Olivia Newton-John suffered a devastating, personal tragedy in 2013: her sister, Rona, died of a brain tumor. This forced Newton-John to reevaluate her life and career, which meant she would put her Las Vegas residency on hold.

When she talked to an NBC News reporter, featured on the Today show, on Friday morning (April 11), Newton-John reflected on how Rona’s death affected her life. “I was supposed to start here a year ago, and I couldn’t sing, which was the first time for me that I ever thought that I couldn’t sing.”

However, as time passed, Newton-John found strength again, and some of the wounds from her sister’s death began to heal. Finally, she was prepared to set Las Vegas on fire. Newton-John’s residency, called Summer Nights, at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino began on April 8 and ends on August 30th.

Additionally, Newton-John expressed her excitement about performing on such a big arena as the Las Vegas stage. “It’s a fun place to be and it’s the place everyone wants to be now, you know, as an entertainer,” she stated.

The Summer Nights show takes audience members through a journey of Newton-John’s singing career, which includes hits from Grease and Xanadu, her most popular acting roles. Newton-John is scheduled to do five shows a week on the tour, and proceeds from her performances will go to her cancer and wellness center in Australia. The Grease singer survived breast cancer after being diagnosed in 1992.

Newton-John credits her sister with giving her the strength to continue to perform and take on the Vegas stage.

“She always wanted me to sing, always encouraged me from when I was 15 to do that. So here I am, and yeah, it’s going to be special.”

With over 50 years in the music and entertainment industry, Newton-John has had great success, including winning four Grammys awards. Her longevity proves she’s a timeless icon.

Image via Wikimedia Commons