Itsreallywild, says Kylie Minogue.
Its crazy and exciting, and Im so conscious this is a good time for me, Minogue muses.
Here, she tellsVogueall about it.
Photo: Charlotte Rutherford
How are you grappling with this latest moment in your career?
Kylie Minogue:you might never make a song with one note.
For fans who have been with me the whole timethe OGsit feels like a celebration.
Photo: Charlotte Rutherford
Theres now a whole new generation who decided to plug in.
And more broadly speaking [this shows] that anything is possible.
And that can relate to anyones life.
Tension IImarks the first time youve put out a sequel album.
What connects it toTension?
Well, that wasnt the intention.
With so many albums, you do a repackaging and theres two or three more songs.
I was also in the studio with great writers.
The next album will be the next thing.
But I feel like weve gone from 16:9 ratio to Panavision; its broadened the world ofTension.
And now, with a new tour, theres definitely still a lot of excitement for this current era.
Its like,Doo-doo-doo, Im not tryin to be anything, Im just here being a pop song.
Those kinds of songs are my favorites.
Did I catch a Donna Summer reference in that song?
Was she an influence of yours growing up?
But with Donna Summer, I listened to her albumBad Girlsa lot when I was around that age.
It was amazing to learn of her journey and also how insanely smokin hot she was.
I realized she affected me a lot beyond what I even thought.
I mean, those performances and her looks?
She was provocative, but she was also self-contained.
Wasnt she actually bashful in the studio?
As I can be.
I can come off as a total prude, but the flipside of me can be anything but.
Was there one moment when you realized youd started developing this fervent gay following?
Theres definitely a moment I remember in around 1989 or 1990.
In Sydney, the most famous gay bar at the time was called the Albury on Oxford Street.
I was visiting Sydney and someone said, Theres a Kylie show at the Albury.
I was like, What?
One was even modeled after a Coca Cola commercial I did.
That was the moment I was like,Wow!Thats amazing.
It took me a couple more years before I actually saw a drag show with versions of me.
But [the fanbase] wasnt something I actively pursued.
With that extra level of love and devotion, if anyone does that for you, its reciprocated.
I really have to kind of attempt to find the words, but its been very organic and powerful.
Definitely both of those things.
Its easy because you have people’s attention and ears and their enthusiasm.
It just kept going!
We were really relieved and just so happy that choosingTensionas the second song felt like a proper follow-up.
So it was all kind of perfect.
Now that Padam Padam is done, you could look back and say, Of course that made sense!
But youve got to go back to each layer.
I mean, imagine Padam without the music video!?
How did you deal with fame at that time?
It can be complicated, for sure, but in many ways it was a different time.
You didnt have social media, so does that make it easier?
Being famous doesnt exclude you from that at all.
Youve been a part of so many peoples amazing nights out.
Whats been one of your own most memorable nights out?.
In my entire life?My God.My clubbing period was like the early 90s.
I felt like that was the best era, but that was alsomyclubbing period.
Im sure if you went out during Studio 54 or the garage rave era, those will be yours.
But I go back to London in 1991 and 1992.
I also remember going out in my John Galiano split skirt often.
I wish I still had half of these clothes; theyre all gone.
I think it was at about four when I left, when the place was clearing out.
How are you feeling leading up to it?
Its like the emoji with the swirly eyes.
Its mostly excitement, with a few nerves.
Weve been working on the setlist and trying to lock down the show.
This one will be more about delivering the music and feeling together in the room.
Thatll be the magic…letting the music take you away.
Its about making that energy swirl and just having an amazing night together.
Bringing people together with that joyIm sure you realize thats not something just anybody can do.
Im not sure why Ive been blessed to have this ability.
Its about finding joy and hope wherever you might need it.
This conversation has been edited and condensed.
