“My Dream” features global superstar crossover trio Il Volo
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 reveals.
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 states.
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 10 following a series of US TV appearances.
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 8, 2022, at the age of 73. “My Dream” is a crucial entry in Newton-John’s legacy.
