Kylie Minogue – The ‘Golden’ Impossible Princess Does New York Pride

One of the most vibrant, effervescent and in-demand female vocalists on the planet, Kylie Minogue, will be headlining New York Pride this year on the heels of the release of her newest album, “Golden,” via BMG. Tickets for her Pride performance sold out in record time, as well as her show at The Bowery Ballroom the following day, which were sold out within just 10 minutes.

New York City is completely exhilarated at the Australian-born singer and actress’ arrival. Her career began with her role as Charlene Robinson on the ever-popular Australian soap, “Neighbours.” The Princess of Pop, as she is often recognized, is the highest-selling Australian artist of all time, according to the Australian Recording Industry Association.

Minogue’s signature single is “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” named “Catchiest Song Ever” by Yahoo! Music. However, she has also celebrated great success with tracks such as “The Loco-Motion,” “I Should Be So Lucky,” “Love At First Sight,” “Especially for You,” “Better the Devil You Know,” “2 Hearts”, “All The Lovers,” and the single ‘Dancing’ went #1 on the Billboard Dance Club Cart.

Her new release, “Golden,” is a Nashville-flavored, storytelling, musical extravaganza, something very different for the usually dance-oriented pop goddess—and she wears it very well. Filled with sparkly, glittered guitars and salacious costumes, the videos that accompany the new album are also fabulous.

I was fortunate enough to be able to speak with Minogue about the album and her upcoming Pride concert. She was vivacious, candid and a lot of fun.

I am in love with your new album, “Golden,” and I particularly love the sparkling guitar in the “Dancing” video.
Thank you so much. When we shot that video I had to masquerade as an actual guitarist. I don’t play guitar. I tried to wear a lot of sparkle and dazzle so no one would really notice my faux guitar playing.

Well, you certainly fooled me.
Thank you.

What made you decide to go with a country and western flavor on this release?
It was a suggestion from my A&R at my label. He was a guy I’ve previously worked with, and we go back a long way. Actually, I’ve had a lot of success in the past, so any advice from him I listen to. We started in the studio in 2017, and he suggested a country element or an influence. I immediately said sure, because I love to try new things and because I trust him, but I didn’t know what he meant.

To try and cut a long story short, I asked the producers if they knew what he means, and they said not really, so let’s write a song. So we just kind of did more of the type of music that people would’ve expected without any country influence. Then the suggestion was to go to Nashville, which made it all make sense. I now understand how right he was, how it really made the project fresh for me. I mean, it’s not a new genre—pop would’ve been country or country would’ve been pop depending on the proportions—but it was new and fresh for me. I think it allowed me to focus more on melody and storytelling.

It is very different than anything I’ve heard you do, and I really like it. I feel like country is big in the UK now.
Well, I’m learning that it’s big everywhere to a certain group of people. If you love it—and it seems to be that people love it—they love it passionately. But now that I’ve had that experience at writing songs like that and delivering songs like that vocally and lyrically, I can hear something that might be labeled as not having country influence, but I think I did a good one. I’m not sure where I will go next, but I certainly won’t forget the lesson that I’ve learned making that one.

So you’re doing New York Pride, which is a really big deal.
Yeah, and it’s becoming more and more real. I’ve not done it before, so it’s going to be a double whammy. It’s my first time experiencing Pride, and I’m performing at Pride. I imagine I’m going to be pretty overwhelmed, very excited, a tad nervous, and I’m looking forward to a huge audience.

The show was already sold out, and that usually doesn’t happen as fast as it did.
Really?

Yes, really! So no pressure.
Oh, wow! Oh, OK.

Then you are following Pride with a performance the night after at the Bowery Ballroom.
We managed to kind of hustle that at the last minute. So for Pride we will be in the time that I’ve been given, trying to put in some of the new stuff, and obviously the known stuff, as much as we can within a half hour. Then the next night is a show pretty much like the one we did in Europe when we launched it. It’s like an album showcase with a couple little surprises. And I think that one has sold out as well.

It sold out within 10 minutes.
It’s a small audience, totally intimate, and it’s just a lot of fun for me to go from one extreme to the other.

There will be thousands at Pride.
I looked at some examples online, and it looked pretty amazing seeing the skyline and the lights from all the buildings. It looks like it’s going to be a sensation. I can’t wait.