Kylie Minogue OBE

Readers note: This is an excerpt from the 200 Treasures exhibition catalogue, developed in 2017. This content was written as a brief biography on why this person was included in the exhibition.

Kylie Minogue has been a phenomenon since the age of 18.

She first appeared in our living rooms in 1986 when she played the tomboy mechanic Charlene Robinson in the soap opera Neighbours, a role that catapulted her to fame in Australia and the UK. She came from a Melbourne showbiz family; her younger sister Dannii was a television star on Young Talent Time.

Following her Neighbours success, Minogue embarked on a singing career that soon eclipsed her acting work. Her first single, a cover of The Loco- Motion, topped the charts in 1987 and launched her long and illustrious career as a recording artist and performer. She paved the way for many who started out in television soaps and moved to music, but no-one could emulate her success in retaining a place as a leading female performer over four decades.

It has not all been smooth sailing. At first, she attracted harsh criticism for being a packaged pop product, but over the years she earned respect for her edgier and more artistic work. Her music evolved and so too did her live performances, acclaimed for their opulent stagecraft. Kylie’s biggest hits captured her signature sound: a dance beat.

During the years she endured immense criticism, Kylie maintained a loyal following of fans, especially among the gay community. She returned this support and became a champion of their community.

She has lent considerable support to AIDS research and also to breast cancer research after she was diagnosed with the condition in 2005. Although she has made her home in London for many years, her connections to Australia remain strong. She has appeared in numerous Australian productions, such as Moulin Rouge, and on the immensely popular television series Kath and Kim, Kylie appeared as Epponnee Rae, a hilarious homage to Charlene from Neighbours.