I just found this on the news pages on msn, thought it might be an interesting read for all us Kylie fans...

 

 

The Kylie Conundrum

How come our biggest female pop star of the past 20 years has never made it in America?

 

The hoo-ha surrounding Leona Lewis becoming the first British woman to top the American charts in more than two decades begs both the general question of why it's taken so long and, more specifically, why Kylie Minogue, our biggest female pop star for the entire barren patch, has failed to make an impact in the States.

 

And yes, I know she's Australian but you know what I mean.

 

Kylie's lack of American success was cruelly driven home last week when, despite a media blitz including a performance on Dancing With The Stars and appearances on all the major US chat shows, her latest album, X, limped into the album charts at 139, selling a paltry five and a half thousand copies.

 

It isn't quite true to say Ms Minogue has never had any success across the pond. She had a number three US hit with Locomotion, only her second single, way back in 1987, and she reached the same position in the album charts with Fever in 2001.

 

What she hasn't managed, however, is to build sufficient momentum to make her a bona fide star in the States and, frankly, with her 40th birthday looming next month, it looks highly unlikely ever to happen.

 

The beauty of pop music is that it isn't an exact science, so it's impossible to say definitively why an artist is able to crack one market and not another. Just ask Robbie Williams. Having said that, if there is any magic formula for making it in America, it's that you need to be both immensely gifted and absolutely ruthless in your pursuit of success.

 

It's not knocking two of Britain's best loved stars to say that neither of them really fits that particular bill. Robbie and Kylie won their place in the nation's affections because of their back stories.

 

Robbie was the wayward cheeky scamp from Take That who overcame drink and drug problems and Kylie was the girl we all wished lived next door, Charlene from Neighbours, who was corrupted by Michael Hutchence, made some poor career decisions, and got herself back on track.

 

It's more or less the same story if you think about it.

 

This sort of thing just doesn't wash with Americans. You've got to be good and you've got to work your, ahem, butt off. In fact, you don't even have to be that good as long as you grab every opportunity with both hands and wring every last drop of potential from it.

 

Take Madonna for example. She is the ultimate triumph of ambition over talent. Her voice is average at best, she's never been much of a dancer, and she's not even particularly attractive in the conventional sense, but her canniness, business acumen, and formidable work ethic have made her the most successful female artist of all time.

 

 

Kylie might have had a chance in the States if she (or rather, her management) had milked either or both of the chart successes mentioned above. 2001 represents the bigger missed opportunity, I think, because a big-selling album is a more solid platform than a hit single.

 

She should have done what Natasha Bedingfield and Leona Lewis are both doing right now – camped out in the States and worked every meet and greet, every corporate function, every local radio show until she didn't know what day of the week it was.

 

But perhaps she just didn't want it quite that much.

 

And would we love her as much if she did?

 

 

I think Kylie did miss an opportunity with the American market in 2001 but to be honest, she's doing well without them and I do have to agree with the Madonna reference, she is one clever lady!!!!

 

<_< Iam not impressed with the writer of this article at all.

 

He obviously hasnt done much research at all.

 

Kylie only really 2 did 2 major shows DWTS and Ellen 4 promotion.

 

Her record company made a hash of the promotion more than she did I mean sending a song out without a video was never a good idea, although there are rumours that one is going to start production.I wouldnt totally give up hope on X yet.The song only goes for adds on radio 2morrow.

 

Its kind of a Kylie bashing article, I mean fever had 2 bona-fide hits on it. sold a million plus.she broke America with that selling more albums than Natasha Bedingfield ever will and probably Leona.And if he is saying with the American public you have 2 be good how do you describe Soulja boy Lil Wayne,T-Pain and Flo Rida clogging up there charts.

 

Body Language just didnt fit the right format for America with slow it was way to sophisticated for there market. but she still scored a dance hit and a minor hit with red blooded women.

 

And Leona and Natasha will no way be around in 20 years nor will hardly any of the current crop of stars.

 

Its really that Kylie's music cant get any airplay due to the bigotry of US radio. Pop has a format has struggled for years and thats the real reason Kylie doesnt put more promotion in. 2 hint that she lacks working hard is real ignorance.Camping out in the States wouldnt have helped Kylie any.

 

Leona is also backed by Clive Davis and Simon Cowell and Oprah her promotion has a been a absolute dream.and has only actually been in America for a month so that really quashes that theory she has camped out there.

 

I think for a european/australian its almost impossible to break the states without major major backing ala Leona.

 

 

 

 

 

Kylie doesn't care about US anyway, and I think part of that is attributed to her personality.

kylie's history mainly lies in europe and she has a great market their and thats where alot of her addmiration lies

He is talking rubbish when comparing her to Leona, Leona had the American market on a silver plate. Granted, she is a talented vocalist, but she has all the money and clout behind her from Clive Davis, only did a month of promotion (she did not work her guts out in America promoting herself for months or even years like this idiot journalist is implying) and was given American produced songs to sing. I bet many Americans who bought Spirit and/or downloaded Bleeding Love don't even know she is British, she could easily be another r&b US artist with a good song.

Edited April 15, 200817 yr by d22ghj

I WANT TO KNOW HOW THIS IDIOT COULD SAY 'MADONNA ISN'T EVEN THAT GOOD OF A DANCER'? LET'S SEE HIM GET HIS ASS UP ON STAGE AND SEE HOW GOOD HE IS IN CONCERT!!

I WANT TO KNOW HOW THIS IDIOT COULD SAY 'MADONNA ISN'T EVEN THAT GOOD OF A DANCER'? LET'S SEE HIM GET HIS ASS UP ON STAGE AND SEE HOW GOOD HE IS IN CONCERT!!

 

 

 

yes i quite agree :yahoo: :cheer: :dance:

 

but please calm down a little bit