‘Forever Young’ Kylie Minogue turns 40

Tanu Talwar Stunning, sensual, stylish and of course a singer are the first thoughts that come to mind when Kylie Minogue is mentioned. But there is much more to this Aussie beauty, who turns forty today, than her overpowering good looks and diva like persona. There is no doubt that pursuing one’s goal can be an ardent task. But follwoing your dreams becomes just an itsy bitsy teenie weenie bit difficult when you have to fight millions across the globe who question your career choices and when you have your own beauty working against you. Yes, Kylie has time and again proved that she is not only stunning and stylish, she can sing exceptionally well and is a survivor in the true sense of the word. The vivacious singer who comes second only to the ultimate pop diva Madonna, tops the charts as far as courting controversy and facing flak is concerned. But the pop princess has time and again emerged a clear winner as far as fighting her critics or even cancer is concerned. Following a different calling Eldest among the three children of Ron and Carol Minogue, Kylie started romancing the lens at the tender age of twelve as she appeared in soaps like Skyways and The Sullivans. However, it was her performance as a car mechanic in the hit 1980’s soap Neighbours, that got the stunning beauty noticed. Though, she had been much appreciated for her acting performances, Kylie decided to go after her true love - singing. Just when her career as an actor was finally going to take off, this blue-eyed lass gave up her much-anticipated career in films and took the rugged route to pop singing. Getting on board instantly, Kylie signed up for the one of the most booming production teams of the day, Stock, Aiken & Waterman and bought out a batch of catchy yet throwaway singles. Ever since her initial albums got out, critics have never gone easy on Kylie and even in her young twenties, the singer was subjected to harsh reviews. Some stated that it was her blond girl good looks that made the audience tolerate her synthetic high gloss sounds. Others even went on to label her as a ‘the singing budgie’ and a critic also wrote “her cuteness makes these rather vapid tracks bearable”. And they went on to be proved right. By the time the singer turned 24, her kiss-curls and computer-aided chipmunk vocals became a style of the past. But once again in the mid 1990s, Kylie bounced back and took the world of pop by surprise with her savvy pop song, Confide In Me. The very same year, Kylie performed a duet with fellow countryman Nick Cave, Where The Wild Roses Grow. That offered a riposte to those who had earlier questioned her ability to sing. But it was not only her singing that made a comeback. From the time that she stormed into the pop scene again, Kylie is not only known for her singing but also the fresh fashion she infuses with each of her blockbuster albums and groovy music videos. With the realease of her album Light Years in the year 2000, Kylie’s name became synonymous with fashion. An out-an-out disco album, it found the pop princess delivering songs penned by the famous Guy Cahmbers who had done wonders for Robbie Williams and Paula Abdul. However the video that really made Kylie a fashion icon was ‘Spinning Around’ that featured Minogue in gold lame hot pants — a look created by her then stylist William Baker. And then came her most successful album till date ‘Fever’. The album that was an electropop album designed to rock the dance floors. It’s most popular song ‘Can`t Get You Out of My Head’ still finds favour at many discs across the world. The number was one of the greatest pop singles of the decade, which reached number one in 40 countries. The album once again featured Minogue in sizzling futuristic outfits devised by Baker. Cashing in on her fashion icon status, the singer launched her Love Kylie lingerie range in 2003. Following the success of her bikini line, Minogue went ahead and brought out her own-name fragrance that went to be a far bigger seller than Victoria Beckham`s Eponymous perfume. Though the singer has time and again proved her critics wrong, they are yet to rest their case against her. However Kylie has constantly reinvented herself each time she had been written off as a blond bimbette who can’t sing. After critics Kylie fights Cancer In May 2005, Kylie was diagnosed with Breast cancer. It was news that not only had her fans in tears, but even took her detractors by surprise. Her hospitalization and treatment in Melbourne saw intense media coverage with her fans coming from across the globe to get a glimpse of the diva. So much so, that a statement was issued the by the Victorian Premier Steve Bracks warning the international media that any disruption of the Minogue family`s rights under Australian privacy laws would not be tolerated. After undergoing a serious surgery and months of chemotherapy, Kylie was back in action. The singer once again proved that she was not just a good looking blond but a true fighter. Coming out of her illness the singer released her album‘Over the Rainbows’ that went on to do blockbuster business around the world. Single and ready to mingle Just like her singing, the media has been constantly fasinated by Kylie’s personal relationships. Of the three affairs that the sizzling beauty has had with INXs lead singer Michael Hutchence, French photographer Stephane Sednaoui and the latest with Olivier Martinez, it was the latter that had the shutterbugs clicking turning the other wise sensible photographers in to a kind of celeb crazy paparazzi . Little is known about the first two affairs. The singer stated that she ended those relationships as she had to give priority to her career at the time, the paparazzi made it impossible for the singer to downplay her break up with the French actor. Ever since the two called it quits in January this year, several versions as to what casued them to end the affair have been narrated by unnamed sources and friends. However, Olivier’s infidelity has been belived to be the major reason behind the split. Friends of the singer have been quoted as saying that “Martinez has been deliberately trying to force Minogue into finishing with him by behaving in an "increasingly challenging way". "Olivier finds Kylie too controlling and neurotic. But he felt that he cannot dump her so soon after her recovery from breast cancer.” This French actor was even seen enjoying dates with two different women at his Hollywood hotel while 38-year-old Kylie was 5,000 miles away in the UK. Though the two did not confirm any of these rumours, it was known to one and all that the affair was a thing of the past. This was confirmed in March this year when a spokesperson of the singer officially confirmed their break up. Well for now Kylie is surely single and loving it.