Kylie Minogue

Although she's only managed one hit in the U.S. since her arrival as a singer in 1987, Kylie Minogue is both Australia and Europe's biggest selling female pop singer over that period and a pop culture icon in those areas.

Her image on the cover of magazines is guaranteed to produce extra sales. But a singing career was never what Minogue had in mind for herself.

b. 28 May 1968, Melbourne, Australia.

Coming from a stage family, Minogue passed an audition for the Australian soap opera, Neighbours, which eventually led to her recording debut with Little Eva's hit, "The Loco-Motion".

When the television series was successfully screened in Britain, prolific hit producers Stock, Aitken And Waterman intervened to mould Minogue's attractive, wholesome, anodyne image to their distinctive brand of radio-centred pop.

The first UK single, "I Should Be So Lucky", reached number 1 in early 1988, presaging an impressive chart run of instantly hummable UK hits, including "Got To Be Certain" (number 2), "Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" (number 2), "Hand On Your Heart" (number 1), "Wouldn't Change A Thing" (number 2), "Never Too Late" (number 4), "Tears On My Pillow" (number 1), "Better The Devil You Know" (number 2), "Step Back In Time" (number 4), "What Do I Have To Do" (number 6) and "Shocked" (number 6).

If she was ever just along for the ride, Minogue took her first step towards control over her career with her 1990 single "Better the Devil You Know," not letting Stock Aitken and Waterman see the video she was making for the song until it was completed.

SAW insisted on casting her in a girl-next-door mode, while Minogue opted for a saucier Madonna-like image.

It ensured her continued success and reputation as a celebrity beyond the pop charts. With her fourth album, Let's Go to It (1991), the singer also insisted on lyrical input. With solo success enhanced by duets with co-star Jason Donovan, including the UK number 1 "Especially For You", Minogue emerged as one of the most successfully marketed acts of the late 80s and early 90s, with books and movies, including The Delinquents.

1991 was also the year that she became romantically involved with INXS lead singer, Michael Hutchence. This romance allowed her to explore her sexuality further and was the beginning of Minogue's new image. Further hit singles included a duet with Keith Washington on "If You Were With Me Now", and "Give Me Just A Little More Time".

Surprisingly, she even won some acclaim in the music press and found herself championed as an unlikely "pop goddess", signing to dance music label Deconstruction Records in 1994. She enjoyed another UK hit single the same year with the mature "Confide In Me".

In 1996 she recorded a single, "Where The Wild Roses Grow", with Nick Cave and the following year was working in the recording studio with the Manic Street Preachers.

The original title for Impossible Princess had to be changed, as it was felt that it clashed with the death of Princess Diana. Not to be confused with her 1994 self-titled release, Kylie Minogue was a much grungier album than expected, but marked a downturn in Minogue's commercial fortunes that resulted in her being dropped by Deconstruction.

The following year she was working in the recording studio with the Manic Street Preachers, further enhancing her new found credibility.

She signed a new deal with Parlophone Records in 1999, and returned to the top of the UK charts the following July with the infectious dance single, "Spinning Around". Light Years saw Minogue firmly back in the disco pop bracket, an area to which she is clearly best suited.

She returned to the top of the UK singles chart in September 2001 with the highly catchy "Can't Get You Out Of My Head". A sparkling new album followed to delight her fans.

Minogue's renaissance continued in America, with "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" breaking into the Top 10 and Fever rapidly ascending the charts.

2003's Brit Awards saw the much discussed Kylie posterior hit the headlines again, as it was pawed by Justin Timberlake in a steamy duet.

'Body Language', Ms Minogues 2003 album effort, spawned the recent number 1 'Slow'. Now she is set to release the second single from that album, entitled 'Red Blooded Woman'

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