Keith Urban recently reflected on the passing of Olivia Newton-John, both as a fellow Australian and due to the Grease star’s role in his relationship with Nicole Kidman. As Taste of Country notes, Urban labeled Newton-John as “iconic” and shared the story about the night he met Kidman, adding that the night “has a lot of importance to both of us.”
“There was an event in Los Angeles called G’Day LA in 2005 where they were honoring me and Nic, who I hadn’t met, and Mel Gibson, the three of us Australian who have done well in America and they asked if I wanted anybody, in particular to introduce me,” Urban expands with WKML 95.7. “I had just written with Olivia so I asked Olivia if she would do it for me, so she was the person who introduced me that night, that fateful night when I met my wife. So she holds that very special role in our past.”
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Urban also shared his memories of the Aussie icon in a video with CMT, echoing his other statements and revealing just how special the singer and actress was to him. “Olivia is one of those people that for so many Australians, particularly, has just always been part of the fabric of life. She was there in the 70s and has kinda just been there for all of my life,” Urban added.
Both Urban and Kidman shared a joint statement after Newton-John’s passing, including several happy memories the three shared together over the years. “Livvie brought the most divine light into the world… so much love, joy, inspiration and kindness… and we will always be hopelessly devoted to you,” the couple wrote.
Urban also shared some details about his first time meeting Newton-John, confirming that he was starstruck. “I met her at a songwriting retreat, and I was a bit of a fanboy (laughs). I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m meeting Olivia Newton-John,’ and it was surreal to meet her, and she couldn’t have been more down-to-earth, kind, friendly, warm, funny… everything I thought she would be; she was exactly that. And then we got to write a little more over the years,” Urban shared with WKML.
Urban is currently leading the charge in his Speed of Now tour, landing in Charlotte this weekend, according to Taste of Country. Urban also followed in Newton-John’s big shoes by winning his own CMA Awards, stacking awards thanks to her breakthrough win in the ’70s as the first Aussie to ever do it.
