FEATURE:
Fever Pitch
IN THIS PHOTO: Kylie Minogue with director Michel Gondry in Paris in March 2026. Chanel unveiled its latest global campaign starring Margot Robbie, with a reimagining of Kylie Minogue’s 2001 hit, Come Into My World. The campaign is for the CHANEL 25 handbag, and was directed by Gondry – who also directed the original video more than two decades ago. Kylie Minogue herself makes a special appearance in the film, marking twenty-five years since the release of the track (information courtesy of Variety Australia)
A Netflix Documentary, A Classic Album at Twenty-Five, and Pop Reinvention
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I am thinking about…
PHOTO CREDIT: Netflix
Kylie Minogue, as this year is already shaping up to one of her most important. A Netflix documentary, KYLIE, will get a release date soon. I will come to details of it. In October, Fever turns twenty-five. Her eighth studio album is a classic that I feel has influenced so many modern artists. I wrote about this in a recent feature. I want to come back to the fact Minogue is an underrated artist in terms of how she has transformed Pop and is one of the great reinventors. I have also said how last year, she should have been offered the headline slot at Glastonbury. Maybe she will next year, as it would be a chance to celebrate twenty-five years of Fever and bring this career-spanning set together. Here are some more details about a documentary that will hear from one of the true greats:
“From her breakout role as Charlene in the ’80s Australian soap Neighbours to chart-topping success across five decades, Kylie Minogue has never stopped reinventing herself. Now the new documentary KYLIE explores how she reshaped pop and became one of music’s most enduring icons, selling over 80 million records.
In this intimate three-part documentary, Kylie Minogue opens her personal archives and reflects on a life that continues to captivate, inspire, and soundtrack multiple generations. Featuring footage from home movies, personal photographs, and new interviews with Kylie herself (as seen in the first-look image above), the documentary shows the woman behind the hits. It examines how she’s faced public scrutiny, personal loss, and illness with grit and grace, earning respect far beyond her own fandom.
Directed by Emmy and BAFTA Award winner Michael Harte (Three Identical Strangers, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, BECKHAM) and produced by John Battsek’s Ventureland — the multi-award-winning team behind The Deepest Breath, WHAM!, and BECKHAM — KYLIE features insights from friends, family, and collaborators including Dannii Minogue, Jason Donovan, Nick Cave, and Pete Waterman. The docuseries celebrates the joy, connection, and euphoria that make Kylie unmistakably Kylie.
Check back for more information, including when KYLIE will be released”.
I really wanted to talk about the documentary, but there are other things to bring in. There have obviously been a fair few documentaries about Pop greats. From Madonna to Taylor Swift, it allows us a chance to hear about their legacy and amazing career and contributions from those around them. A lot more concert documentaries coming out. In the case of Kylie Minogue, there is so much to say about her. Whilst KYLIE might not be able to cover all of the bases, it is going to be unmissable. Someone who has experienced loss, is a cancer survivor, has gone through some ups and downs regarding critical approval, she is now in this new phase of her career. Fever and 2000’s Light Years were important albums. Reinventions that found Kylie Minogue celebrated once again after previous albums did not win too much critical love – her 1990s work is fascinating but does not get that much love (her 1994 album, Kylie, is among her best) -, this was very much her back on top. Fever might be her very best album. Though albums like TENSION (2023) are up there with her best. It is the way that Minogue is able to shift genres and personas. Or looks. She is also this style icon. Through the years, she has sported so many incredible looks and we often look at artists such as Madonna when considering the style greats. Though Minogue needs to be in the conversation. I want to move to DAZED and their interview published a few days ago. The interview explores her Pop legacy, “personal style, Fever at 25, and her starring role in JW Anderson’s latest campaign”:
“It’s been almost two years to the day since Kylie Minogue met Jonathan Anderson. On the first Monday in May, 2024, the princess of pop took a much-needed break from her Las Vegas residency to attend the Met Gala. The dress code that year was ‘The Garden of Time’, and Minogue wore a custom Diesel gown that transformed her into Sleeping Beauty – and sleepy she was, exhausted from performing night after night. Despite her fatigue, there was one person who could persuade her to attend an afterparty, and that person was Anderson. Naturally, Kylie out-danced everyone and ended up being the person on the dancefloor.
Immediately, the pair hit it off, and earlier this year the Australian icon fronted JW Anderson’s AW26 lookbook, alongside the likes of super model Mona Tougaard and fashion journalist Tim Blanks. Anderson might be one of the busiest people in fashion – juggling his namesake label while designing womenswear, menswear and couture at Dior – but he’ll always make time for Kylie. Today (May 1), the duo have reunited once again, giving Dazed the exclusive look at the second iteration of their AW26 campaign, which you watch below. “Kylie Minogue brings a special excitement, an emotion,” says Anderson. “Placing her within this world allows something new to emerge.”
2026 marks a huge year for Kylie. Not only is she a JW Anderson It-girl, she’s also about to drop a hotly anticipated three-part Netflix documentary about her life. Then, she’ll be celebrating the 25th anniversary of her monumental 2001 album, Fever. Plus, we can expect a few more surprises too, as she explains below.
PHOTO CREDIT: JW Anderson
Hey Kylie – when and where did you first meet Jonathan?
Kylie Minogue: We first met at his party after the Met Gala in 2024. I was doing my Vegas residency at the time and was really clinging onto my sanity with the workload and seemingly endless other things. So I wasn’t entirely sure if I would get to an afterparty. I asked how long it would take to get to Jonathan’s party and the answer was twelve minutes. I couldn’t argue with twelve minutes, so headed downtown. That’s where we met and that’s where I was one of the last ones dancing. He was divine and the night was wonderful. We didn’t meet again until the lookbook photoshoot, so next time I’d say ‘how about a cup of tea!?’
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Fever! How will you be celebrating?
Kylie Minogue: This depends. Can you keep a secret? Hmmmmm. What I can say is that I will definitely be celebrating. It’s an album that still stands up, marks a real point in time not only for me but for some others and it’s such a weird and wonderful mix of emotions looking back.
Do you have a favourite look from the Fever era?
Kylie Minogue: Omg, so many. Grace Jones’ white catsuit and Manolo Blahnik white pumps from the “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” video for starters. I also love the Dolce & Gabbana looks from the tour, the Clockwork Orange section, and the ballad section.
What’s something you’re looking forward to this year?
Kylie Minogue: There’s a lot happening. My Netflix documentary is coming very soon, we'll be celebrating the 25th anniversary of Fever later this year, and a few other little surprises...”.
It is this interesting point where this Pop queen is still reigning. Having gone through different stages and experimented with various sounds, she always remains fresh and exciting. I wonder how she will follow TENSION and this Disco/Dance period. Fever sort of Electronic and Dance. She has moved through sounds and you always get this incredible visual campaign. Minogue as arresting, iconic and stylish as she ever was. She turns fifty-eight on 28th May, so I wonder how she will celebrate. In terms of her next album and what she will do, you wonder if it will be personal and something more emotive. A more soulful or jazzier album. If there will be a slight return to Fever and that sound. Minogue is responsible for influencing modern greats like Dua Lipa. I wonder what she has planned for Fever’s twenty-fifth anniversary. It is such an important album, maybe a special concert series, those songs backed by an orchestra, a special short film or new videos. Will there be an expanded vinyl edition? I am going to write about this album and how it was a turning point. Though Minogue has experienced tragedy and personal challenges and relationship breakdowns, she always remains so strong. In terms of her artistry and vision, she never compromises at all. One of those artists that is true to herself and has faced her fair share of ageism and scrutiny. However, defiant and always brilliant, Kylie Minogue releases the absolute best music, is this incredible and awe-inspiring live performer, and you know she will continue to be this way for many years. KYLIE is a documentary that will not only appeal to her fans. I feel there will be interest from those new to her music or people who followed her in the 1980s and perhaps dipped out. I have been a fan for decades, and it is always sad when Minogue is not mentioned in the same breath of the greatest artists ever. Let’s hope 2027 sees a Glastonbury headline slot. In terms of new music, we will see what comes. A big anniversary to mark in October. I would also love to see another Christmas album from her, though she may not want to do that anymore. Whatever comes, it is going to be incredible. So many reasons to admire and love…
THIS music titan.