Kylie Minogue says new album ‘blend of personal reflection and melancholic high’

Kylie Minogue has said her upcoming record Tension is a “blend of personal reflection, club abandon and melancholic high”.

The Australian singer, who is the female solo artist with the third most UK chart-topping records after Madonna and Taylor Swift, has announced that she will release her latest studio album on September 22.

The 54-year-old said: “I started this album with an open mind and a blank page.

“Unlike my last two albums there wasn’t a ‘theme’, it was about finding the heart or the fun or the fantasy of that moment and always trying to service the song.

“I wanted to celebrate each song’s individuality and to dive into that freedom. I would say it’s a blend of personal reflection, club abandon and melancholic high.”

The Can’t Get You Out Of My Head singer also teased that her first single, Padam Padam, described as a “hypnotic electro song”, is set to be released soon.

Her new 11-track record, which is said to be full of “euphoric, empowered dance floor bangers” and “joyful pop tunes”, has been produced and co-written with Minogue’s long-time collaborators Biff Stannard and Duck Blackwell.

Minogue said: “I loved being back in the studio with my collaborators but was also able to benefit from remote recording, which we have all got used to – my mobile studio never left my side for a year-and-a-half.

“The album is a mix of songs I have written and songs which really spoke to me.

“Making this album helped me navigate challenging times and celebrate the now. I hope it accompanies listeners on their own journeys and becomes part of their story.”

The album will begin with Padam Padam, followed by Hold On To Now, Things We Do For Love, Tension, One More Time, You Still Get Me High, Hands, Green Light, Vegas High, 10 Out Of 10 and Story.

In November 2020, Minogue became the first female artist to have a number one album in the UK in five consecutive decades.

She had previously surpassed Sir Elton John, Sir Cliff Richard and George Michael, who have all had seven chart-topping albums, on the all-time album chart leaderboard.

Minogue has had chart-topping records with Kylie in 1988, Enjoy Yourself in 1989, Greatest Hits in 1992, Fever in 2001, Aphrodite in 2010, Golden in 2018, Step Back In Time: The Definitive Collection in 2019 and Disco in 2020.

She has also had seven UK number one singles – including Spinning Around and I Should Be So Lucky – which puts her level with singers such as Ariana Grande, Michael, Robbie Williams and Justin Bieber.