'The success of this year is kind of beyond me

From the frothy pop of I Should Be So Lucky to the brain-invading brilliance of Padam Padam, Kylie’s career has taken some remarkable twists and turns. And keeping the fans guessing is all part of the plan

- LEO ROBERTS

Kylie Minogue is having a moment. From her recent sell-out Las Vegas residency to her Global Icon Brit award and that surprise performance with Madonna, she’s surfing the crest of a career wave.

It’s been 36 years since I Should Be So Lucky, her debut UK No1, and the woman who once said she “never had any ambitions to be a pop star” isn’t doing too badly.

The first female to have five UK No1 albums in five consecutive decades, Kylie has never been more relevant or more loved. And no one is as baffled as she is.

“I actually have this sensation of, ‘What’s happened with my career this year?’” she said in February. “Whether you know me, like me, care about me, I think the success of this year is kind of beyond me.”

What’s more, the singer, who turns 56 on 28 May, is showing no signs of slowing down. While many acts from her era are happy to dine out on heritage hits, performing on the lucrative 80s festival circuit, Kylie is always pushing boundaries and setting the pop agenda.

No wonder fellow innovator Madonna – a long-time admirer – invited her on stage in March as part of her Celebration Tour.

“This moment has been a long, long, long, long time coming,” Kylie said as she wrapped her arm around Madonna at LA’s Kia Forum. It was a moment few fans thought they’d see – the Queen of Pop and the Princess of Pop, united in mutual admiration, as they belted out a stripped-down version of I Will Survive.

Having battled through her fair share of professional and personal challenges, including her breast cancer diagnosis in 2005, it could hardly have been a more apt song choice.