Kylie Minogue was my first CD - seeing her perform was not what I expected
As per her 2007 hit: 'Wow, wow, wow, wow.'
Kylie Minogue is not consigned to the past, even if it is nearing four decades since her breakout 80s track, The Loco-Motion.
Alongside – oddly – Elvis Presley, Kylie's 2001 album Fever, with Love At First Sight, In Your Eyes and Can't Get You Out Of My Head, was my first CD. Experiencing her live over 20 years on was an experience I will never forget, and one I was not expecting.
I thought seeing Kylie would simply be a warm, familiar burst of sunny nostalgia all these years on, but she was everything and more, with outfit changes galore, whiplash dance moves, and a voice that never, ever falters.
In 2025, the 57-year-old is past, present and future. She is a chart-topping discography of pop, disco and even country-inspired bangers dating back to before the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Right now, Kylie is the only solo female artist to have performed over 21 times at the O2, as she explained last night, while clutching her chest, shaking her head and wiping away tears.
But Kylie is also the future. She's spearheading the LGBT+ music scene, with album Tension, from which her global mega-hit Padam, Padam was born. It was clear last night that she's a modern day icon as much as an 80s, 90s, or 00s one, with dramatic cries of 'Mother!' audible from youngsters in the crowd.
Cultural relevance partied alongside nostalgia, with fans desperately waving signs to signify it was their 50th and 80th Kylie show, demonstrating just how multifaceted her influence is. This unusual melting pot of fans made for one hell of an atmosphere.
Come Into My World cut through beaty pop hits like Get Outta My Way with a 90s trance-like romance, while Better the Devil You Know united 20,000 strangers into one huge hug of a party, everyone safe in Kylie's experienced arms.
At no point did Kylie stumble, misstep, or sing a dud note. She was spectacular and heartfelt from start to finish. Kylie has so much love for fans that she sang three mini-songs acapella at their request – Hand on Your Heart, Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi and Midnight Ride. More Trending
A highlight was Dancing, her 2018 track which veers mysteriously into country and got the audience swaying and toe-tapping in unison. When Kylie stripped things back for an acoustic version of Say Something, with all the fuss of lights, synthy beats and dancers gone, like a true professional megastar, she shone.
After a sultry, dimly-lit and powerful turn in Slow, the last three songs of the show were unbridled euphoria. All The Lovers was a floaty, enchanting pop explosion and the highlight of the evening, before Padam Padam saw Mother enter the room.
I looked around the O2 during the closing song of the evening, Love at First Sight, and all I saw was pits-in-the-air jubilation. That's the feeling Kylie gave me when I was six, and one she's still conjuring over 20 years later.
Got a story?
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
16 minutes ago
- Metro
Narinder Kaur criticises BBC's decision to cast Thomas Skinner on Strictly
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Narinder Kaur has questioned the BBC casting Thomas Skinner on Strictly Come Dancing. This week the line-up for the upcoming season of the long-running series was released, with some of the celebrities taking part including Vicky Pattison, Dani Dyer and Alex Kingston. Yesterday it was also announced that former The Apprentice star Thomas, 34, had signed up. 'I'm beyond excited to be joining Strictly Come Dancing. I've tackled the boardroom and some big breakfasts in my time but stepping onto the dance floor under that glitter ball is next level stuff!' he said. 'I've never danced in my life (other than at weddings) but I'm ready to graft and of course have a laugh. Bring on the sequins, sambas and most importantly, the BOSH to the ballroom!' Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. However, his casting has caused some backlash, including from TV star Narinder, who also claimed she was told that she was 'too controversial' for the show herself. Narinder, I respect that you stand up for what you believe in, not everyone's got the guts to do that. Yes, I've got a past, but I'm not here to divide people. I'm just trying to get people to believe in themselves and realise they can do more than they think. Life can be so much… — Thomas Skinner ⚒ (@iamtomskinner) August 14, 2025 In the caption of a video posted to X, the Jeremy Vine panellist and former Big Brother star, 52, said: 'Apparently I was deemed too controversial for @bbcstrictly because they only hire quiet brown and black women that fit in a box. 'But you can be a white man AND be controversial and you'll be hired on the spot! Hello Thomas Skinner!!' In a statement, she added: 'There's only so much you can say in a short video, but I felt something many others have been feeling all day and that was complete shock and utter bewilderment – to see Thomas be announced in the line-up, considering all the rhetoric about how people with right-wing opinions are cancelled and not allowed on the BBC. 'I've debated Tom on Good Morning Britain before, I supported his book release at his launch party, there is a huge disparity in what certain demographics of people are allowed to say and still get one show after another. 'I met the Strictly team at the TV Choice Awards earlier this year and got talking to one of the bookers about the show generally – and she said, 'You're a bit too controversial and we can't have that for the show',' she added. Soon after Skinner replied directly to her post. 'Narinder, I respect that you stand up for what you believe in, not everyone's got the guts to do that. Yes, I've got a past, but I'm not here to divide people. I'm just trying to get people to believe in themselves and realise they can do more than they think. 'Life can be so much better when you let happiness in and don't always be angry towards others. If I've ever upset you, I'm sorry… that's never been my intention. I wish ya nothing but peace, happiness, and a life you can truly enjoy. Bosh.' He also addressed the backlash from the public, writing: 'They say don't read the comments on social media. But I couldn't help myself. I've had absolute pellets all day on my Instagram about going on Strictly. Why are some people so angry that don't even know me.' In recent weeks Skinner claimed he'd faced 'death threats' and 'vile comments' about his children after sharing a series of posts on social media in which he said, 'something's gone wrong' in the UK, and that 'there is nothing wrong with being proud of where you're from'. He also sparked criticism for writing that it 'was not far-right' to be 'flying your flag and loving your country'. The TV star and businessman said that London was 'hostile', 'tense' and 'not safe out there anymore'. More Trending Earlier this week he also met US vice president JD Vance, who is currently holidaying in the Cotswolds. During the 2024 United States presidential election, Skinner expressed support for Republican candidate Donald Trump. I love Trump I think he is brilliant, that's my opinion. I think it's good he is back in charge, it will be good for the UK economy,' he said. Since appearing on The Apprentice in 2019, Skinner has also appeared on 8 Out of 10 Cats, The Wheel, Michael McIntyre's Big Show, Good Morning Britain, Faking It, and Celebrity MasterChef. View More » Metro has contacted the BBC for comment. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Strictly star Nadiya Bychkova shares photo from hospital bed after 'scary' fall MORE: Inside EastEnders and Strictly star Balvinder Sopal's life and prolific career MORE: Strictly in fresh scandal after staffer claims they were 'offered cocaine by show star'
Daily Mail
17 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Kylie Minogue responds to Taylor Swift comparisons after fans accuse singer of copying her
Kylie Minogue has responded to Taylor Swift comparisons on Instagram on Thursday after fans accused the singer of copying her. The Cruel Summer hitmaker sent Swifties around the world into a meltdown when she unveiled the cover of her new album, The Life Of A Showgirl, on Wednesday. But some have since accused the American star, 35, of copying iconic pop queen Kylie's Showgirl: The Greatest Hits era. Now Kylie has shared her opinion on the claims as she shared a number of stunning pictures of her dressed up from her own Showgirl Era. The Can't Get You Out Of My Head hitmaker wrote: 'When all your friends start sending you your Showgirl mems!!! Awww. 'Showgirl life is 'a thing', multi dimensional and so much more than feathers and dazzle. 'Respect and admiration to all my fellow hard working Showgirls'. The Aussie icon commenced her Showgirl world tour in 2005 with performances in Europe before travelling to her native Melbourne, where she was diagnosed with breast cancer, causing her to postpone the remaining dates. Several fans flocked to social media to claim Taylor ripped off Kylie's showgirl look by posing in feathers and a gem-encrusted outfit. 'Kylie is the one and only showgirl! No shade to Taylor but Kylie is the ultimate,' one person wrote on Instagram. 'There's only one Showgirl and that's Kylie!!' another commented while a third person agreed: 'There is only one Showgirl and that's our Kylie.' Despite some backlash, others rushed to Taylor's defence and insisted that more than one showgirl can exist. 'So is 'showgirl' only reserved for Kylie or what? Don't get me wrong as I am a fan of both Kylie and Taylor... Was just wondering,' one commented. 'These comments dragging Taylor are exhausting. Kylie is one of my faves but how about we stop pitting women against each other?' a second said. Kylie wrote: 'When all your friends start sending you your Showgirl mems!!! Awww. Showgirl life is 'a thing', multi dimensional and so much more than feathers and dazzle' 'Kylie and Taylor should do a collab,' another suggested. It comes after Taylor unveiled first-look images of her jaw-dropping upcoming album artwork to accompany her new record, The Life Of A Showgirl. The 14-time Grammy Award-winning singer, 35, looked nothing short of sensational in a skimpy feathered outfits, which were shared alongside the album announcement. Taylor first dropped the news about her 12th studio album earlier this week while teasing her upcoming appearance on boyfriend Travis Kelce's New Heights podcast. On Wednesday, just as her New Heights episode premiered, the Red singer revealed the official album cover for The Life Of A Showgirl. She confirmed that the album will be released on October 3 — just over a year and a half after the release of her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department. In the new album artwork, Taylor sizzled in racy gem-encrusted outfits fit for the stage as she posed in a theatre. Keeping in the showgirl theme, Taylor wore a huge 1920s-themed feathered headpiece and dazzling bodysuit as she gazed away from the camera. Turning up the heat, the Cruel Summer songstress wowed in a black and red glittering strapless bodysuit as she posed lying on a chair. She left her long blonde tresses loose and accessorised with coordinated long gloves and sexy fishnet tights. For the main album cover, Taylor showed off her amazing figure in a jewelled bodysuit as she lay in a bathtub. The busty starlet stares stoically at the camera in the striking image captured by famed photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.
Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
'I was a top UK cocaine smuggler and I think Top Boy is completely ridiculous'
When you've lived a life 'comfortably in the top 1% of cocaine smugglers', watching the drug trade play out on the small screen can make the flaws hard to ignore. Take Ronan Bennett's Top Boy, which was touted as a realistic portrayal of life on a Hackney council estate with the 'shotting' (selling), 'food' (drugs) and 'Ps' (cash) in the mix. Yet reformed drug smuggler Andrew Pritchard, 58, says elements are 'completely ridiculous' and 'exaggerated'. Pritchard hails from Hackney and Stoke Newington and so knows a lot of the cast of the Netflix show. 'It's so far from the mark it's unreal,' he tells the Metro. He says shows like it 'raise the bar with kids' for what they might expect from a life in London's criminal underworld. 'They think it's normal to go and shoot and spray people,' he said. 'They don't realise that one drop of blood costs more than 100 kilos of cocaine. The minute you put blood on the street, the police are all over you.' If you're in the market for the more genuine article, Pritchard recommends This City Is Ours on the BBC. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. The way he tells it, his own story is ripe for screen adaptation – and he would undoubtedly be a stickler for authenticity. Retreading his own misspent youth is part of what he does now with The AP Foundation, giving young offenders a glimpse into the life of a top drug smuggler; one that was a thrilling, addictive ride but that hurt people and ended with 15 years in prison. By the time Prtichard was 21, it was the height of the 1980s house party craze, and he was behind some of the largest illegal warehouse raves in the country. The guest lists weren't anything to be sniffed at either, with Pritchard reeling off names like Milli Vanilli, Boy George and the Pet Shop Boys. It was through these parties that he also became 'open to the criminal elements' and started to build an elaborate drug smuggling operation, spanning Europe and the Caribbean, where his mother arrived in the UK from as part of the Windrush generation. As Pritchard details in the new Sky docu-series Amsterdam Narcos, first came ecstasy, then cocaine. To be more specific, 'vast' amounts of ecstasy, which wound its way into clubs and venues. He used friends at the fruit markets in New Covent Garden and New Spitalfields to get the stuff over from Holland – where the round design-stamped pills was booming. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'Holland was a very big exporter of apples and potatoes,' Pritchard explains, speaking rapid-fire, because he knows this inside-out. 'But apples were a really good choice because of the boxes they come in. They had different crates on them and also they were quite heavy. 'So what I discovered was that if we could simply place a bulk of ecstasy at the bottom of each crate, and obviously put trays of apples above them, they were quite a good transport. They were perishable goods so they would come through customs very quickly.' The Sky docu-series gets into this, but it's staggering to hear the number of places you can hide drugs in transit. 'Places you possibly couldn't imagine,' says Pritchard. 'We had them everywhere from the nose of the plane to the cargo bins. 'Everywhere you could imagine, on a ship, plane or passenger, we hid drugs.' With drugs, violence inevitably follows. Pritchard doesn't shy away from the brutality, describing people he's seen 'shot in the head, put in the boot of a car and set fire to'. But there was never any point in having a security team, he says, because 'the kind of people you deal with will just drive by and spray everyone'. 'You're your own security. It's how you do business with people,' he explains. 'You have to become a person they can't afford to lose in that chain, because a lot of people rely on you, so they wrap you in cotton wool.' He says that was his 'protection blanket', alongside a good deal of luck. When a close call forced Pritchard to flee to Jamaica, with the help of extended family on his mother's side, he moved into cocaine. In the noughties, an estimated 20% of the cocaine in Britain came through Jamaica. Pritchard's contact book was stuffed: people on the wharfs, docks, planes, from Montego Bay into Schiphol Airport, to Heathrow and Gatwick. So how much money was he making? That, he's less candid about. 'It's very difficult to put a button figure on it,' he says. 'Turning over hundreds of millions, yes, but what you could actually say you may have at some point received would be a different figure altogether.' As with every great crime drama, from Goodfellas to Scarface, there's always the third act looming, when it's time to pay the piper. Pritchard's arrived in 2015, when he was sent down to Belmarsh. But since he was released and set up his charity to help young offenders, Pritchard's life has been a series of 'surreal' moments. Including attending a knife crime conference at the Old Bailey, only to meet the judge who sentenced him. When the judge, no longer wearing his wig and gown, started to apologise for issuing such a lengthy sentence, Pritchard stopped him. 'Don't apologise, I said, because you changed my life. If I hadn't put in that time and come to my senses, I would be here in front of you in handcuffs again, not sitting here advising kids why not to live this lifestyle,' he told the judge. Prtichard has even brought in a number of fellow reformed offenders to help with his foundation, including Stephen Mee (former drug lord turned artist) and Kenneth Noye (of the Brink's Mat heist, or Jack Lowden's real-life character in The Gold, for TV fans). More Trending 'They know what it's like to sit in prison for 30 odd years and watch people you love die while you're wasting away,' says Pritchard. Now their role is to tell those at the start of a life of criminality that it isn't all it's cracked up to be in shows like Top Boy and Gangs of London. 'You have to tell them the truth, tell them what it is. It seems glorious. And I'll say to you, yes, it's glorious in parts. 'There's two sides to this coin, but when it flips, that other side is not a nice side.' View More » Amsterdam Narcos airs 13 August on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW . Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Netflix fans stunned as controversial film about a dog 'goes too far' MORE: Love is Blind tackled a dating taboo – and I was thrilled MORE: Netflix unveils major return for Peaky Blinders legend in 'stressful' new film
