No longer the impossible princess: Kylie Minogue officially a ‘global icon’

Finally, the world has woken up and awarded ‘Our Kylie’ the title she most deserves at the weekend’s Brit Awards.

Jenna ClarkeAssociate Editor

2 min read

7:36PMMarch 03, 2024

Loco-motion star Kylie Minogue was awarded the Global Icon Award at the weekend’s Brit Awards. Picture: Kate Green/Getty Images

Kylie Minogue is the little engine that could.

Nearly 40 years after she burst on to the scene “doin’ a brand new dance”, the world has (finally) cottoned on to her greatness and she has assumed her rightful place as a musical “icon”.

Like a steam train gaining momentum, the Loco-motion star was awarded the Global Icon Award at the weekend’s Brit Awards. It’s the highest accolade given out by the British version of the Grammys and ARIAs.

Kylie Minogue with the Global Icon Award in the winner’s room at the BRIT Awards 2024 at The O2 Arena in her “home away from home”, London. Picture: Getty

She now joins the ranks of Elton John, David Bowie and her previous collaborator on Kids, Robbie Williams, who are all past recipients.

She was called a “master of musical reinvention” as she tearfully made her way on stage.

“There’s a part of me that’s still the 14-year-old girl dreaming in her room of making music and being in this industry,” she said in her acceptance speech for her fourth award in 11 years.

“Here I am with this and everything’s possible, so thank you to each and every person who has been a part of my journey,” she said before drinking a “shoey” out of her stiletto.

Kylie Minogue reluctantly performs a “shoey” at the Brits on Sunday.

After nearly 40 years of tireless work, a cancer battle, a Vegas residency and a brand that has continued to delight, entertain and capture a broad spectrum of fans around the world, in 2024 Minogue should now re-release her smash hit cassingle I Should Be So Lucky, given her resurgence in popularity after the release of her 16th album, Tension, last year.

However, there is nothing lucky about Minogue. Her accidental music career is one that has evolved like Madonna’s.

Whether she is reprising her Neighbours perm for a Kath & Kim cameo, popping up at the odd mardi gras in Sydney or cracking the notoriously tough British pop scene and winning a Grammy for her new dance music, she’s even dabbled in the country genre with her song Dancing, well before Beyonce pulled on a Stetson, Minogue is music’s quiet achiever – and it’s about time that she was recognised for her gift and grit on the world stage.

The Singing Budgie with rhythm has done it all without the help of social media algorithms.

She’s a natural talent who bravely took the leap from household TV star into music back in the 1980s when she sang Carole King’s 1962 hit at a charity event at a suburban footy club during the height of her “Charlene from Neighbours” era.

The 55-year-old also performed a medley of her hits to close out the Brits, including her Grammy-winning single Padam Padam and her classic Can’t Get You Out of My Head.

It’s hard to make perms, gold hot pants, bedsheets and made-up words work, but if anyone can do it, it’s the woman who started out as the tomboy from Ramsay Street.

She’s no longer the impossible princess, she’s rightfully musical royalty.