opening for the late sweetheart superstar, and, over the years, the pair had grown close. They performed together, wrote songs together, and had hits together. Brickman and Newton-John had an intuitive creative chemistry.
One song they never finished, however, was a duet called “My Dream,” which is being unveiled today on Green Hill Productions (part of Sun Label Group). The song was written at a special time in Newton-John’s life when she was bursting with ideas.
“I remember that songwriting session. She was talking about her dreams—all the things she wanted to do, including starting the foundation. I said what she was saying sounded like the basis for a song, and we started writing together,” Brickman revealed.
A little over two years after her death, Newton-John’s voice and her passion for a cancer free world live on with the release of “My Dream.” Sales from the track will benefit the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, an independent charity sponsoring global research into plant medicine for cancer.
“My Dream” was co-written by Brickman, Newton-John, and Emmy-winning songwriter Victoria Shaw (Garth Brooks, John Michael, Montgomery, Lady A.). It offers the world a chance to once again hear that unmistakable voice—sweet, warm, and airy—perfectly cast in an achingly beautiful ballad featuring Brickman’s crystalline piano playing.
After recording the initial demo (with Shaw filling in on the duet), the song remained unfinished and was stashed away in the vault for years. When Brickman recently discovered it again, he was so moved by it that he wanted the rest of the world to hear it, too.
“I decided to finish the song to honor my dear friend, her beautiful spirit, and her foundation,” he said.
For the duet portion, he invited the Italian trio of platinum-selling opera singers, Il Volo, to share verses and provide harmony vocals. Il Volo have cracked the US Billboard Top Ten, and been featured on major television shows, including The Tonight Show, American Idol, and Good Morning America.
Olivia Newton-John believed deeply that a cancer free world was possible. She endured a brave and inspiring 30-year journey fending off cancer until she passed away on August 8th, 2022, at the age of 73. “My Dream” is a crucial entry in Newton-John’s legacy.
Brickman has sold eight million albums worldwide; earned 22 Billboard Magazine Number One albums and 32 Top 20 Radio Singles; garnered two Grammy nominations; won a Canadian Country Music Award and a Dove Award presented by the Gospel Music Association; and two times Brickman was named Songwriter of the Year by SESAC. Recently, Brickman marked a career milestone when he joined Pandora’s Billionaires Club, amassing over 2 billion lifetime streams on the platform. In addition to his mega successful music career, Brickman has written three best-selling books, starred in four TV concert specials, and is the host of the popular syndicated radio show, The Jim Brickman Show.
Newton-John’s successes include four GRAMMY® Awards, numerous Country Music, American Music and People's Choice Awards, ten #1 hits including “Physical,” (which topped the charts for ten consecutive weeks, making it the #1 single of the ‘80s), and over 15 top 10 singles. In 2015, Olivia was ranked #20 on Billboard’s “Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists,” and most recently was ranked #7 on Billboard’s “Greatest Of All Time Hot 100 Women Artists.” In 2020, she founded the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund which seeks to fund research into kinder treatments for cancer. Also in 2020, Newton-John officially became a dame (the female equivalent of a knight) at the 2020 New Years Honours Services presented by Queen Elizabeth.
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