Fire engine red. A seductive sway of hips. The earworm that took over TikTok last year, ‘Padam Padam’ turned out to be the tipping point for Kylie Minogue’s definitive return to the global stage. Could we call it a comeback though? After all, the Australian pop icon has been relentless in her craft through the decades; of studio albums and various accolades. She’s long proven her longevity in the music industry but given her recent success for her 16th studio album Tension, with ‘Padam Padam’ clinching a Grammy for Best Pop Dance Recording and an epic tour on the horizon, this year feels very much like hers.
Sitting across from me in a room in Shangri-La Singapore just a day before her headlining act at the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the pop icon contemplates and acknowledges her recent ascent to global awareness. “You know, you’re going to have songs, which I have had, do well. And amongst your fanbase, they love them. But to have one that really does the job, those are really special moments. I feel like the longer I’ve done this, the more I appreciate those moments and to have it be cross-generational, I think it’s just incredible,” concurs Minogue.
It’s this juncture where the virality of ‘Padam Padam’ on TikTok comes up, as Minogue laughs and confesses her inept ability at using the social media platform prior to the hit single being a phenomenon on everyone’s FYPs. She expresses: “‘Padam Padam’ was this portal of understanding when it came to TikTok. And I was like, ‘right, this is what it is’. You can’t force it. It has to happen organically and authentically. So it did and it opened the doors for me to have fun with it now.” A sentiment that rings true for any kind of success on TikTok but particularly a winning breakthrough for a veteran artist who’s eras ahead of the TikTok generation.
Perhaps it is really Minogue’s authenticity that has assured her unwavering presence in the industry, whether it be through her unmistakable star power or the dedication to that signature Kylie sound that pulses through anthems like ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ to her latest release ‘My Oh My’ featuring Tove Lo and Bebe Rexha. The dance genre sits at the forefront of her discography and to which Minogue trails off: “I remember hearing trance music for the first time or when I would go clubbing all the time. There will always be music like that. We’re still going to go to someone’s wedding or someone’s birthday, and we’re going to dance ourselves stupid to a vintage song. So I know dance can be cool, and it can be totally uncool, which makes it super cool. It’s about expression, it’s about how your body moves and feels.”
On the prospect of touring and new music in the sequel to Tension, aptly named Tension II that will feature 13 songs, Minogue is pumped up for what’s to come. Sparks light in her eyes when speaking of her time in the studio, relishing her love for the process of making new music, even if it doesn’t actually go anywhere. Her soon-to-be-released single ‘Lights Camera Action’ holds as a harbinger to yet another exciting chapter for the 56-year-old starlet. “One of the writers that wrote ‘Padam Padam’ worked on this track so there’s definitely a link. When I heard the demo, I just thought it was a fun song and what’s important was this tension and hold that draws you in. It draws and then it drops and it’s a pretty solid drop,” teases Minogue.
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Anyone who has paid attention to Minogue’s artistry would know that a core part of it is centred around her acute sense of style. Sensual, unapologetic and always evolving. Just last year, Minogue fronted Jean Paul Gaultier’s collaboration with Jimmy Choo and before that, made headlines as Marc Jacobs’ campaign muse. There’s never quite knowing what her next fashion move might be. “I do feel like I’m a natural chameleon. People like to say reinvention but is it really? Maybe to them it seems like it but I like to play and be different versions of myself.” She credits her knowledge and interest in fashion to her grandmother. “She taught me to sew, knit and cut patterns and all sorts of things when I was little. And I was so little that nothing fitted me. So I’d go to the market and buy clothes and tailor them to fit me.”
As for what her upcoming Tension Tour wardrobe might look like? Mugler bodysuits and one very glaring John Galliano come to mind but I wouldn’t dare hedge any real bets. Even as Minogue nonchalantly lifts up her Diesel dress to reveal a pair of Nikes, as she leaves me by quipping: “I’m in my trainer era now.”
Tension II will release on 18 October.
