Kylie Minogue is a rare breed of pop star; they just don't make them like her anymore. The Australian singer lit up the stage at American Express presents BST Hyde Park on Saturday night in front of a record 65,000 fans, and the energy didn't let up once.
Having grown up to the soundtrack of her disco-pop Fever era, I expected to be one of the younger Kylie fans in the crowd. But I was wrong. The beauty of Kylie is her mass appeal. From young children perched on parents' shoulders to gaggles of middle-aged friends and, of course, gay men of all ages – including Andrew Scott and Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey, who carried the pint-sized pop princess on stage in what has now become a viral moment – the Kylie love is universal.
© Samir HusseinNine years on from her last BST gig, the 56-year-old singer seemingly couldn't believe her luck at pulling in such a large crowd. Declaring she was on "cloud nine", the Spinning Around hit-maker was overcome with emotion as she expressed how special the evening was.
Miss Minogue even referenced how amazing it was to see so many "generations together" and to be able to keep performing, year after year. Here's everything that happened at Kylie's BST London gig that cemented my love for the iconic star…
© Samir HusseinA whistle-stop tour through Kylie's pop eras
As the concert progressed, I was struck by Kylie's unparalleled ability to move with the times; after 16 studio albums, she's still just as popular. The energy was at its peak as she sashayed up and down the stage, belting out 'Better The Devil You Know' after declaring she was going to hark back to her 80s debut.
Her newer material got just as much of an electric reception, however. 'All The Lovers' was accompanied by streamers raining down on the crowd while gig closer 'Love At First Sight' – a personal favourite – sent the crowd into a dance frenzy as confetti exploded against the night sky.
© Samir HusseinThe electric response to her Tension songs, with their sultry lyrics and club rhythms, proved just how she has transcended the generations. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart in 2023, outselling the rest of the top eight records combined. So it was no surprise that when the beat of lead single 'Padam Padam' kicked in, the crowd went wild.
Her fan base is loyal, too. When she brought out singers Bebe Rexha and Tove Lo for a toe-tapping rendition of their new single My Oh My – released a mere three days before the concert – everyone around me already had the lyrics mesmerised. Granted, there are very few words to the chorus, but the commitment was there.
© Dave Hogan/Hogan Media/ShutterstockA worthy pop idol
Alongside Madonna, Kylie is one of the rare pop stars to withstand the test of time by mastering the art of an era. Almost four decades on from 1987's 'I Should Be So Lucky', she has amassed a fan base – whether new or old – who still hang on to her every word and support her every release, and every reinvention.
© Jo HaleAt the heart of it though, is how lovely she is. Is Kylie the nicest person in pop? Probably. Her support act Marina – in my humble opinion, one of pop's most criminally underrated songwriters and vocalists – told us we had "chosen well" as a fanbase, expressing how kind and genuine Kylie had been to her backstage.
And with gleeful tears in her eyes, Kylie seemed genuinely grateful to everyone for showing up to support her, repeatedly asking the audience whether we were having a good time, had enough room to dance and even pausing the set to take a capella "pick and mix" requests from her superfans at the front.
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With her boundless energy, infectious tunes and sunny disposition, it's not hard to see why Kylie's concert was the highlight of the summer's live musical scene. Miss Minogue is a true pop princess.
