Did you know that two of Australia’s biggest pop icons, Kylie Minogue and Olivia Newton-John, are half-Welsh (also three if you include Kylie’s famous sister, Danni)?
What’s the Connection?
Though rightfully recognised as an Australian pop mega star, Kylie Minogue is half Welsh through her mother, Carol Ann Jones (from Maesteg, Bridgend) and has spoken plenty of her pride in being half-Welsh, as well as the influence of her Welsh-speaking nain (grandmother), Millie Jones, on her – she also appears to still be alive at 104 years of age!
As for Olivia Newton-John…
Though born in Cambridge and raised in Australia, Newton-John was half-Welsh through her father, Brinley “Bryn” Newton-John – a Cardiff-born MI5 officer who was “part of the Enigma project at Bletchley Park and also took Rudolf Hess into custody during World War II.”
Her first film role came in 1965 in “Funny Things Happen Down Under”. However, she is perhaps best known for her role as Sandy Olsson in the 1978 musical film “Grease” alongside John Travolta.
As a singer, she was a four-time Grammy Award winner with numerous number one and even more top ten hits.
Sadly, Olivia passed away on 8 August 2022 after a decades long battle with breast cancer.
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Niklas is the founder, owner, manager, editor, writer, video creator, voice over artist, and so forth, of Welsh Histories. He is passionate about the preservation of Welsh culture; the rejuvenation of the Welsh language and the promotion of Welsh history. Niklas currently resides in Pune, Maharashtra, with his beloved wife.