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10 times Kylie Minogue took us all by surprise, ​from SexKylie to Doctor Who​
28 May 2016
BY LEWIS CORNER

Happy 48th birthday, ma'am!

You wouldn't know it from Kylie Minogue's youthful glow, but everyone's favourite Aussie popstar turns 48 years old today (May 28).

For over 30 years, the singer and actress has been a household name, but amongst the big pop anthems and show-stopping tours, there have been more than a few unexpected turns.

To celebrate her birthday, we look back over ten moments that saw Kylie take the world by surprise.

1. WHEN SHE DID STREET FIGHTER

Just six years (and 16 Top 10 UK hits) after she left Neighbours' Ramsay Street, Kylie returned to her first love, acting. This time, however, it was alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme in the Hollywood adaptation of video game Street Fighter. It wasn't any good, but it still showed a totally unexpected side of Kylie.

The final scene (above) sees Kylie in tears after the team complete their mission, and with the explosive conclusion comes that iconic victory pose. Who'd have thought Charlene Robinson would be a badass?

2. THE INVENTION OF SEXKYLIE WITH 'CONFIDE IN ME'

Although Kylie became a sparkly chart queen under the guidance of British hit factory Stock, Aitken and Waterman, by 1994 she was more than ready to reinvent herself. And thank the pop heavens she did, because the new-look Minogue launched with one of her finest singles to date, 'Confide In Me'.

Lauded for its more mature sensibility and Middle Eastern influences, it lent Kylie an alluring sex appeal that was the perfect evolution of her former girl-next-door image. It's hard to believe that she's the same artist who was bouncing along to 'The Loco-Motion' just a few years earlier.

3. THAT DUET WITH NICK CAVE

If fans thought 'Confide In Me' was a dramatic departure, then they were in for an even bigger shock little over a year later. Fellow Aussie act Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds recruited her for their sombre alt-rock murder-ballad 'Where the Wild Roses Grow'.

In the video, Kylie is portrayed as a murder victim floating in a pond, heavily inspired by Millais' classic painting of Ophelia. Not quite 'Especially For You', is it?

4. 'I SHOULD BE SO LUCKY' (POETRY EDIT)

Yes, you read that right. Kylie genuinely reworked her classic '80s hit into a piece of heartfelt poetry. Moreover, she gave the new version its first outing at the Royal Albert Hall in London at the Poetry Olympics in 1996. No, we didn't realise that was an actual event either.

As soon as the audience realise what she's doing, they are completely on board. It was a charming moment which demonstrated that, despite wanting to escape her shiny pop persona during this period in her career, she had a good sense of irony.

5. 'SPINNING AROUND' AND THOSE GOLDEN HOTPANTS

After half a decade in her "indie" phase, Kylie decided it was time to bring disco back. 'Spinning Around' not only gave her an almighty career reboot but delivered one of her most iconic looks to date: those golden hotpants.

The Second Coming of Kylie launched her as an even bigger popstar than at the height of her early fame in the 1980s.

6. 'KIDS' WITH ROBBIE WILLIAMS

In the year 2000, Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue were the respective King and Queen of the pop charts, so it was only natural they'd team up for a storming hit single. Originally Robbie was going to write the song just for Kylie to perform, but he liked it so much he wanted it for his own album too.

But what was surprising was just how hot and heavy they got at the end of the accompanying music video when they get down to business in Robbie's very swish swimming pool. We don't actually see them kiss, but that cork popping out of the champagne bottle pretty much gives the ending away.

7. DOING DOCTOR WHO

Kylie was on a six-year break from acting when it was announced she'd play The Doctor's one-time companion in the 2007 Doctor Who Christmas special 'Voyage of the Damned'. Kylie played a waitress named Astrid Peth in the hour-long episode, which also starred David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor.

Jumping into the Tardis seemed like an unusual move for Kylie at the time (we didn't really have her down as a Whovian), but it makes more sense when you consider that showrunner Russell T Davis wrote the part specifically for her. That emotional ending though – still not over it.

8. HOLY MOTORS

Five years later and Kylie was jumping from deep space and into a bizarre arthouse surrealist fantasy film. Not only that, it was one that was universally praised by critics, as well as walking away with more than a few prestigious prizes.

She played the part of Eva / Jean – the lost love of the lead character (who wanders all over Paris doing weird things) – in the Leos Carax-directed movie, which was described by one critic as "mesmerizingly strange and willfully perverse". Kylie also recorded new song 'Who Were We?' for the soundtrack, which hears her sing over a grand, cinematic orchestral score.

9. THE ABBEY ROAD SESSIONS

Speaking of orchestras, Kylie Minogue gave us all a massive surprise when she announced plans to re-record a large part of her back catalogue. To mark her 25th year in the music business, Kylie headed along to Abbey Road Studios with a full orchestra to transform her synth-led bops into swooping serenades.

One reworking in particular, 'On A Night Like This', was instantly a fan favourite; its romantic sentiment being highlighted further by the soaring strings and wistful arrangement. There was also a big show to mark the release, which gave Kylie the chance to really show off those often underestimated vocals.

10. KYLIE AND DANNII FINALLY DUET

Considering they're sisters, this one shouldn't really have been a surprise. But back in November 2015, Dannii and Kylie Minogue were to perform together on live TV and this was news to fans' ears largely because they had been waiting a lengthy 29 years for it.

The siblings joined forces for disco-tinged track '100 Degrees', which featured on Kylie's first ever festive album Kylie Christmas. More recently though, they re-released the song without the Christmas references and with a slightly different arrangement, so it can be a floor filler the year round. Mark our words: this will be a cult classic among fans for years to come.