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Should Have Been Bigger: Kylie Minogue’s Majestic “The One”

In this franchise, we look back on songs that deserved a little more love and attention.

A little wacky at times (“Nu-di-ty”) with an intensely frustrating tracklist (don’t get me started on the era’s incredible bonus tracks and B-Sides), Kylie Minogue’s X is still one of the best albums of the ’00s. Songs like “In My Arms,” “Like A Drug,” “Wow” and “Stars” are pop perfection, but even they are slightly overshadowed by “The One.” Co-produced by Richard “Biff” Stannard and Freemasons, the dreamy banger is actually a cover. Or, more accurately, a reworking of Laid’s similarly-titled 2006 floorfiller.

New verses were added and tweaks were made, resulting in a majestic electro-pop anthem that feels destined for Kylie. “Starlight shimmers everywhere, there’s a certain something in the air,” the pop icon coos over cascading synths. “Can you feel what I feel in me? It’s in the air, electricity.” That leads to one of the simplest, yet most effective and oddly heartbreaking, choruses of all time. “I’m the one,” our heroine pleads. “Love me, love me, love me, love me.” A throwback to a time when pop was allowed to be soft and sophisticated, this tune stands toe-to-toe with any smash hit in the enduring diva’s discography.

Which makes the fact that it underperformed on the charts all the more head-scratching. After considerable delay and cancelation of the then still-important CD single, “The One” was released as the fourth cut from X in mid-2008 with little fanfare. The song stalled at number 36 in the UK, ending Kylie’s run of 16 consecutive top 10 hits stretching back to the year 2000. Lack of label support and a video that looks like it was filmed on an iPhone before it was trendy certainly played a part, but “The One” simply didn’t reach enough ears.

Happily, the song’s stature has grown over time and “The One” is now a staple of Kylie’s live show. The brilliant remixes also live on wherever there’s a dance floor and a DJ with taste. Revisit the shimmery gem below.

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