Kylie Ann Minogue, AO, OBE (/mɪˈnoʊɡ/; born 28 May 1968), also known mononymously as Kylie, is an Australian-British singer, songwriter and actress. She achieved recognition starring in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, where she played tomboy mechanic Charlene Robinson. Appearing in the series for two years, Minogue's character married Scott Robinson (Jason Donovan) in an episode viewed by nearly 20 million people in the United Kingdom, making it one of the most watched Australian TV episodes ever. Since then, Minogue has been a recording artist and has achieved commercial success and critical acclaim in the entertainment industry. Minogue has been recognised with several honorific nicknames, most notably the "Princess of Pop". She is recognised as the highest-selling Australian artist of all time by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).[6]
Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Minogue has worked and lived in the United Kingdom since the 1990s.[7] She signed to record label PWL in 1987 and released her first studio album Kylie the next year. In 1992, she left PWL and signed with Deconstruction Records where she released her self-titled studio album and Impossible Princess, both of which received positive reviews from critics. Returning to more mainstream dance-oriented music, Minogue signed to Parlophone and released Light Years.[8] The followup, Fever, was a hit in many countries, including the United States. The lead single "Can't Get You Out of My Head" became one of the most successful singles of the 2000s, selling over five million units. It is recognised as her "signature song" and was named "the catchiest song ever" by Yahoo! Music.[9][10] Other successful singles by Minogue include "I Should Be So Lucky", "The Loco-Motion", "Especially for You", "Hand on Your Heart", "Better the Devil You Know", "Confide in Me", "Spinning Around", "Love at First Sight", "Slow", "2 Hearts" and "All the Lovers".
In 2005, while Minogue was on her Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After treatment, she resumed the tour under the title Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour, which critics viewed as a "triumph".[11] Minogue made her film debut in The Delinquents (1989) and portrayed Cammy in Street Fighter (1994). Minogue has also appeared in the films Moulin Rouge! (2001), Jack & Diane, and Holy Motors (2012). In 2014, she appeared as a judge on the third series of The Voice UK and The Voice Australia. Her other ventures include product endorsements, children's books and fashion.
As of 2015, Minogue has had worldwide record sales of more than 80 million.[12][13] She has mounted several successful and critically acclaimed concert world tours and received a Mo Award for "Australian Entertainer of the Year" for her live performances. Minogue was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2008 New Year Honours for services to Music.[14] She was appointed by the French government as a Chevalier (knight) of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for her contribution to the enrichment of French culture. Minogue was awarded an honorary Doctor of Health Science (D.H.Sc.) degree by Anglia Ruskin University for her work in raising awareness for breast cancer. In November 2011, on the 25th anniversary of the ARIA Music Awards, she was inducted by the Australian Recording Industry Association into the ARIA Hall of Fame.[15] In December 2016, Billboard ranked her as the 18th most successful dance artist of all-time.[16] Minogue signed a new global recording contract with BMG Rights Management in early 2017. Her latest album Golden was released on 6 April 2018, debuting at No. 1 in the UK and Australia.[17]