Chrissy Amphlett gets last wish
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Singer Chrissy Amphlett … performing in 2004, expressed her wish that I Touch Myself would become an anthem for breast cancer awareness before her death last year. Picture: AP
Source: AP
CHRISSY Amphlett’s passionate dying wish was for Divinyls’ biggest hit I Touch Myself to become an anthem for breast cancer awareness.
On the first anniversary of her passing from the disease, Chrissy’s dream has been realised in a powerful music video featuring 10 of our most loved singers including her cousin Little Pattie and cancer survivor Olivia Newton-John.
Amphlett’s husband Charley Drayton was overwhelmed by the emotionally-charged performances in the black and white clip which also features Deborah Conway, Connie Mitchell, Suze DeMarchi, Sarah Blasko, Sarah McLeod, Kate Ceberano, Megan Washington and Katie Noonan.
The campaign promotes routine self-examination among women for early detection of lumps or changes in the look or feel of their breasts.
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Drayton said Chrissy would be delighted that the initial controversy which fuelled I Touch Myself’s success on its release in 1990 would encourage women to touch themselves and possibly save lives.
In love … musician Charley Drayton and his wife Chrissy Amphlett. Picture: Fiona Hamilton
Source: News Corp Australia
The Divinyls’ frontwoman, who was also battling MS, wasn’t feeling “right” and a mammogram and ultrasound did not detect her cancer.
Drayton said the pair went “hands on” and after finding a lump, returned to the doctor to insist on a biopsy.
“Chrissy wanted to live and it was breast cancer that broke her body down,” he said.
“I Touch Myself spoke louder every day from that moment that we confirmed her intuition had been right.”
“Chrissy may not have thought at the time that the song was ever going to relate to breast cancer but she wants people to live and that means women — and men — giving themselves the chance, to be more aware.”
Little Pattie, who was by her cousin’s bedside when she died on April 21 last year at the age of 53, said Chrissy “would love this”.
Connie Mitchell … who also features in the powerful video. Picture: Sean Izzard
Source: Supplied
But it was a tough day in the studio for the revered singer.
“I really had to detach myself from the personal side and that was very hard for me to do,” she said.
“In the taxi going there, I had to keep thinking ‘I am going to a gig today’, otherwise I would have been in a mess all day. And she would not have been happy about that!”
Megan Washington said she was struck by the cleverness of turning the initial controversy which surrounded the song to promote breast self-examination.
“It’s such a clever idea. Such a sad and real and authentic use of that song,” Washington said.
“It’s been really interesting because when I heard that song years ago, and I’ve performed it a few times, I was struck by the fearlessness and empowerment that is embedded in that music.
“I think it’s really lovely to flip that meaning from sexual empowerment to health awareness.”
Commissioned by Cancer Council NSW and created by JWT Sydney, the I Touch Myself Project will be officially launched on Wednesday alongside a photographic exhibition at the Blender Gallery in Sydney.
The final scene of the moving video, which will go live at 7.30pm tonight, features cancer survivor Sali Stevanja, who underwent a double mastectomy.
Drummer Drayton, who played with Divinyls and now with Cold Chisel, will return to Sydney for the launch and to commemorate the anniversary of her death with her family.
“I feel I have not lost Chrissy but I just miss her so much,” he said.
“I know so many people do, so many people affected by her glow, by her talent.
“Making decisions for this project has been easy because it’s not my voice or my ego or my opinion, it’s Chrissy speaking and this is her wish.”
An iconic Tony Mott photograph … of the Divinyls frontwoman which will also feature in an exhibition coinciding with the launch of the I Touch Myself project. Picture: Tony Mott.
Source: Supplied
