I've done quite a bit of traveling over the years and find, for the most part, that people are pretty much the same wherever you go. Sure they may speak a different language or have different customs... but everybody everywhere breathes, eats, drinks, loves, hates, sleeps, and poops. Despite any differences you can call out, humans will always be more similar than they are different. The more places I go, the more I find this to be true. But still, it's the diversity that makes this world such an interesting place, and all those little differences keep traveling the globe so I can seek them out and experience them (see my map).
But every once in a while you come across a difference so baffling that you find it hard to wrap your head around.
I was flipping through television channels and landed on some kind of concert on BBC America. It was an extravagant affair with thousands of people packed in an arena. At first I thought it was a Madonna show, but I didn't recognize the song she was singing. Then they zoomed in for a close-up, and I had no idea who it was...
TiVo tells me it's Kylie Minogue.
And so I'm sitting there thinking "WTF? THE 'LOCO-MOTION GIRL' IS SELLING OUT ARENA SHOWS IN THE U.K.?!?"
I barely remember who she is, and go scrambling to her Wikipedia entry so I can find out what exactly I've been missing. Turns out that Kylie is a massive, massive pop star everywhere except in the US. After postponing this "Showgirl Tour" I'm watching for breast cancer treatment last year, she is resuming the tour this year in November. It's an admirable story, but the real shocker was to come...
Kylie sold out her two January 2007 shows at London's Wembley Arena in six minutes.
SIX MINUTES? They kept adding dates until they had six in London and six in Manchester... all of which sold out immediately. In her native Australia, I'm guessing it's just as impressive. And yet here in The States, people barely know who she is. For some reason, I find this more shocking than even the wildest cultural differences I've encountered in foreign lands. I guess I've always assumed that pop trends like this were kind of universal. But Kylie, like soccer, has somehow escaped US attention.
I wish that were true for half the crap they play on the radio.
But still, Kylie's got some pretty good dance beats, is entertaining in concert, and actually seems to have some talent... kind of a shame that Kevin Federline and Paris Hilton can sell records here but she can't.
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Yeah she is big in Europe alright. Not a big fan of her music myself but this I am a fan of.
Caution: NSFW linky.
Kylie is smokin’. You haven’t heard a few of her songs that hit here? Maybe just one. It was a dance club kind of thing and it was great.
Yup, Kylie is big here in Europe. I’ld say in the UK just as big as Madge. The media adore her. But sadly her disco music got the same treatment on US radio as Madge’s latest album.
Not that much a fan of her music, but I have to deal with living in the UK. But when in a club, her tracks really kick and everyone freaks out on her beats. Couldn’t get any tickets tho. Didn’t try either.
Oh Dave, Oh Dave !!! Paris Hilton and Kevin Federline… Oh no, I sympathize with you for having to listenning them !
Kylie Minogue is very famous like you said and she is a woman of good sense : she will get married to a FRENCH man !!! 😉
In any case, she became famous with her clip : “Spinning around.” Or it was her shorts !!! It is up to you !
But I must think of girls who read Blogography. And I must offset the Kylie’s short… So, I will talk about Robbie Williams.
Just for the girls… keep your eyes open. Me, I don’t know if I prefer when he sings or not… 😀
isn’t she like 5’0?
I’m a fan of her music. She was really popular a couple years ago.
She’s considered something of a sex symbol…chick is smokin…really.
anyway, she’s the one who had that obnoxiously catchy Can’t Get You Out Of My Head tune in like 2001.
Surely you are used to your fav music being ignored in the US Dave? 😉
I don’t think Kylie’s shows here sold out as quick as they did in the UK, but she’s been a star since she was on the Aussie soap Neighbours before her singing career. She’s got a sister Dannii as well, but she’s no where near as hot as her sister.
It’s the same thing with Robbie Williams, isn’t it? He’s incredibly popular here in Europe.
I’ve heard the name and seen it on the 24hr music channels that my 12ys old listens to, but you’re right about differences.
Yet I keep on hearing about foriegners who mention said differences and frequently imply it’s ‘better’ over there.
Yet they choose to be here (US). Wonder why that is all the time?
Anthony… Yowza! I had no idea! The last time I remember seeing Kylie she had frizzy 80’s hair.
Mr. Jerz… I probably did, but the only song I associate with her is “The Loco-Motion.”
Franky… If you were able to find tickets, I shudder to think of how expensive they would be!
Laurence… Robbie is not very popular here, but he is an artist I do recognize. He made a somewhat recent splash with his song “Millennium”.
Lore… I am kind of a fan now that I’ve seen her concert. It’s all dance pop, but well-done dance pop. 🙂
Miss Ann… After having tracked down some of her videos, I’d have to agree that “smokin’ hot” pretty much sums her up.
Sayuri… True. Depeche Mode and a-ha are both pretty much ignored.
Mooselet… Perhaps because the U.K. does not see her as often, they are more anxious about the opportunity??
Mario… Yes. Though the times I’ve been over to the U.K., Robbie is everywhere, so he I did know about.
Wayne… Well, since they have McDonalds everywhere, it must be something else…
Gold hotpants – that’s what makes Kylie so popular here. I prefer her earlier work. 🙂
Is she on the set of Larry King in this picture?
Bec… Sounds like I need to get me some gold hotpants!
RW… Indeed it is. Larry is behind his desk having his nineteenth heart attack.
I heard tickets went between $100 and you don’t want to know 😀
And yeah she has a smoking hot sister, with cheaper tickets, too.
Did you Americans have (end 80s) Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue in the billboards? She also worked together with Nick Cave.
And yeah Robbie Williams is a little the same. Sometimes, especially seen how Madge gets treated by the US Media, I just wonder if all this stuff isn’t a UK-US contest.
Dave consider this your personal invitation to come visit us here in South Dakota.
david
She had a couple of hits here a while ago, you wouldn’t necessarily connect her with her earlier work from them though. Glad you had a “new” find.
I hear Kim Wylde is big in Japan. Huge.
I wasn’t a Kylie fan until I saw that video that Anthony linked to. Yikes!
Dave, you don’t remember her song from a few years ago that got near constant airplay that went “la la la, la la la la la, la la la, la la la la la…”?
I forgot about her song with Nick Cave. I have always loved that song. Here’s a link to the video…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmsfRnz1qaE
Dang.
Never thought I’d be jealous of a mechanical bull. 😉
OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH !
Love your new design !!!
Just ask your gay friends about her, if anyone will cross cultural borders where Kyle is concerned it will be them.
The Cancer thing was a real shocker because Kyle is a true Peter Pan, she never gets older so it was damn weird that she could get human ailments.
Lastly, OMG Blogography has gone all shiny!
Her voice is very sexy. Most of her albums I have is dance albums.
I think lots of Americans are clueless about what is going on other countries culture.
‘Our Kylie’ is a gay icon here in Australia.
She was v. popular with the teenagers when I was…well… a teenager. Then became v. v. uncool to like her. Personally, I luv her stuff and she puts on a great show – go Kylie!
Supposedly Madonna tried to get Kylie’s name out there by wearing a sparkly ‘Kylie’ t-shirt around for a while, don’t know if it did Kyles any good – maybe the opposite, the way Madonna’s career’s going.
Hayley
I totally agree with you. Kylie’s stuff is actually quite enjoyable. I have two of her more recent albums (Fever and Body Language)and love listening to them. She also had a song of hers remixed on the Queer Eye soundtrack. That’s about all the recognition she gets here in the States. But she deserves so much more. The one song of hers you stand the best chance at recognizing would most likely be “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.”
Oh Dave i could go on for HOURS about this topic.
I heart Kylie and Robbie Williams (another one that ain’t makin’ it in the US but is like freakin’ ELVIS in the UK.) Robbie’s HOT, in a rough and tumble hooligan way. And Kylie is famous for her cute little bum. And of course you’ve heard of Posh and Becks. (they could die, I can’t stand them. The big gossip about her is how many surgeries she’s had…who knows?)
I am more used to British pop culture than American, now. Like this guy, um, Clay Aiken? Many hate him, I’ve never heard him? Is he country? I’ve missed ALL the American Pop Idols and ALL the new fall shows. I don’t care about Idol, but I am bummed about the fall lineups. I was just in the US for a week and forced my parents to watch “Project Runway”. They did not like it, but I told them to shut up that we ARE watching it.
My new favorite show is called “the Kumars at Number 42″…find it on BBC and laugh…it’s great.
I feel the need to add gold hotpants to my shopping list. Ms. Minogue has successfully got her snappy club beats stuck in my head and I really like everything that she has put out there on the charts, but not enough to buy her albums or spend money on a concert.
But thank GOD for iTunes because I just download the ones I want and use them for running or cycling. Girlfriend can make me get up offa my ass and get my groove on.
Robbie and Kylie did a duet called ‘Kids.’
Gold hotpants! Right there is your next fancy dress outfit!
Found this video to be very catchy and evocative – and I agreed with the one reviewer who thought she looked like Faye Dunaway in this! Very pop/synth and highly produced, but nonetheless enjoyable.
I’d love to see this in DVD quality.