Kylie Minogue opens up about life, love and staying grounded as she releases Tension II

SHE’S lived her life in the spotlight ever since arriving on Neighbours in 1986 aged 17.

But somehow Kylie Minogue has never fallen into the trap of having her love life overshadow her music, like many of her peers.

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It is an impressive feat considering she has 17 albums, most of which see her sing about love and finding The One.

And as she celebrates the release of her most recent record, Tension II, out yesterday, the I Should Be So Lucky singer tells The Sun she has never felt more confident without a man by her side.

“There’s no one significant in my life and I feel content,” Kylie, 56, explains. “I feel like this is my ­destiny right now.”

When I tell her she seems to be owning it, single and without a man, she smiles and says: “Yes, that’s fair to say. I am in that lane of life.

“But if there is a best friend who turns up and says to me, ‘You’ve got to meet this person’, then why not?”

For now, though, Kylie has more than enough on her plate, with the release of Tension II and, next year, heading out on a 58-date tour.

The new record, which is a darker and definitely sexier follow-up to the chart-topper Tension, includes infectiously catchy track Someone For Me.

She sings over dance beats: “Yeah, you look happy, but do you have someone for me? To be the one, to turn me on. That’s what I need. Do you have someone for me?”

When I ask Kylie if this is auto- biographical, she throws her head back and laughs as if expecting the question — but shakes her head.

“No,” she replies, beaming. “I think Someone For Me is very clever songwriting. I can really picture the story and I love twists like, ‘I really want you to be happy but do you have someone for me?’.”

The past year has been extraordinary for the singer, with No1 single Padam Padam cementing her status as a pop great when it came out last year.

While Kylie is just four years away from the big 6-0, the track saw her make it on to both the Radio 1 and Capital FM playlists — a feat nigh-on impossible for female singers over age 30.

More recently, her collaboration with US DJ The Blessed Madonna, on the track Edge Of A Saturday Night, also found its way on to Radio 1.

‘A love affair’

And she has finally cracked the States, wrapping up a sell-out debut Las Vegas residency at Voltaire at The Venetian and announcing a US arena tour including two nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

For the past 12 months, Kylie has been on a never-ending tour of TV chat shows, awards ceremonies and studios around the globe.

Hinting none of it would have been possible, or it would have felt more restrained, had she been ­juggling a relationship, she says: “To go through this moment, this whole Tension and Tension II journey . . . that kind of is a love affair as well — with the fans, your audience and your work and the music.”

Reflecting on years and relationships gone by, she continues: “Added to that is the history of what has come before and where I am at in my life now and what I want to achieve. “I’m happy.”

This is the third time I have interviewed Kylie, which is perhaps why, as she sits in front of me, she is the most relaxed I have ever seen her.

“Oh, Jack’s had a makeover,” she giggles as we meet and she spots my newly home-dyed blond hair.

After telling her my partner did it for £2.50 with a toothbrush in my ­living room, she laughs and says: “Look, through one’s life I think it’s good to explore different colours.

“I’ve done most of them during my career and I’ve loved it.”

I am really pleased people are on board with that and they understand

Kylie Minogue

With Tension II, Kylie further explores the electronic beats and dance-heavy sounds that boosted her career last year.

Opening up about the record, she says: “The doors that Padam Padam and Tension opened were different to before.

“Tension was pretty out there and Padam had a hypnotic quality. Both were bold and paved the way for this new record.

“I didn’t have a specific sound. With this, I did a lot of sessions in LA with new people.

“The mission actually wasn’t to do an album but to find an extra few songs for a repack but then we did more and more.

“It’s not the new album, it’s the sequel.

“I am really pleased people are on board with that and they understand. This Tension II, it’s more of the same world.”

The new album’s lead single, Lights, Camera, Action, is a thumping power anthem and the accompanying video sees Kylie take on the persona of a demanding Hollywood diva.

It is worlds away from the pint-sized star in front of me, who smiles politely in a cosy cardigan when she is brought a hot drink by a ­member of her team.

As I press Kylie on whether she has ever fired off a flurry of diva demands simply because she can, she insists that she is more focused on getting the job done — and well — than being surrounded with her favourite scented candles or having her dressing room adorned with flowers cut to exact heights.

‘I can make do’

She says: “I don’t have many diva requests but can be kind of demanding in that I want people to turn up and do their job.

“I want them to have fun — when I’m running a tour or whatever, I like to be a nice and kind boss — but there are times when the eyebrow might go . . . it’s a look, and no one wants the look.

“At the same time, though, I get it — people get distracted or they get a bit bored or they are tired. I do factor all of that in but, you know, you need to turn up when it’s time to turn up.

“It’s not an ‘I want puppies in the dressing room’ request.

“I am kind of pretty basic on that front. I can make do — but just have a work ethic.”

I concede that should I ever be given the smallest sliver of fame, puppies, especially Labradors, would be on my rider — and Kylie quips: “Well, we can all come to your dressing room then, can’t we, and it will be the best one.”

Taking a more serious tone, I am keen to know how a woman who has sold more than 80million records and become the first female artist in history to top the UK albums chart over five ­consecutive decades, has not let all the success go to her head.

Batting off the accolades, Kylie says frankly: “I guess because I know a lot of it is make-believe — I don’t entirely like that as a quote, but it’s a performance.

You are the person that you present but there is a whole other side to life

Kylie Minogue

“It’s what we are all doing in our different roles, to present something.

“I know there is backstage as well, and backstage isn’t always pretty and things don’t always work.

“It is backstage where the machine turns and that’s enough to keep you grounded.

“You are the person that you present but there is a whole other side to life, a more dominant side to life, that is real life.

“And that, in itself, is enough to keep me grounded.”

Kylie, who moved back to Oz last year, added: “My family is really important and integral to that — knowing that they are there and I have their support in good times and bad times.

“And I want to say some common sense, but I know common sense doesn’t always prevail.

“It’s how I’ve rolled from the beginning. There is a lot to be said for having a lot of years under my belt, when you start working young.

“I don’t live in fairyland, I’m also just determined. I want to just get the best result. I will sleep at the end of it.”

‘It was awful’

Kylie’s work ethic is admirable but she admits that, at times, she can take it too far.

While the outside world was not aware anything was askew earlier this summer, she was secretly bed-bound with bronchitis for a month.

She says: “It’s only been a year since Tension came out but it feels like a lot longer to me.

“Yes, it’s draining, it’s go, go, go. It is hard to slow down but sometimes it just gets you.

“I had bronchitis for over a month which was the universe’s way of telling me, ‘You need to stop’. It was awful. I didn’t know if I would have to cancel the [September] shows in Singapore. It was that close. I got better in the nick of time.

“I may present to the world like I never stop and am really, really busy, which I like — but yeah, if there is a moment to stop . . . 

“I have got to embrace that as well — especially with touring next year, I will have to factor it in.”

Dark and sexy beats

BARELY 12 months since her No1 album Tension, Kylie is back with a darker and sexier follow-up.

From the outset, Tension II is laced with moody electronic dance beats and sultry lyrics.

She has certainly never been one of life’s wallflowers – her golden hotpants for 2000 single Spinning Around are unforgettable – but Tension II is Kylie at her most confident and empowered in years.

Stand-out tracks come with Taboo and Someone For Me – both of which are beat-thumping, liberating anthems and could easily be follow-up singles to ­diva-tastic album lead Lights, Camera, Action.

On Taboo, Kylie purrs: “I know I shouldn’t but I just can’t help myself.

“No names, no need to. Just enjoy the situation.”

The track features an electronic string melody that could have been taken straight from the ABBA playbook.

Kylie later not-so-subtly adds on Someone For Me: “Do you have someone for me? Someone you know, to take me home, that’s what I need.”

Hello is another standout, as is the closest thing to a ballad, Shoulda Left Ya, which features a whimsical, summer-tinged chorus.

While they worked great as standalone singles earlier this year, the final four collaboration tracks, including with US DJ Diplo and Aussie vocal powerhouse SIA, do not really add much to the record as a whole.

But they are sure to work wonders as Kylie continues to expand her appeal across the Pond.

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Tension II sees Kylie back with a darker and sexier follow-up to her last album[/caption]

KYLIE MINOGUE

TENSION II

★★★★☆

A Royal Albert ball for Dua

DUA LIPA put on a breathtaking performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall in this red Jean Paul Gaultier dress.

She effortlessly entertained the masses with the 53-piece Heritage Orchestra and was even joined by Sir Elton John who came out to sing their No1 hit Cold Heart.

As well as songs from her latest album, Radical Optimism, Dua sang her Barbie soundtrack hit Dance The Night live for the first time – and showed off her newly dyed hair, as she went back to brunette.

She’s sounding, and looking, great.