Soul Kiss is the twelfth studio album by English-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 25 October 1985 by Mercury Records in Europe, by Festival Records in Australia, and by MCA Records in the United States. It reached No. 11 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and No. 29 on the United States Billboard 200. The album was produced by long-time associate John Farrar, who also co-wrote four tracks; the cover art features photography of Newton-John by Helmut Newton and Herb Ritts.
Singles
The album's title track was released as a single and reached No. 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts,[1] as well as No. 20 on the Australian Kent Music Report singles chart.[2] It is Newton-John's most recent US top-40 pop single and her second-to-last in Canada. The single reached No. 100 on the UK Singles Chart.[3] It was also remixed into a 12-inch single mix, which featured a new Carib-influenced percussion overdub.
The follow-up single, "Toughen Up" (written for Tina Turner but rejected by her), failed to chart, except for a top-70 placement in Australia.[2] A remix by Jellybean Benitez was released as a 12-inch single in 1986.
AllMusic editor Joe Viglione retrospectively found that Soul Kiss "seems a bit contrived" and called "the album, as a whole, [...] one of the weaker links in Olivia's remarkable chain."[4]
Commercial performance
Although the album was not as commercially successful as her previous efforts, it peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 in the United States,[1] and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[5] It charted at No. 5 in Japan; and peaked at No. 11 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart.[2]
