BitchyList

Saturday, December 15, 2007

The Personality Of The Year: Starlight

If this weren't the year of the Björk advent in my life, the previous post would definitely be about the woman who proved she has the force with her.
I more than promise not to turn this into a wow-she-beat-cancer blablabla, but it's inevitable to talk about this woman's strength without mentioning it. But I believe that in Kylie Minogue's case, although cancer will always have a way scarier tone than anything else, overcoming it wasn't the one prove of her strength. Anyone who knows her history knows that the force has been with her ever since she started.
It was there when she left PWL and looked for greener and freer pastures in Deconstruction; it was there when the greener pastures got a bitter taste and she moved for Parlophone, where she spinned around and we couldn't get her out of our heads. So, after the initial shock of hearing about that breast tumor I knew that the years of 2006 and 2007 would naturally come.
[Minogue in a display of strength back in the 80's: anyone who survived that hair would overcome even cancer.]
In 2007 the anticipated album X came out teasing the fans. In June some things started to leak everywhere on the Web and that gave us a delightful insight of what was to come by year's end. Differently from any-crap-else that had been leaking at the same while [hi Madonna!], Kylie's tracks were filled with electrified beats in the best Eletro-Pop/Rock style. But the interesting thing was that lyrics-wise she was coming with an unusual approach: optimism. Not shallow and The-Secret-slash-Oprah-esque one, but subtle and poetic good vibration.
And then, in [really] early November The Kylie Show was aired and she proved the rest of the world she knew how to pull a show, even better: she still can do it. We fans were more than used to it, after all we followed every step of the Showgirl Homecoming; but regardlessly, we were dazed by the beautiful work that little TV show was. Instead of doing a simple new-single-celebration gig, she homaged the grandiose TV bashes from the likes of Judy Garland and Sonny And Cher, as she mentioned.
Entertainment, parody, comedy, music, millions of cultural references, but above all an impeccable production, she kicked [one more time] the balls of the boneheads who insist to claim she has no talent, competence and depth. The sketches were genius with the sweet Minogue playing a bitchy diva Minogue, but the tone was so jocose that it felt like she was saying "if I were a bitch, at least I'd be a fun one". As for the musical numbers... I can't say much about them, for if you ever get interested you should run on YouTube and search for the marvels that are Tears On My Pillow, The One, I Believe In You and Sensitized. [Or obviously just click the links.]

[2007, Minogue riding the X bull showing the strength of her figures, as we're riding all the way to bonner-land.]

And then finally came the album with those beautiful pictures and artwork, bringing the 1980's back in a way that felt more glamorous than simply imitative, as the ho said on his review: "Kylie Minogue's tenth studio album sounds as if someone travelled to the 8os, made a record with twenty first century knowledge and came back to show us how brilliant futuristic retro can be. It is a celebratory experience of a woman who has made it through two decades in the music business, survived cancer and has never lost the will to make pop masterpieces."
And, by the end of this year if you look back and see how much have been accomplished by this woman only in these twelve months you still will be surprised to know that there's an upcomming world tour next year. Wait a minute, will you? I would only be if among the venues were the Maracanã.

[Song: Stars - Kylie Minogue]