1968–1986: Early life and career beginnings

Kylie Ann Minogue was born at Bethlehem Hospital^[3]^[4] in Caulfield South, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, on 28 May 1968,^[5] to car company accountant Ronald Charles Minogue and his wife Carol Ann (née Jones), a former ballet dancer.^[6]^[7] Her mother moved to Australia from Wales in 1958 as part of an assisted migration scheme on the ship Fairsea. Also aboard were the Gibb family of later Bee Gees fame.^[8]^[9] Minogue is of English and Welsh descent (though her surname is of Irish origin)^[10] and was named after the Nyungar word for "boomerang".^[11] She is the eldest of three children: her brother, Brendan Minogue, is a news cameraman in Australia, and her sister, Dannii Minogue, is an actress, singer and television host.^[12] The family frequently moved around various suburbs in Melbourne to sustain their living expenses, which Minogue found unsettling as a child. She often stayed at home reading, sewing, and learning to play violin and piano.^[13] When they moved to Surrey Hills, Victoria, she went on to Camberwell High School.^[14] During her schooling years, she found it difficult to make friends.^[15] She got her HSC with subjects including Arts and Graphics and English.^[16] Minogue described herself as being of "average intelligence" and "quite modest" during her high school years.^[16] Growing up, she and her sister Dannii took singing and dancing lessons.^[13]

A 10-year-old Minogue accompanied Dannii to a hearing arranged by the sisters' aunt, Suzette, and, while producers found Dannii too young, Australian television producer Alan Hardy gave Minogue a minor role in soap opera The Sullivans (1979).^[12]^[13] She also appeared in another small role in soap opera Skyways (1980).^[13] In 1985, she was cast in one of the lead roles in the television series The Henderson Kids.^[17] Minogue took time off school to film The Henderson Kids and while Carol was not impressed, Minogue felt she needed the independence to make it into the entertainment industry.^[18] During filming, co-star Nadine Garner labelled Minogue "fragile" after producers yelled at her for forgetting her lines; she would often cry on set.^[18] Minogue was dropped from the second season of the show after Hardy felt the need for her character to be "written off".^[19] In retrospect, Hardy stated removing her from the show "turned out to be the best thing for her".^[20] Interested in following a career in music, Minogue made a demo tape for the producers of weekly music program Young Talent Time,^[21] which featured Dannii as a regular performer.^[22] Minogue gave her first television singing performance on the show in 1985, and was not invited to join the cast.

She was cast in the soap opera Neighbours in 1986,^[14] as Charlene Mitchell, a schoolgirl turned garage mechanic. The show achieved popularity in the UK and a story arc that created a romance between her character and the character played by Jason Donovan culminated in a wedding episode in 1987 that attracted an audience of 20 million viewers.^[23]^[24] She became the first person to win four Logie Awards in one year and was the youngest recipient of the "Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television", with the result determined by public vote.^[25]

1987–1989: Kylie and Enjoy Yourself

During a Fitzroy Football Club benefit concert, Minogue performed "I Got You Babe" as a duet with fellow actor John Waters, and "The Loco-Motion" as an encore.^[26]^[27] Producer Greg Petherick arranged for Minogue to record a demo of the latter song,^[28] re-titled as "Locomotion". The demo was sent to the head of Mushroom Records Michael Gudinski, who decided to sign Minogue in early 1987 based on her popularity from Neighbours.^[28]^[29] The track was first recorded in big band style, and was later given a completely new backing track by producer Mike Duffy, inspired by the hi-NRG sound of English band Dead or Alive.^[30] "Locomotion" was released as her debut single in Australia on 13 July 1987, the week after the wedding episode of Neighbours premiered.^[31] The single became the best-selling single of the decade in Australia, according to the Kent Music Report.^[27]^[32]

The success of the single resulted in Minogue travelling to London to work with record producing trio Stock Aitken Waterman in September 1987.^[28]^[33] They knew little of Minogue and had forgotten she was arriving; as a result, they wrote "I Should Be So Lucky" while she waited outside the studio.^[34] The track was written and recorded in under 40 minutes.^[30] The song reached number one in Australia, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Switzerland and the UK.^[35] Although Minogue needed to be convinced to work with Stock Aitken Waterman again after feeling she'd been disrespected during her first recording session,^[36] more sessions with the producers occurred from February to April 1988 in London and Melbourne, where the singer was filming her last episodes for Neighbours.^[37]^[38] The trio ended up composing and producing all the tracks on the forthcoming album and produced a new version of "The Loco-Motion".^[39] Producer Pete Waterman justified the highly controversial decision to re-record the latter track by claiming Minogue's platinum-selling Australian version was poorly produced, but Mike Duffy instead blamed the decision on Waterman's alleged wish to claim the prestige and royalties from the track's placement on the soundtrack of the 1988 film Arthur 2: On the Rocks.^[40] Minogue's self-titled debut album, Kylie, was released in July 1988.^[41] The album is a collection of dance-oriented pop tunes and spent more than a year on the UK Albums Chart, including several weeks at number one, eventually becoming the best-selling album of the 1980s by a female artist.^[42]^[43] It went gold in the United States, while the single "The Locomotion" reached number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart,^[44] and number one on the Canadian dance chart.^[45] The single "Got to Be Certain" became her third consecutive number one single in Australia.^[46] Later in the year, she left Neighbours to focus on her music career. She collaborated with Jason Donovan on the song "Especially for You" after "intense" demand for the duet from the public, media and retailers overcame her initial reservations.^[47] The single peaked at number one in the UK. By December 2014, it sold its one-millionth copy in the country.^[48] She was sometimes referred to as "the Singing Budgie" by her detractors over the coming years.^[49] In a review of the album Kylie for AllMusic, Chris True described the tunes as "standard, late-80s ... bubblegum", but added, "her cuteness makes these rather vapid tracks bearable".^[39] She received the ARIA Award for the year's highest-selling single.^[50] She won her second consecutive ARIA Award for the year's highest-selling single and received a "Special Achievement Award".^[51]

Minogue's second studio album, Enjoy Yourself, was released in October 1989. The album was number-one in the UK, and spawned the number-one singles in the country such as "Hand on Your Heart" and "Tears on My Pillow".^[52] In North America, it failed to sell well and she was dropped by American record label Geffen Records.^[53] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine, stated "there isn't a lot to differentiate her sophomore effort from its predecessor by repeating the sonic template of her debut album."^[54] In support of the album, she embarked on her concert tour, the Enjoy Yourself Tour in Europe, Asia and Australia in February 1990. Minogue's debut film, The Delinquents, was released in December 1989. The film received mixed reviews from critics and was popular with audiences. In the UK, it grossed more than £200,000,^[55] and in Australia, it was the fourth-highest-grossing local film of 1989 and the highest-grossing local film of 1990.^[56] From 1989 to 1991, Minogue dated Australian INXS frontman Michael Hutchence.^[57]

1990–1992: Rhythm of Love, Let's Get to It and Greatest Hits

Unhappy with her level of creative input on her first two albums, Minogue worked with her manager Terry Blamey and her Australian label Mushroom Records to force a change in her relationship with SAW, and to push for a more mature sound.^[58] Minogue's third album, Rhythm of Love, was released in November 1990 and was described as "leaps and bounds more mature" than her previous albums by AllMusic's Chris True.^[59] The project contained more "sophisticated" themes and influences, with composer Mike Stock stating that "Shocked" was influenced by the writings of Virginia Woolf, and was meant to be evocative of "a trip".^[60] Despite exhibiting creative growth, the album did not match the commercial success of its predecessors, peaking at number nine in the UK.^[61]^[52] However, Blamey described the album as a "big success" that "made lots of money for PWL".^[62] Three of its singles – "Better the Devil You Know", "Step Back in Time" and "Shocked" – reached the top ten in Australia.^[61] In the UK, all four singles entered the top ten.^[52]

Entertainment Weekly's Ernest Macias observed that, by the third album, Minogue "presented a more mature and sexually-fuelled image". Macias also pointed out that the album "showcases the beginning of Minogue's career as a pop icon, propelled by her angelic vocals, sensual music videos, chic fashion, and distinct dance sound."^[61] Minogue's relationship with Australian musician-actor Michael Hutchence was also seen as part of her departure from her earlier persona.^[63] The making of the music video for "Better the Devil You Know" was the first time Minogue "felt part of the creative process". She said: "I wasn't in charge, but I had a voice. I'd bought some clothes on King's Road for the video. I saw a new way to express my point of view creatively."^[64] To promote the album, she embarked on the Rhythm of Love Tour in February 1991.^[65]

Minogue's fourth album, Let's Get to It, was released in October 1991. It peaked at number fifteen in the UK, making it her first album to fail to reach the top ten.^[52] The first single from the album, "Word Is Out", became her first single to miss the top ten in the UK. Subsequent singles "If You Were with Me Now", "Give Me Just a Little More Time" and "Finer Feelings" – all reached the top eleven.^[52] Nick Levine of Digital Spy labelled the album "lacking a moment of pure pop brilliance to match her [Minogue's] previously released singles."^[66] In support of the album, she embarked on the Let's Get to It Tour in October. She later expressed her opinion that Stock, Aitken and Waterman stifled her, saying, "I was very much a puppet in the beginning. I was blinkered by my record company. I was unable to look left or right."^[67]

Minogue's first best-of compilation album, titled Greatest Hits, was released in August 1992. Chris True of AllMusic called it "an excellent overview of the first half of Minogue's career."^[68] It reached number one in the UK^[52] and number three in Australia.^[69] The compilation's singles – "What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)" and a cover of Kool & the Gang's "Celebration", both peaked outside of the top ten in the UK.^[52] By the end of 1992, PWL did not renew their contract with Minogue, believing the singer "was [not] moving in a direction that was going to be successful".^[70]

1993–1999: Kylie Minogue and Impossible Princess

Minogue's signing with British record label Deconstruction Records in 1993 marked a new phase in her career.^[53] Her fifth studio album, Kylie Minogue, was released in September 1994 and was a departure from her previous efforts as it "no longer featured the Stock-Aitken-Waterman production gloss", with critics noting Minogue's vocals and the album production.^[71]^[72] It was produced by dance music producers the Brothers in Rhythm, namely Dave Seaman and Steve Anderson, who had previously produced "Finer Feelings". As of 2015, Anderson continued to be Minogue's musical director.^[73] The album peaked at number four in the UK.^[52] Its lead single, "Confide in Me", spent four weeks at number one in Australia, and peaked at number two in the UK.^[74] The follow-up singles, "Put Yourself in My Place" and "Where Is the Feeling?", both reached the top twenty in the UK.^[52]

During this period, Minogue made a guest appearance as herself in an episode of the British sitcom, The Vicar of Dibley.^[75] Director Steven E. de Souza saw her cover photo in Australia's Who Magazine as one of "The 30 Most Beautiful People in the World" and offered her a role opposite Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme in the film Street Fighter.^[76] The film was a moderate success, earning US$70 million in the U.S. box-office,^[76] and received "poor" reviews, with The Washington Post's Richard Harrington calling Minogue "the worst actress in the English-speaking world".^[77] She had an affair with Van Damme while shooting the film in Thailand.^[78]^[79] She had a minor role in the 1996 film Bio-Dome starring American actors Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin.^[80] She also appeared in the 1995 short film Hayride to Hell and in the 1997 film Diana & Me.^[81] In 1995, she collaborated with Australian artist Nick Cave for the song "Where the Wild Roses Grow". Cave had been interested in working with Minogue since hearing "Better the Devil You Know", saying it contained "one of pop music's most violent and distressing lyrics".^[82] The music video for the song was inspired by John Everett Millais's painting Ophelia (1851–52), and showed Minogue as the murdered woman, floating in a pond as a serpent swam over her body. The single received widespread attention in Europe, where it reached the top 10 in several countries, and reached number two in Australia.^[83] The song won ARIA Awards for "Song of the Year" and "Best Pop Release".^[84] Following concert appearances with Cave, Minogue recited the lyrics to "I Should Be So Lucky" as poetry in London's Royal Albert Hall.^[85]

By 1997, Minogue was in a relationship with French photographer Stéphane Sednaoui, who encouraged her to develop her creativity.^[86] Inspired by a mutual appreciation of Japanese culture, they created a visual combination of "geisha and manga superheroine" for the photographs taken for Minogue's sixth studio album, Impossible Princess, and the music video for "GBI (German Bold Italic)", her collaboration with Japanese musician Towa Tei.^[87] She drew inspiration from the music of artists such as Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American rock band Garbage, Icelandic singer Björk, British rapper Tricky and Irish rock band U2, and Japanese pop musicians such as Pizzicato Five and Towa Tei.^[88] The album featured collaborations with musicians including James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore of the Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers. It garnered some negative reviews upon its release in 1997,^[89] but would be cited as her "most personal" and "best" work in retrospective reviews. In 2003, Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani called it a "deeply personal effort" and "Minogue's best album to date", with the magazine later ranking it as her best album.^[89]^[54] Evan Sawdey, from PopMatters, described the album as "one of the most crazed, damn-near perfect dance-pop albums ever created" in a 2008 review.^[90] Mostly a dance album, she countered suggestions she was trying to become an indie artist.^[91]

Acknowledging Minogue had attempted to escape the perceptions of her that had developed during her early career, she commented she was ready to "forget the painful criticism" and "accept the past, embrace it, use it".^[85] The music video for "Did It Again" paid homage to her earlier "incarnations".^[92] Retitled Kylie Minogue in the UK following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, it became the lowest-selling album of her career. At the end of the year, a campaign by Virgin Radio stated, "We've done something to improve Minogue's records: we've banned them."^[14] The lead single "Some Kind of Bliss" failed to reach the top twenty in the UK, whereas "Did It Again" fared better, reaching the top fifteen in both the UK and Australia.^[52] In Australia, the album was a success and spent 35 weeks on the album chart.^[93] After the album's release, she was dropped by Deconstruction in 1998.^[94] Her Intimate and Live tour in 1998 was extended due to demand.^[95] She gave several live performances in Australia, including the 1998 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras,^[95] and the opening ceremonies of Melbourne's Crown Casino,^[96] and Sydney's Fox Studios in 1999 (where she performed Marilyn Monroe's "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend")^[97] as well as a Christmas concert in Dili, East Timor, in association with the United Nations Peace-Keeping Forces.^[97] She performed a duet with the English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys' on their Nightlife album and spent several months in Barbados performing in William Shakespeare's The Tempest.^[98] She then appeared in the film Sample People and recorded a cover version of Russell Morris's "The Real Thing" for the soundtrack.^[98]

2000–2002: Light Years and Fever

Minogue signed with German–British record label Parlophone in April, who wanted to re-establish Minogue as a pop artist.^[99]^[100] Her seventh studio album, Light Years, was released in September 2000.^[101] NME magazine called it a "fun, perfectly-formed" record, which saw Minogue "dropping her considerable concern for cool and bouncing back to her disco-pop roots".^[102] It was a commercial success, becoming her first number one album in her native Australia and charting at number two in the UK.^[103]^[104] The lead single, "Spinning Around", debuted atop the UK in July, making her the second artist to have a number-one single in three consecutive decades, after American singer-songwriter Madonna.^[105]^[106] Its accompanying video featured Minogue in revealing gold hotpants, which came to be regarded as a "trademark".^[107] Three other singles — "On a Night Like This", "Kids" with English singer Robbie Williams and "Please Stay" all peaked in the top ten in the UK, with the former becoming her sixth number-one in Australia.^[52]

An elaborate art book titled Kylie, featuring contributions by Minogue and creative director William Baker, was published by Booth-Clibborn in March 2000.^[108]^[109] At the time, she began a romantic relationship with model James Gooding.^[110] Their relationship ended after two and a half years.^[111] In October, she performed at both the closing ceremonies of the 2000 Summer Olympics and in the opening ceremony of the Paralympics, all held in Sydney.^[112]^[113] Her performance of ABBA's "Dancing Queen" was chosen as one of the most memorable Olympic closing ceremony moments by Kate Samuelson of TNT.^[114] In March 2001, she embarked on the On a Night Like This Tour, which was inspired by the style of Broadway shows and the musicals of the 1930s.^[115]^[116] She also made a brief cameo as The Green Fairy in Baz Luhrmann's film, Moulin Rouge!.^[117] It earned her an MTV Movie Award nomination in 2002.^[118] "Spinning Around" and Light Years consecutively won the ARIA Award for Best Pop Release in 2000 and 2001.^[119]^[120] In early 2001, she launched her own brand of underwear called Love Kylie in partnership with the Holeproof brand of Australian Pacific Brands.^[121]^[122]

In September 2001, Minogue released "Can't Get You Out of My Head", the lead single from her eighth studio album, Fever.^[123] It reached number one in over forty countries and sold five million copies,^[124]^[125] becoming her most successful single.^[126] The accompanying music video featured the singer sporting a hooded white jumpsuit with deep plunging neckline.^[127] The remaining singles — "In Your Eyes", "Love at First Sight" and "Come into My World" — all peaked in the top ten in Australia and the UK.^[104]^[52] The album was released in October and topped the charts in Australia,^[128] Austria,^[129] Germany,^[130] Ireland,^[131] and the UK,^[52] eventually achieving worldwide sales in excess of six million.^[132] Dominique Leone from Pitchfork complimented its simple and "comfortable" composition, terming it a "mature sound from a mature artist, and one that may very well re-establish Minogue for the VH1 generation".^[133] The warm reception towards the album led to its release in the U.S. in February 2002, through Capitol Records.^[134]^[135] Her first release in the U.S. in thirteen years led to her highest-charting album in the country, debuting at number three on the Billboard 200.^[136]^[137]^[138] On the Canadian Albums Chart, it peaked at number ten.^[139]

In April 2002, Minogue embarked on her KylieFever2002 tour in Europe and Australia, in support of the album.^[140] In the U.S., she performed several songs from the setlist in a series of KIIS-FM Jingle Ball concerts throughout 2002 and 2003.^[141]^[142]^[143] She received four accolades at the ARIA Music Awards of 2002, including Highest Selling Single and Single of the Year for "Can't Get You Out of My Head".^[144] That same year, she won her first Brit Award for International Female Solo Artist and Best International Album for Fever.^[145] She also performed a mashup of "Can't Get You Out of My Head" and New Order's "Blue Monday" at the show, which was named one of the "50 key events in the history of dance music" by The Guardian.^[146]

2003–2006: Body Language, Ultimate Kylie and Showgirl

In 2003, for the 45th Annual Grammy Awards, Minogue received her first Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording for "Love at First Sight",^[147] before winning the award for "Come into My World" the following year. It marked the first time an Australian recording artist had won in a major category since Men at Work in 1983.^[148] She began a relationship with French actor Olivier Martinez after meeting him at the 2003 Grammy Awards ceremony. They ended their relationship in February 2007 and remained on friendly terms.^[149]

Thumb — Minogue performing "Slow" during the Money Can't Buy concert show in 2003

In November 2003, Minogue released her ninth studio album, Body Language, following an invitation-only concert titled Money Can't Buy, at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. The album downplayed the disco style and was inspired by 1980s artists such as Scritti Politti, The Human League, Adam and the Ants and Prince, blending their styles with elements of hip hop.^[150] Andy Battaglia from The A.V. Club stated the album "shows Minogue as a surprisingly impressive presence in spurts, but she sounds better with her pleasure engine revving at full purr".^[151] The sales of the album were lower than anticipated after the success of Fever, peaking at number six in the UK.^[132]^[152]^[52] The album achieved first week sales of 43,000 and declined significantly in the second week.^[153] The lead single, "Slow", was a number one hit in Australia and the UK.^[154] In the U.S., it received a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Dance Recording category.^[147] Two more singles were released – "Red Blooded Woman" and "Chocolate", both charted within the top ten in the UK.^[52]

In November 2004, Minogue released her second greatest hits compilation album, Ultimate Kylie. It peaked at number five in Australia and number four in the UK ^[52] The Guardian included the compilation in their "1000 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" list in 2007.^[155] The album yielded two singles: "I Believe in You" and "Giving You Up", which both entered the top ten in Australia and in the UK.^[52] "I Believe in You" was later nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of "Best Dance Recording".^[156] In the same month, she had a "prominent" guest star role in the season finale of the Australian sitcom Kath & Kim, playing a grown up Epponnee-Rae Craig.^[157]^[158]

In February 2005, the animated film The Magic Roundabout was released, in which she served as the voice actress for the role of Florence.^[159] She reprised the role in 2006 and recorded the theme song for the American edition, re-titled as Doogal.^[160] In March, Minogue commenced her Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour. It initially had tour dates in Europe, Australia, Asia and a headlining appearance in Glastonbury Festival announced.^[161] In May, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, forcing her to cancel the remainder of the tour.^[162] In the same month, she underwent surgery and commenced chemotherapy treatment soon after.^[163]

In January 2006, it was announced Minogue had finished chemotherapy and the disease "had no recurrence" after the surgery.^[164] She would continue her treatment for the next months.^[165] Her children's book, The Showgirl Princess, written during her period of convalescence, was published in October, and her perfume, Darling, was launched in November.^[166] The range was later augmented by eau de toilettes including Pink Sparkle, Couture and Inverse.^[167] She resumed her then cancelled tour in November, under the title Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour. Her dance routines had been reworked to accommodate her medical condition, with slower costume changes and longer breaks between sections of the show to conserve her strength.^[168] The Sydney Morning Herald described the tour as an "extravaganza" and "nothing less than a triumph".^[169]

2007–2011: X and Aphrodite

In October 2007, Minogue was featured in White Diamond: A Personal Portrait of Kylie Minogue, a documentary filmed during 2006 and 2007 as she embarked on her Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour.^[170] In November, her tenth studio and "comeback" album, X was released.^[171] The electro-styled album included contributions from British producer Guy Chambers, British singer-songwriter Cathy Dennis, Swedish production duo Bloodshy & Avant and Scottish DJ-producer Calvin Harris.^[172] Both the album and its lead single, "2 Hearts", entered at number one in Australia.^[173]^[174] The lead single and follow-up singles – "In My Arms" and "Wow", all peaked inside the top ten in the UK.^[52] In the U.S., the album was nominated at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards for Best Electronic/Dance Album, but lost to Daft Punk.^[175] She appeared on her own television special The Kylie Show, which featured music performances and comedy sketches.^[176] By December, she guest-starred in the British television series Doctor Who's Christmas special – "Voyage of the Damned" as Astrid Peth. 13.31 million viewers in the UK watched it, the series' highest viewing figure since 1979.^[177]

In February 2008, Minogue launched her range of home furnishings, Kylie Minogue at Home.^[178] Her business venture later went on to launch its newest collection by February 2018, for its tenth anniversary.^[179] In May, she embarked on the KylieX2008 tour, her most expensive tour to date with production costs of £10 million.^[180]^[181] It was considered a success, with ticket sales estimated at US$70 million.^[182] She was then appointed a Chevalier of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the junior grade of France's highest cultural honour.^[183] In July, she was officially invested by the Prince of Wales as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.^[184]^[185] She won the "Best International Female Solo Artist" award at the Brit Awards 2008.^[186] In September, she made her Middle East debut as the headline act at the opening of Atlantis, The Palm, a hotel resort in Dubai.^[187] She was in a relationship with Spanish model Andrés Velencoso, starting from 2008 up until 2013.^[188]

In January 2009, Minogue hosted the Brit Awards with English multi-hyphenates James Corden and Mathew Horne.^[189] She then embarked on the For You, for Me tour by September, her first concert tour in North America.^[182] In October, she was featured in the Hindi film, Blue, performing an A. R. Rahman song.^[190]

In July 2010, Minogue released her eleventh studio album, Aphrodite.^[191] The album featured work from English record producer Stuart Price, Scottish DJ and record producer Calvin Harris, American musician Jake Shears, English singer-songwriter Nerina Pallot, Belgian musician Pascal Gabriel, Danish record producer Lucas Secon, English alternative rock band member Tim Rice-Oxley of Keane and British group Kish Mauve. Price served as an executive producer. Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone labelled the album as Minogue's "finest work since 1997's Impossible Princess."^[192] Tim Sendra from AllMusic commended Minogue's choice of collaborators and producers, commenting it is the "work of someone who knows exactly what her skills are and who to hire to help showcase them to perfection."^[193] The album debuted at number-one in the UK.^[194] The lead single, "All the Lovers" peaked at number three in the UK. Subsequent singles from the album — "Get Outta My Way", "Better than Today" and "Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)" followed.^[52] In November, she was featured on the single by the English singer Taio Cruz, "Higher". It entered the top ten in the UK by January of next year.^[52]

In February 2011, Minogue embarked on the Aphrodite: Les Folies Tour, performing in Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and Africa. With a stage set inspired by the "goddess of love" Aphrodite and Grecian culture and history, it was greeted with positive reviews from critics, who praised the concept and the stage production.^[195] The tour was a commercial success, grossing US$60 million.^[196]

2012–2016: The Abbey Road Sessions, Kiss Me Once and Kylie Christmas

In 2012, Minogue began a year-long celebration of her 25 years in the music industry, which was often called "K25". The anniversary started in March, with her embarking on the Anti Tour in England and Australia. The tour featured b-sides, demos and rarities from her music catalogue.^[197] The tour was positively received for its intimate atmosphere and was a commercial success.^[198] She released the single "Timebomb" in May and the greatest hits compilation album, The Best of Kylie Minogue in June.^[199] She performed at events such as Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Concert and BBC Proms in the Park London 2012.^[200]^[201]^[202] In October, she released the compilation album The Abbey Road Sessions, which contained reworked and orchestral versions of her previously released songs. It was recorded at London's Abbey Road Studios. It was produced by British record producer Steve Anderson and Colin Elliot.^[203] The album received favourable reviews from music critics.^[204] Andy Gill of The Independent called it "a more traditional makeover, an attempt to give a more elegant lustre to callow pop kitsch, usually by slowing the song down and loading on strings."^[205] It debuted at number two in the UK.^[206] In film, she has appeared in the American independent film Jack & Diane for a cameo role, and a lead role in the French film Holy Motors.^[207] Jack & Diane opened at the Tribeca Festival in April, while Holy Motors opened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival in May.^[208]

In January 2013, Minogue parted ways with manager Terry Blamey, who managed her since the start of her singing career.^[209] The following month, she signed to entertainment agency Roc Nation for a management deal.^[210] In September, she was featured on Italian singer-songwriter Laura Pausini's single "Limpido", which was a number-one hit in Italy and received a nomination for "World's Best Song" at the 2013 World Music Awards.^[211] In the same month, she was hired as a coach for the third series of BBC One's talent competition television show The Voice UK, alongside American record producer and The Black Eyed Peas member, will.i.am, English singer Ricky Wilson of Kaiser Chiefs and Welsh singer Tom Jones.^[212] The series opened with 9.35 million views in the UK, an increase from the previous series. It accumulated an estimated 8.10 million viewers on average.^[213]^[214] Ed Power from The Daily Telegraph commented on Minogue for being "glamorous, agreeably giggly [and] a card-carrying national treasure".^[215] In November, she was hired as a coach for the third season of Nine Network's The Voice Australia.^[216]

In March 2014, Minogue released her twelfth studio album, Kiss Me Once.^[217] It featured contributions from Australian singer-songwriter Sia, American record producer Mike Del Rio, Danish record producer Cutfather, American multi-hyphenate Pharrell Williams, British record producer MNEK, American record producer Ariel Rechtshaid and Spanish singer-songwriter Enrique Iglesias.^[218] Kitty Empire from The Observer described it "polished but kittenish... remains true to the effervescent dance-pop for which Minogue is known."^[219] The album peaked at number one in Australia and number two in the UK.^[220]^[221] Two singles were released, "Into the Blue" and "I Was Gonna Cancel".^[52] In August, she performed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, donning a custom Jean Paul Gaultier corset.^[222] In September, she embarked on the Kiss Me Once Tour.^[223]

In March 2015, Minogue left Parlophone Records and Roc Nation.^[224] She entered into a trademark dispute with reality television personality Kylie Jenner, in Jenner's attempt to trademark the brand "Kylie", which Minogue has been trading under since the 1990s. The dispute was eventually resolved in Minogue's favour in 2017.^[225] In May, she appeared as Susan Riddick in the American film San Andreas, starring American actor Dwayne Johnson and American actress Carla Gugino.^[226] In September, an extended play with Mexican-American record producer Fernando Garibay titled Kylie + Garibay was released.^[227] Garibay and Moroder served as producers for the extended play.^[228]

In November, Minogue released her thirteenth studio album and first Christmas album, Kylie Christmas.^[229] It features work from actress-singer-presenter Dannii Minogue, English musician Chris Martin of Coldplay and record producing team Stargate.^[230] The album missed the top ten in the UK.^[52] Lauren Murphy from The Irish Times commented on her review, "do we really need another pop star doing another bog-standard Christmas album with a sprinkling of festive cheese?... Minogue is better placed than most to do such an album, given her longevity in the business."^[231] The following year, it was re-released entitled as Kylie Christmas: Snow Queen Edition.^[232] A Christmas concert series in the Royal Albert Hall, London was held in both December 2015 and 2016, in support of the album.^[233]^[234] In 2016, she was engaged to British actor Joshua Sasse, with their relationship ending in 2017.^[235]^[236]

2017–2021: Golden, Step Back in Time: The Definitive Collection and Disco

In February 2017, Minogue signed a record deal with BMG Rights Management.^[237] In December 2017, she and BMG had struck a joint-deal with Mushroom Group — under the sub-division label, Liberator Music to release her next album in Australia and New Zealand.^[238] Throughout 2017, she worked with writers and producers for her fourteenth studio album, including Nigerian-German record producer Sky Adams and British record-producer Richard Stannard. It was recorded in London, Los Angeles and Nashville, with the latter profoundly influencing the record.^[239]^[240]

The album Golden was released in April 2018, with "Dancing" serving as its lead single.^[239] It debuted at number one in Australia and in the UK.^[241] Tim Sendra from AllMusic labelled the album a "darn bold" for an artist of Minogue's longevity, stating "the amazing thing about the album, and about her, is that she pulls off the country as well as she's pulled off new wave, disco, electro, murder ballads, and everything else she's done in her long career."^[242] Pitchfork's Ben Cardew stated it "sounds like someone playing at country music, rather than someone who understands it."^[243] The album led several more singles such as "Stop Me from Falling", the title track "Golden", "A Lifetime to Repair" and "Music's Too Sad Without You" featuring English singer Jack Savoretti.^[244]^[245] In support of the album, she embarked on Kylie Presents Golden and Golden Tour.^[246]^[247] She was among the performers at The Queen's Birthday Party held at the Royal Albert Hall in April.^[248] In the same year, she began dating Paul Solomons, the creative director of British GQ.^[249] After five years, they split in February 2023.^[250]

In June 2019, Minogue released the greatest hits compilation album Step Back in Time: The Definitive Collection, featuring "New York City" as the lead single.^[251] Tim Sendra of AllMusic complimented the collection describing it as a "truly definitive and essential for anyone who wants to look back on her [Minogue's] brilliant career."^[252] It was number one in Australia and in the UK.^[253]^[254] In the same month, she embarked on her Summer 2019 tour, which included her debut performance at the Glastonbury Festival – fourteen years after her breast cancer diagnosis forced her to cancel her 2005 headlining slot.^[255] Performing in the "Legends slot", her set featured appearances from Australian musician Nick Cave and English musician Chris Martin. The Guardian labeled it as "solid-gold, peerless and phenomenal".^[256] Her set was the most watched of the BBC coverage, earning three million viewers and setting a history record for the most attended Glastonbury set.^[257]^[258] By December, she appeared in her own Christmas television special, Kylie's Secret Night on Channel 4.^[259]

In May 2020, Minogue launched Kylie Minogue Wines in partnership with English beverages distributor Benchmark Drinks, with Rosé Vin de France serving as the debut product.^[260] Her prosecco rosé had become the number one branded prosecco in the UK, according to Nielsen Holdings data.^[261] The wine brand has sold over five million bottles by June 2022, and won a Golden Vines Award for entrepreneurship.^[262]

Following her Glastonbury performance, Minogue stated she would like to create a "disco-pop album" and return to recording new material after the performance.^[263]^[264] In 2020, work continued on her fifteenth studio album during the COVID-19 pandemic.^[265] Using a home studio to record throughout lockdowns, she also recorded and audio engineered her own vocals.^[266] The singles, "Say Something" and "Magic" were released in July and September respectively.^[267]^[268] In November, Disco was released, reaching number one in Australia and the UK.^[128] She became the only female artist to achieve a number one album in five consecutive decades, from the 1980s to the 2020s.^[269] In support of the album, a livestream concert titled Infinite Disco was held.^[270] Nick Levine of NME called the album her "most consistent and enjoyable album in a decade."^[271] In December, "Real Groove" was released as a single, with a subsequent remix featuring English singer Dua Lipa.^[272]^[273] The album was reissued in November 2021, titled Disco: Guest List Edition. It contained new tracks featuring British band Years & Years, English singer Jessie Ware and American singer Gloria Gaynor.^[274]

2022–present: Tension and Tension II

By 2022, Minogue began working for her sixteenth studio album.^[275] In February, after living in London since the 1990s, she relocated back to Melbourne, citing a desire to be closer to her family in Australia.^[276] In July, she returned to her role in Neighbours as Charlene, for a brief appearance for the show's intended series finale.^[277]

In May 2023, Minogue released the lead single "Padam Padam" from her sixteenth album Tension. The song entered the top ten in the United Kingdom and marked her as the only female artist to achieve a UK top ten entry in the 1980s to the 2020s.^[278] The single won an ARIA Award for Best Pop Release and a Grammy Award for Best Pop Dance Recording, becoming her second Grammy win after "Come into My World" in 2004.^[279]^[280] The album later released in September to critical acclaim.^[281] Featuring works from British record producer Lostboy, singer-songwriter Kamille, Dutch DJ Oliver Heldens, and previous collaborators Richard Stannard, Duck Blackwell,and Jon Green; Minogue described the album as "a blend of personal reflection, club abandon and melancholic high".^[282] Hannah Mylrea of Rolling Stone UK claimed it as "brilliantly good fun and soaring pop music, with a huge amount of heart that brings big emotions to the dancefloor, much like its creator."^[283] The album debuted at number one in Australia and the UK.^[284]^[285] The title track "Tension" and "Hold On to Now" both served as the follow up singles.^[286]^[287]

In November, Minogue embarked on a concert residency – More Than Just a Residency at Voltaire at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show sold out within minutes. Michael Idato of The Sydney Morning Herald said the show was "brief and a blast of Vegas high".^[288] In December, a television concert special, An Audience with Kylie filmed at the Royal Albert Hall, aired on ITV.^[289] Ateeqe Bhatti of Attitude gave her performance a good review, labeling Minogue as a "masterclass in stage performance".^[290]

In February 2024, Minogue signed with United Talent Agency for live representation in Canada and the U.S., as well for acting roles worldwide.^[291] In March, she received the Global Icon Award at the Brit Awards 2024, and performed a medley of her singles.^[292] In the same month, she also received Billboard Women in Music's Icon Award.^[293] She then performed with American singer Madonna for the 7 March concert of Madonna's The Celebration Tour. Minogue stated that it was a "long time coming", with Madonna describing Minogue as a "survivor and a fighter."^[294]

Minogue released her seventeenth studio album, Tension II on 18 October 2024, with "Lights Camera Action" as the lead single.^[295] Serving as a "companion" to Tension, the album features collaborations with the Blessed Madonna, Diplo, Tove Lo, Orville Peck, Bebe Rexha and Sia.^[296] The album peaked at number one in Australia and the UK.^[297]^[298] Puah Ziwei of NME described the album as "tighter and bolder", claiming it "surpasses its predecessor and stands strong on its own".^[299]

In 2025, Minogue is set to embark on the Tension Tour, supporting both Tension albums, on 15 February on Perth, Australia.^[300] Described as Minogue's "biggest tour since 2011" by Billboard, the tour would visit North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.^[301]