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Pop Quiz: Kylie Minogue

Aidin Vaziri

Sunday, February 22, 2004
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No matter how many times they drop their pants and groan, it's unlikely either Christina or Britney will ever make an album as devastatingly sexy as Kylie Minogue's ninth and latest, "Body Language." The follow-up to the 6 million-selling "Fever," which included the single "Can't Get You Out of My Head," sees the hot-pants-wearing Australian singer in top form 15 years after she had her first No. 1 with "The Loco-Motion." It's better than naked yoga.

Q: This album is so hot sometimes I get embarrassed when I'm listening to it in public.

A: Wow, it's having an impact. That wasn't the intention, to make an album full of those types of songs, but there was definitely a much more sensual feel. I would attribute that to two things -- the songs and the fact that I was really happy at the beginning of a wonderful romance.

Q: Happy or horny?

A: Happy.

Q: Because it could go either way.

A: Happy.

Q: I just assumed you hit your 30s.

A: And my mojo kicked in? Well, that I wouldn't talk to you about. I'm terribly sorry.

Q: Is this the record you should have made in the '80s?

A: I think it's quite different. This is more '85 than '88. I think we did those records right. I would buy them. Maybe my hairdo was wrong. Maybe my earrings were just a bit too large. But that was the fashion.

Q: Yeah, but Prince was making records like this at the same time with Apollonia 6 and Mazerati, whereas then you were on the other end of the spectrum with the Safety Dance. But this whole other world existed at the same time, so you could have easily gone 180 degrees the other way. It's just like that movie where Ashton Kutcher goes back to the future, but it turned out good.

A: I've lost you, I'm afraid.

Q: I think I'm trying to give you a compliment.

A: OK, then we're in a good place.

Q: Would you ever get a tattoo on your stomach with flames shooting out of it like that guy from the Darkness?

A: No, but I just love the Darkness. I mean, we could definitely swap a few wardrobe tales. I donated a few of my costumes to the Museum of Performing Arts in Melbourne and, as we were noting everything that I was giving them, some of the descriptions of my costumes were just hysterical.

Q: Like what?

A: One of them read something like "Red leather mini cat suit with corset lace-ups and hand-dyed chiffon bat wings."

Q: Does your stylist hate you?

A: No. That's a sign of affection.

Q: Are you sure, or is he just trying to see how much he can get away with?

A: We both do that.

Q: Oh, are you going to order a silver-plated nipple sunburst thing next?

A: No. I don't think so.

Q: You are probably the only person who can relate to what Janet Jackson went through since you've been onstage with Justin Timberlake on live television before and he grabbed your bum.

A: Our performance was nothing like that. But it did send a chill down my spine thinking about all the things that could go wrong onstage. A "wardrobe malfunction" is just one of a hundred things that could ruin your performance. Although I don't think that ruined it. She certainly got noticed.

Q: He's always grabbing stuff he shouldn't be grabbing.

A: I'm just waiting for someone to clarify what was meant to happen.

Aidin Vaziri is a freelance writer.