Kylie Minogue's debut on The Voice helped the BBC talent show pull in 2 million more viewers than it managed last year.

The star power of the Australian singer helped the first show of the series to an average audience of 8.4 million viewers on Saturday night, well above the 6.2 million who tuned in for the opening programme in 2013.

Her debut helped The Voice triumph in the Saturday night television ratings war, with ITV's celebrity diving show Splash! managing only 3.7 million viewers, according to overnight ratings.

Minogue was one of two new faces drafted in for the third run of the BBC1 talent show, along with Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, to replace the singers Jessie J and The Script's Danny O'Donoghue in the show's spinning chairs.

Both judges appeared to go down well with viewers, but it was Kylie, who has sold 65m albums since she sprang to fame on Australian soap Neighbours 25 years ago, who won over the critics.

"She was very funny and unpredictable. She came across really well," said Boyd Hilton, TV and reviews editor of Heat magazine. "She's so confident and everything she did seemed real. If they're too contrived it doesn't work, but she was believable."

At one point Minogue was reduced to embarrassed giggles over south London contestant Leo Ihenacho, whom she described as very easy on the eye before hiding behind her judge's chair.

"I'm blushing right now. I've fancied Charlene since I was this high," responded Leo, referring to Minogue's character in Neighbours.

Show producers went all out to sign Minogue for the third series of The Voice, where she is joined on the four-strong coaching panel by fellow singers Wilson, Tom Jones and Will.i.am.

Executives were reportedly told by Minogue's manager that the show was "not her thing" – so they flew to the US with former Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.i.am to convince the former Neighbours to star in person.

BBC bosses have brought forward The Voice for its third series, after previous runs began around Easter. The earlier launch means that the BBC has avoided a repeat of the scheduling wars that blighted its previous two series of The Voice, when it went up against Simon Cowell's ITV juggernaut Britain's Got Talent.

Saturday night's launch was level with the audience for the first series in 2012, which had a strong start, but saw figures fall sharply after the audition rounds featuring the spinning chairs.

Despite the strong start, Hilton said he expected ratings to fall off again this year as the novelty of the audition rounds gives way to the coaching stages of the competition.

He said: "I'm sure ratings will go down again because you don't get much of a connection with the contestants. With The X Factor you have the awareness of who the contestants are and, in a way, they have already become famous, but with The Voice they're often a bit dull.

"That's the problem with the format: without the spinning chairs and that element of jeopardy, it does feel like a routine talent show and I don't know how you overcome that."

Kylie Minogue, Sir Tom Jones, Will.i.am and Ricky Wilson have helped launch a new UK series of The Voice - and admitted that winning the show will not guarantee stardom.

The third series features new coaches Minogue and Kaiser Chiefs frontman Wilson joining the line-up.

The pair replace Jessie J and Danny O'Donoghue in the show known for its trademark swivel chairs and blind auditions.

But Jones said at the launch at London's New Broadcasting House that singers had already walked through one door by getting on to the show.Previous winners have failed to make a big splash in the music world.Referring to the likes of The X Factor, which has been criticised for featuring some contestants who are deluded about their talents, Jones said: "No one is going to say 'what was that all that about?'

"But there is no guarantee. There's no guarantee in show business. It's one step at a time. It's always down to the public whether that person is going to be a star."

He added: "You've got to try and get all the ingredients and hopefully it will sell. There's no guarantee that if you win this, you will be a star."In an apparent dig at The X Factor, Wilson added: "If you want to see people making fools of themselves you can go to other stations."

Wilson also hinted the new series of The Voice featured some format changes.

Minogue, who was approached to join the first series but turned it down, said that she was "really comfortable" being the only woman on the panel because it "stops any stories about bitchiness and cattiness".

She paid tribute to her predecessor Jessie J, praising her voice and character and adding: "I hope Jessie enjoys seeing me in her seat."

Will.i.am said that it was "not fair" to compare the two coaches but said of Minogue: "She's reached a level of success that we all want to have. The show needs a Kylie."

He said a flaw in the show was that there was no record company championing the singers after the series ended.

The new series features sees The Streets singer Leo Ihenacho and a vocalist who is also an impersonator of Ruth Jones' Gavin and Stacey character Nessa try their luck.

Kylie Minogue has unveiled her annual calendar and it’s another testament to her timeless beauty. The pop icon poses on a pebble beach on the cover — rocking tiny crocheted knickers and simple white tee. She also shared the January picture and it’s a suitably stylish affair. The Australian diva shows some impressive bling and sports a sexy librarian bun. Oh and Kylie flashes her famous derriere on the back cover. Check out all the fabulous images after the jump.

FORGET wrestlers, footballers or even action stars.

Australia's most dangerous celebrities are the Minogue sisters, according to a new report by online security firm McAfee.

Released today, the annual study into celebrities used as bait to steal information from your computer puts Australian singer Kylie Minogue at the top of the list, replacing younger sister Dannii who topped the list last year.

The Australian X Factor judge dropped into ninth place this year, in a list dominated by women with only one exception: Guy Sebastian in fifth place.

Singers Jessica Mauboy and Delta Goodrem also ranked as risky, in third and fourth places, but actor Naomi Watts took out second place.

McAfee consumer marketing director Melanie Duca said it's not the first year the Minogue sisters have proven popular bait with cybercriminals.

"They've both come up in previous years too," she said. "They've been celebrities for more than 20 years, both of them ... and it's more lucrative to use popular people."

Ms Duca said the survey rated celebrities based on how often web searches with their names delivered suspicious or malicious web content.

Searching for celebrity nude photos or free app downloads delivered the highest number of risky sites, the survey found.

Female celebrities also dominated the worldwide list of most dangerous celebrities, with British actor Lilly Collins topping the rankings,

followed by Avril Lavigne, Sandra Bullock and Jon Hamm.

Ms Deca said web users should always seek official sources for media and image downloads.

"People need to keep their wits about them online,'' she said. "Don't always think that free is best and go for those free downloads and wallpapers as they are often from illegal or not very reputable sites."

Kylie Minogue will be a coach on The Voice UK next year.

The pop superstar and the BBC confirmed the news today (September 11), alongside the return of Sir Tom Jones and will.i.am to the panel.

"I'm very excited to become a coach on The Voice UK," Minogue said.

"I love the concept of the show and have been an avid viewer of both series."

She added: "The search for new talent is such an important aspect of the music industry and The Voice UK gives us all a part to play in that.

"Will I be competitive? Probably more than even I imagine! Watch this space!"

will.i.am said: "While I will miss Danny and Jessie, I'm excited to be returning for season three and to work with Kylie and Tom.

"Together we will mix it up and bring new energy and ideas to the show."

Jones added: "I'm really looking forward to series three of The Voice UK and although I'll miss Jessie and Danny, Kylie and the fourth coach will be a welcome addition to the line-up."

BBC controller of entertainment commissioning Mark Linsey said: "Kylie is a hugely respected figure within the world of music and will be a fantastic addition to The Voice UK.

"She is a true pop icon and her longevity in the industry is testament to her creative and musical ability."

Head of Entertainment for Wall to Wall Moira Ross said: "In terms of pop royalty, it really doesn't get much better than Kylie.

"With more than two decades of global success under her belt, I know she'll bring something truly special to the coaching line-up."

The final coach for the series, which airs on BBC One in January 2014, will be announced "in due course".

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS: Kylie Minogue continues her No. 1 streak on Dance Club/Play Songs as "Skirt" lifts 2-1 to become her seventh straight leader and 10th No. 1 overall on the list. The track, serviced to Billboard's DJ panel via import remixes (Nom De Strip, Hot Mouth and Switch, among others), adds to a No. 1 run began in August 2010 with "All the Lovers."

While seven of Minogue's 10 chart-toppers were accrued since 2010, her history on the chart dates back a quarter-century. She first hit the list with "I Should Be So Lucky," which peaked at No. 10 in June 1988.

She's channeled a gladiator Grecian goddess, a pop-bot futurama hottie, a Vegas showgirl on steroids and a gonzo catwoman on the prowl.

And that's just Kylie Minogue's onstage and onscreen duds.

On the red carpet, the 45-year-old Aussie pop sensation—who recently published a monolithic coffee-table book, Kylie Fashion, that surveys her most iconic looks—never fails to steal the spotlight with her signature blend of sass and sartorial derring-do.

E! News recently sat down with the songbird in New York City, where she met with fans for a book signing at Saks Fifth Avenue, and quizzed her on her top tips for pushing the fashion envelope. Here's hoping you can't get them out of your head.

NEWS: Kylie Minogue teases her first album under Jay-Z's Roc Nation

1. Trust Your Gut: "Don't think too much," Minogue says, encouraging fashion risk-takers to go with what feels right. "Be instinctive," she adds.

2. Have a Ball: "Have fun—you're not saving the world," she quips. "Fashion can be serious, for sure. If you think of what fashion does for the economy around the world—I mean, there's a very serious side to fashion. But yeah, try and have fun—I try to. I have worn some crazy things!"

3. Take the plunge: "Be brave, bold—just do it," she rallies. "Try it anyway. Think of it as a moment it time, and you're not gonna get that moment back again. So, if you're feeling like doing something in that moment, just try it. of your sartorial psyche, yes."

Sunday 04 Aug 2013

It is reported that Kylie Minogue is in talks to become a mentor on BBC One's music talent show The Voice UK, following the departures of Jessie J and The Script's Danny O'Donoghue.

It is reported that Kylie Minogue is in talks to become a mentor on BBC One's music talent show The Voice UK, following the departures of Jessie J and The Script's Danny O'Donoghue.

Daily Star Sunday quotes a show source as saying: "Show execs have put Kylie at the top of their hit list. She's still a huge name in the pop industry and has over 25 years' music experience."

The source added: "Kylie is preparing to reinvent herself again after signing to Jay-Z's management firm Roc Nation, so it will all depend on timings and whether she can fit in the show around her release and promo schedule."

A spokesperson for the singer declined to comment.

Other names to be linked to a mentor role for the third series include Paloma Faith and Will Young.

I can already hear squeals of excitement from Old Compton and Canal Streets.

Yep, Kylie Minogue is back and is planning a new world tour.

The gay icon, fresh from signing her new deal with Jay-Z’s – sorry, Jay Z’s – Roc Nation label, is set to announce dates for a 2014 set of gigs... at the grand ol’ age of 46.

While no Madonna, Kylie is in incredible shape and, I’m told, already planning a “fabulous shock wardrobe”.

Asked about hitting the road, she confirmed: “Hell, yeah!

“I don’t know when but maybe next year. I always love the idea – touring for me is
the best.”


My source reveals: “Kylie has been working on some great material and is really happy with the new musical direction her stuff is taking.

“It is still distinctly Kylie but with a fresh, more electro-urban twist.

“Touring and interacting with fans remains Kylie’s first love, and promoters are lining up to be involved with next year’s gigs.

“As well as dates across the UK and Europe, Kylie will also play her native Australia. At the moment, there are no concerts in America being lined up.

“She has already had loads of ideas and this will be a no-expense-spared tour with lots of pyrotechnics, dancers, special effects and a few surprises – including her wardrobe.

“Kylie definitely plans to shock people.”


Kylie and her bum have kept fans entertained over the years
Wenn

After signing with Jay Z – like Rihanna and Rita Ora – Kylie insists she has no plans to collaborate with the rapper. “Not at this stage anyway.”

So watch this space then.

After giving fans a preview of her new single Skirt, the former Neighbours star says: “I like to think of it as being the amuse-bouche of the meal.

“Your entire meal’s not going to be like that. My album’s not going to be all like that.

“I think my DNA is going to be infused through the album, even if I didn’t want it to be. It’s there.

“It would have some sparkle, some sex, some insouciance.

“And joy – that’s what I would hope. That’s what people tell me...

“There’s a lot to be said for making people feel good. That’s, like, the most rewarding part of what I do.”

Published Jul 15 2013, 4:56pm EDT | By Sam Rigby

US rapper Brooke Candy will feature on Kylie Minogue's new single.

The star - who is known for appearing in Grimes's 'Genesis' music video last year - will record her feature on the track this week.

The 23-year-old tweeted: "Also just got word that I'll be recording a feature/verse on Kylie Minogue's first single off her upcoming album this wednesday in London!"

The star appeared to be excited at the prospect of working on the material, adding: "KYLIE F**KING MINOGUE! So f**king cool!"

The single will be the first official cut from Minogue's 12th studio album - the follow-up to 2010's Aphrodite - and is expected to be released later this year.

The LP is her first since joining Jay-Z's Roc Nation label last year. She has worked with the likes of Darkchild, Sia and Pharrell Williams on the record.

The 45-year-old teased her new material by unveiling buzz single 'Skirt' in May.

Watch the lyric video for 'Skirt' below:

by Bang Showbiz | 14 July 2013
Kylie Minogue's new album will be pop music ''with a different twist'' and more edgy than her previous efforts.

Kylie Minogue's new album is pop music ''with a different twist''.

The 45-year-old singer is working on her 12th studio album and although she remains tight lipped about details of her forthcoming release, she is changing her image from ''girl next door'' to something more edgy.

She told the Italian edition of Grazia magazine: ''I can't really say anything about the new album, some things I don't even know. We haven't even chosen a name yet. I can say though that it's going to be completely different. It's still pop music, but with a different twist.

''Throughout the years I've been called the girl next-door or a light version of Madonna, but those are just labels and I'm pretty sure after the new record they will give me a new one.''

Kylie - who parted ways with her manager Terry Blamey in January 2013 is now signed to Roc Nation - is reported to have worked with producers including Pharrell Williams, Darkchild, Sia and Jay-Z for the upcoming album.

The moment Kylie Minogue allegedly joined the Mile High club with rockstar Michael Hutchence will be depicted in a new film, according to reports.

The Aussie popstar and the INXS frontman are rumoured to have got it on in their first-class seats of a Qantas flight in the Nineties.

Former Australian 'X Factor' winner Samantha Jade is playing Minogue in the made-for-TV film.

The Sun reports the singer's new management have asked the filmmakers to make sure the scene isn’t too over the top.

A source told the paper: “Kylie’s people have been making enquiries about the script and her depiction.

“They have no legal standing or ability to demand any changes, but they are insisting it is handled respectfully."

Minogue dated the late frontman of the Sydney based band after ending her relationship with 'Neighbours' co-star Jason Donovan in 1989.

Jade will play a young Minogue, who was eight years younger than Hutchence, in the film titled 'Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS'.

And it looks like they have more in common than just a great singing voice...



Filming is currently underway in Melbourne, with transmission expected later this year on the Seven Network in Australia.

The blurb for the biopic on the network's website, says:

'Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS' will concentrate on the six members of the band and the artistic and emotional relationship at the heart of INXS, that of Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss. The two part drama traces their incredible rise to the top of the international charts - ten albums, thousands of concerts, the unforgettable headline show at Wembley Stadium and the bitter aftermath of dealing with the loss of Michael Hutchence. It promises an authentic, behind the scenes look at what really happened - childhood mates from Sydney who were once the biggest rock and roll band in the world - beyond the music, the lights and the roar of a sell-out crowd.

Digital Spy reports series producer Kerrie Mainwaring said: "We knew we couldn't look past Samantha Jade when we were casting Kylie.

"You just need to look at her face and figure to see she's a perfect match - and that she comes from a singing background was just an added bonus in our minds."

As we get closer to the 30th Anniversary of the ARIA Charts on 10 July, it’s time to announce another round of chart record holders. Today it’s the turn of the artists who’ve had the most number ones on the ARIA Albums and Singles Charts.

Topping the albums list is U2, who’ve had 11 number one albums. They picked up their first number one in 1984 with The Unforgettable Fire and have gone on to top the chart with Rattle And Hum (1988), Achtung Baby (1991), Zooropa (1993), Pop (1997), The Best Of 1980 – 1990 (1998), All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000), The Best Of 1990 – 2000 (2002), How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004), U218 Singles (2006) and No Line On The Horizon (2009).

We have our first tie of the week with Madonna and Kylie Minogue both topping the list of most number one singles with 10 chart-toppers apiece.

Madonna has scored number one singles with Like A Virgin (1984), Angel / Into The Groove (1985), Crazy For You (1985), Papa Don’t Preach (1986), Like A Prayer (1989), Vogue (1990), American Pie (2000), Music (2000), Hung Up (2005) and 4 Minutes (2008).

Minogue, who also tops the list of Australian number one singles, has had number ones with Locomotion (1987), I Should Be So Lucky (1988), Got To Be Certain (1988), Confide In Me (1994), Spinning Around (2000), On A Night Like This (2000), Can't Get You Out Of My Head (2001), In Your Eyes (2002), Slow (2003) and 2 Hearts (2007).

Most #1 Albums
U2 – 11
Madonna – 10
Jimmy Barnes – 9
Bon Jovi – 9
John Farnham – 8

Most #1 Singles
Madonna – 10
Kylie Minogue – 10
Black Eyed Peas – 8
Delta Goodrem – 8
Eminem – 7
P!nk – 7

COLIN VICKERY
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
JULY 04, 2013 10:00PM

IT is official. Samantha Jade will play Kylie Minogue in Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS.

The 2012 X Factor winner will make her screen debut as Australia's pop princess.

Jade is one of three major female cast announcements made today for Channel 7's two-part music miniseries.

Luke Arnold has already been announced to play charismatic rocker Michael Hutchence who died in 1997. Georgina Haig (Fringe, The Elephant Princess) will play British TV personality Paula Yates. Mallory Jansen (Howzat! Kerry Packer's War) will play Helena Christensen.

TV viewers have long said Jade bore an uncanny resemblance to Minogue and the Never Tear Us Apart producers agreed.

"We knew we couldn't look past Samantha Jade when we were casting Kylie," producer Kerrie Mainwaring says.

"You just need to look at her face and figure to see she's a perfect match, and the fact that she comes from a singing background was just an added bonus in our minds."

Minogue, Yates and Christensen all had romantic relationships with Hutchence.

Minogue was with the singer for two years.

By Associated Press

Before Lady Gaga, Rihanna or Katy Perry married music with fashion, there was Kylie Minogue.

The singer compiled a look at her fashion choices, particularly her stage costumes, in a new book called "Kylie Fashion" (Running Press).

"It was lots of fun to look at my life in fashion through the years," said Minogue in a recent interview. "There've been ups and downs and fabulous moments and not so fabulous moments, but basically the book was a celebration of 25 years."

Yes, the 45-year-old even admits to some fashion faux pas.

"I had to include some moments that were less than stellar because we all make mistakes along the way. Some ideas that we thought were fantastic at that point in time were upon reflection, a big mistake," she said. "That's all part of my journey and actually it's what I like about fashion."

From skimpy outfits to showgirl costumes with plume headdresses, Minogue is game to try it all. For performances, she looks for showstoppers that will look good from the back of a large venue and hold up through 100 shows.

"I was about to say, `things you can move in...' wait a second, about half my costumes you can't move in," she said with a laugh.

She learned that lesson the hard way decked out in headdresses, feathers and corsets on her "Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour" in 2005.

"That's why showgirls have to have poise because you can't actually tip your head," she recalled.

Minogue says there have been times when she got costumes so late that she's jumped in to help stitch them up backstage. Then there's the "quick change" in and out of elaborate costumes - something she compares to a Formula One pit stop, with four people helping her.

"A lot of stuff goes down in the quick change. It depends if the show is going well or not going well what type of vocabulary I choose," she said with a laugh.

Minogue says there's no time to be bashful when hurrying to change clothes, joking, "you kind of pass first base."

When she's away from the stage and at home, Minogue insists she "can go to total frumpsville for sure."

"I'm a complete letdown. At home the stilettos come off. The comfy clothes go on. I'd love to maintain this illusion that I kind of elegantly waft around home or something but I need that balance in my life ... to just be completely anti-fashion and just put whatever's closest on, and home is the place to do that."

Besides her book, Minogue is also back in the music studio. She recently signed with Roc Nation and says she's working with some great producers who she said were on her "wish list."

"I kind of had to pinch myself and say, `This is great,'" she said.

CAMERON ADAMS NATIONAL MUSIC WRITER
NEWS LIMITED NETWORK
JUNE 28, 2013 8:00AM
Minogue will be presented with the JC Williamson Award at the 2013 Helpmann Awards in July.

The award recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the Australian live entertainment arena and shaped the future of the industry for the better.

A proud Minogue said the prestigious award reminded her of being criticised as a disposable pop act at the start of her career.

"For me to be winning an award for being a live entertainer is slightly ironic, it's so long ago I've almost forgot about it, but it is a fact that it used to be a national sport to have a go at me," Minogue said.

"I was terrified on stage at the start of my career. I didn't know what I was doing on tour. It was absolute torture in the beginning because I wasn't confident at performing live, but I soldiered through and now live shows are probably my favourite thing to do. To have travelled that journey and now have a reputation for putting on concerts that are real events and mark points in time, I actually feel really proud of that."

Minogue will share the award with arts philanthropist David Blenkinsop, the man behind the Festival of Perth.

Previous recipients of the JC Williamson Award, the foremost honour the Australian live entertainment industry can bestow, include John Farnham, Jimmy Little, Barry Humphries, Dame Joan Sutherland and Michael Gudinski.

The recipients of the award are selected by a panel of Australian performers and industry figures.

Minogue, who celebrated 25 years as a recording artist last year, also shot down old rumours lumping her with other pop acts who lip synch in concert.

"I have always performed live. I never did any miming in any shows. And not everyone can say that. I do work hard on singing live. I'm passionate about touring. I love a spectacle, but last year the Anti Tour gave me the chance to just perform with a band, that was equally thrilling. But if I'd listened to everything people said about me over the years there's no way I'd still be doing what I'm doing now."

The Helpmann awards take place at the Sydney Opera House on July 29; Minogue, who is recording in the US, has yet to confirm if she will attend the event.

Jay-Z is reportedly planning to feature on Kylie Minogue's new album, after she signed to his management label Roc Nation earlier this year.

The 'Empire State Of Mind' rapper is apparently an unlikely fan of the 'Spinning Around' singer, and is convinced that he can give her style of pop music a unique twist by getting involved himself in her next record.

"Jay is a big fan of Kylie’s, he’s always liked her music," a source told The Sun. "The music she’s making with Pharrell is sounding great and he’s been talking about it non-stop.

"They like the idea of bringing a rap edge to her style."

It was reported earlier this week that Kylie's worked with Pharrell, and she said in an interview with Rolling Stone about her new material: "I need to know what it is to do something different – different style of delivery, different beats, different subject matter.

"I think that I am a natural chameleon, so that floats my boat. I will maintain the DNA of what a Kylie track is, just because I'm on it. I like to try move the goalpost and experiment with different sounds.

"I can't tell you exactly what it is. I couldn't really describe it yet. But I can tell you I'm having a lot of fun in the process."

Jay-Z is currently preparing to release his own new album - Magna Carta Holy Grail - on July 4.

THIS year's X Factor has scored a major pop culture coup - reuniting Dannii and Kylie Minogue on screen.

It is the first time the musical sisters have worked together on Australian TV since a Young Talent Time concert in 1987.

"I don't even want to think of how long ago that was," Kylie said. "My hair was bigger, my waist was smaller ... good times."

Dannii, one of the judges on this year's X Factor, recruited sister Kylie to mentor her contestants on the reality TV hit.

The sisterly episode was filmed in New York last week, where Kylie is working on her new album.
It will air later this year on Channel 7.

It is Dannii's first time as a judge on the Australian X Factor, after finding success on the British show.
While the pair are no strangers to passing comment on singers on reality TV shows, until now it's been at home in private.

"Usually we're in pyjamas and ugg boots," Dannii said. "So this is a change. Kylie is a huge X Factor fan."
Dannii happy to come home

Older sister Kylie was Dannii's first choice as mentor, a role she performed on the UK X Factor four years ago.

"Dannii is so good at this, I'm just along for the ride," Kylie said. "It's really fun to do something together, so it was a done deal when she asked me.

"This feels normal for us. This kind of show is one of Dannii's natural habitats, but I do feel at home on a TV set and being with my sister. If you've grown up being a tennis player you're comfortable on a tennis court, we're both comfortable in this environment."

Kylie said she is unsure whether she would audition for The X Factor if she was starting out in the industry.

"I have questioned that myself. I don't know. I'm sure I wouldn't make it through. I really am."
Kylie will release a 'buzz' single from her 12th album, Skirt, shortly.

KYLIE MINOGUE might look as though she's having the time of her life when she performs one of her spectacular stage shows, but behind the professional smile, she's battling with a series of revealing, restricting and generally uncomfortable costumes. The singer is renowned for her flamboyant and theatrical stage-wear, regularly wearing designs by the likes of Jean Paul Gaultier and Dolce & Gabbana for her performances.

"They look great and they do the job on stage, but they're zero fun to wear," she said. "I know that they're projecting and doing what they need to do, but you can't breathe, you can't walk, and you've got to make it look like you can do all of that - which means you can't do the other things you've got to do as well as you would like. So you've got to just juggle for the end result."

The 45-year-old has just launched a book dedicated to 25 years of her style, entitled Kylie/Fashion, in commemoration of reaching a quarter century in the music industry. She explained that her outlandish stage costumes are necessary in order to create a sense of drama and theatre for her fans.

"You don't want to go [to a concert] and see me wearing what I'd wear on the street," she said. "It's got to be larger than life, and a little bit of a fantasy. I love doing that, but I also love taking it off."

So what does she enjoy wearing? Thanks to spending more time in the US of late - she recently signed with Jay-Z's music label, RocNation - Minogue has developed a penchant for more casual attire.

"Now I own a baseball cap," she told the New York Post. "And I've never worn trainers so much! I love it. I've never been so comfortable in my life. I've even been wearing track pants."

Kylie/Fashion will be available to buy in the UK from November 19, published by Thames & Hudson.

In the U.S., Kylie Minogue may not be as well-known as Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez, and her other American counterparts, but in the rest of the world, her influence as a performer, trend setter, and style icon often draws comparisons to the original pop star diva — Madonna.

EW caught up with the Australian-born Minogue when she signed copies of her new book, Kylie: Fashion, at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City to ask about her designer tour costumes, whether she ever wears jeans and sneakers, and what it would take to get her to judge a reality singing competition.

EW: The book is a look back at your sartorial evolution over the last two-and-a-half decades. Tell us about the process of pulling it all together.

Kylie Minogue: Books are often a living hell… You could go on tour easier than doing a book. We did it because last year was my 25th anniversary in music, and it was a way to mark that moment in time and celebrate it. It was quite difficult finding all of the stuff. I mean, my archives are fairly organized now because I had to do it. And finding photographs in all different formats — you’ve got negatives, transparencies, Polaroid film, Polaroids, weird random floppy discs, where we’re going, “We don’t even know what this is. What machine reads these?” There was a moment in time where there was one technical thing that has just disappeared to endless CDs, and into just digitized stuff. So, that was kind of interesting, finding everything. Then choosing, making the decision of what to put in that [would] be a fair representation, like an overview of all those years, because some years there was a lot more sartorial activity than other years.

How would you describe your style?

Eclectic, for sure. I love a beautifully fitted gown, I mean, that’s fantastic. But I also like to be [casual]… some people are surprised, they go, “Really? You walked around with jeans and trainers on?” I’m like, “Who do you think I am?” I really need the balance. There’s so much of what I’ll wear certainly for touring. But you ask any girl, the red carpet is never comfortable. It looks great, but I think in a roundabout way or in a funny way, I realize that with dresses, with outfits, sometimes the best moments is putting it on and taking it off. All the middle bit is for everyone else’s pleasure. But for your satisfaction, when you first go and everything’s done, you’ve had countless fittings, or something’s just arrived, and you put it on, or you buy it, or whatever, and you just go, “Yeah, I like that.” And the rest is just, “ugh.” And then taking it off is like a release. But if I was able to tell my 14-year-old self, in Melbourne, Australia, the girl who would go to the market with two dollars and buy so much rubbish my mom would say, “What are you going to do?” I’d make things with them and customize outfits. But if I could tell that girl that you’re going to work with Karl Lagerfeld, and Jean Paul Gaultier, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, there’s no way I would have believed that. In a way I’m living a dream. Sometimes it feels like a nightmare, but I don’t imagine my life without putting on beautiful shoes and fabulous jewelry. It’s good for a girl.


How did you become friends with designers like Lagerfeld, Versace, and Gaultier?


You meet people, and someone like Jean Paul Gaultier, I mean, he couldn’t be lovelier. He’s a bubbly spirit and beyond talented. And just to use him as example, when I spent time in Paris in the early 90s, clubbing all the time and just being a 22-year-old going wild basically, and really getting into fashion, and I used to go to his store and buy my little — it sounds so wrong — but my little one-piece slip, almost like a little hot pant and wear them out with my high top trainers. And so he was like this figure, and I kind of idolized him and then I end up meeting him out at an event or wherever it was. Slightly different story with someone like Azzedine Alaia. I met him at his studio and he would fit me in clothes, which again is just like, “Ah, Azzedine Alaia.” I wasn’t going to bump into him in a club, a bit different to Jean Paul. But, I think if you meet a designer that you have a — maybe your entire sensibility is not the same but there’s a point where you can meet. I mean, I’m such a chameleon that I will happily go from Pucci to… what’s completely different to Pucci? Or, Alaia’s aesthetic is very different to Dolce & Gabbana, or whoever else. For me, it’s a real pleasure to go around and use different designers or wear different designers’ clothes. It really depends what it’s for.

Where are all the clothes and costumes pictured in the book?

Well most of them, the amazing, amazing ones, I donated all of my stage costumes, all of my video costumes to the performing arts museum in Melbourne, Australia. So they have all my showgirl outfits, they have the blonde corset, really the iconic pieces. My hot pants, the “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” pantsuit, I mean, they’ve got all of that. So I do say if I hit hard times, I’m going to have nothing to sell! That’s it, I’m doomed. But it’s amazing because they can preserve everything. No one even looks at them without [wearing] white gloves. When we did this exhibition, which was first in Melbourne, and then, I’m really proud to say, it was at the V&A in London. We had an exhibition of my clothes there. But when I went to look at the set up and see the mannequins with the outfits on, something was not right, so I just went up and I’m adjusting this kind of crow-feather headpiece or something, and you can almost hear the assistants just like, “Ahh!” And I realized, oh my God. One of the girls said, “You are the only person that can get away with doing that.” And I thought, it’s the relationship to an item of clothing. It can be so deep, because I will look at that and I will think that’s an extension of me, or I’ve worn that for 77 shows around the world with all the pain, and tears, and blood, and joy, and all sorts of stories and emotions that I associate with that piece. And then other people just look at it as this very foreign thing, but I kind of lived it and breathed it. I had never thought of it like that.

Could you see yourself as a judge on a show like American Idol or The Voice?

I think when you’re at home, like if my boyfriend and I are home and we see one of those shows, we are all great couch judges. We’re all just like, “Come on! That was terrible!” Or, “That was great!” But, I don’t know, I don’t know how well I’d cope with being in that situation. Maybe fine, but I think I’d definitely have some good advice to offer just from experience. There’s stuff that I wish that I knew a long time ago but you actually just have to go through it. But one of my favorite sayings is, “There are no shortcuts to learning your craft.” You just have to put the years in. And certainly those shows are here to stay, and I wouldn’t say no to it if it was the right moment for me and if it was the right show.

Do you have a favorite reality TV singing competition?

Well last time I was here a few weeks back, I saw The Voice had just kicked off, and Shakira’s in the Roc Nation family now, so that’s quite interesting. I think she’s doing a great job.