Olivia Newton-John on Getting Physical...

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What's the sound of the new CD?
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN: It's very varied because they're a bunch of songs and it's just friends coming together to help raise money. I think it's a hopeful, very uplifting, celebratory kind of music.

You mentioned Keith Urban. He's one of the latest entertainers to make Australia proud. Do you feel like Australia's profile has risen since you hit it big?
Oh, very much so. When I was first out there in the world, people would ask, ''Oh, do you have kangaroos on the street and koalas in your houses?'' [Laughs] And now, every second there's a famous actor from Australia, and I'm so proud of that.

Earlier this year, you released a live CD and DVD of your Sydney Opera House performance from 2006. I've been told you call the down-tempo ''Physical'' the ''age-appropriate version''?
Yeah. [Laughs]

You looked like you were having a great time during that show.
We had a really wonderful time. Now when I perform, I have more fun than I ever did. In the old days, I was just too nervous to have a good time. It may not have shown, but leading up to when I went out on stage, it was always very nerve-wracking. But now I'm fine. Now I really enjoy it. I guess [that's the result of] experience and aging. Nothing much more can happen, so this one's gonna have fun! Let go, right? Let go and enjoy yourself.

You haven't sported the black spandex for years now —
Ha!

Do you ever get the itch to bust 'em back out?
Oh, no. I think that would not be a good thing. Not a good look now. Listen, I did it once and we don't repeat, right?

Do you still have those fabulous Grease costumes?
I do, actually. I have the pants, the jacket. Unfortunately, I gave the shoes away many years ago because I didn't realize it was gonna go on to be what it is, you know?

Have you ever been to any of the Grease sing-alongs?
You know, I did once. I went with Randal Kleiser, the director. He called me one day and he said, ''You've got to come and see what happens.'' It was in Hollywood. It was just wild!

Grease celebrates its 30th birthday this year, and in September, you'll celebrate your 60th. Which one will be a bigger party?
Oh, my birthday for sure. [Laughs] I will have a party and celebrate with my friends because I feel so lucky to get here. That might have been a different story years ago. I think when you're young, you think about getting to that age and it seems so far away. Suddenly it's here and I just feel so lucky to have made it to this point and to be healthy and enjoying my life. I'm very fortunate, so it will definitely be a celebration of life.

This summer, you also have a new series on Logo, Sordid Lives. It's based on the indie movie you did in 2000 by the same name. How did the show come about?
Well, Del Shores, who wrote [and directed] the movie, is one of my sister's dearest friends. She took me to see the play many years ago. And just for fun I said [to Del], ''Listen if you ever make a movie out of it, I could do the country singer'' — not thinking we ever would, of course. And then he called me! I did that for fun, and unbeknownst to me the movie's become kind of a classic, kind of a cult movie. So when they were going to do the series, they asked if I would like to reprise my character, Bitsy Mae. I had so much fun doing it the first time, I thought, Oh why not? And I got to record a whole bunch of country songs that [my friend and collaborator] Amy Sky and I wrote together for the character. I had a blast. We went to Shreveport, Louisiana, about a month ago.

Shreveport's an interesting place, isn't it?
Isn't it? [Laughs]

Do you gamble?
I don't, actually. Slot machines — that's about it.

Wow, so almost every movie you've ever done has become a cult hit.
I think so! I haven't made many, but it's a good average, huh?

So, your character, Bitsy Mae is a tattooed lesbian ex-con?
Yeah! Yes, it's really in character for me. [Laughs] She's kind of like [Grease's] Sandy gone really wrong. It was really a blast. You have to play against yourself, you know?

Right. But I don't think anyone is going to mistake you for a tattooed ex-con.
You never know now!