Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE, born 28 May 1968, is an Australian pop singer-songwriter and occasional actress. She rose to prominence in the late 1980s through her role in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing her career as a recording artist in 1987.

Signed to a contract by British songwriters and producers Stock, Aitken & Waterman in 1988, she achieved a string of hit records throughout the world. Her popularity waned during the early 1990s, leading her to part company from Stock, Aitken & Waterman in 1992. During the mid to late 90s, Minogue distanced herself from her earlier work and attempted to establish herself as a credible and independent performer and songwriter. Her projects were widely publicised, but her albums failed to attract a substantial audience and resulted in the lowest sales of her career at the time. She returned to popularity as a pop artist in 2000, and became well-known for her elaborate music videos and expensively mounted stage shows. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, Minogue returned to performing and recording in late 2006 after a period of convalescence.

Although she was dismissed by some critics during her early career, she has achieved longevity as a pop music artist. She has sold in excess of 60 million records, and has achieved her greatest successes in Australia, Europe, Asia and South America. She was awarded an OBE in 2008 for services to music.

Childhood and beginnings of a music career

Kylie Minogue was born in Melbourne, Australia, the first child of Ron Minogue, an accountant of Irish people ancestry and Carol Jones, a former dancer from Maesteg, Wales. Her sister, Dannii, is also a pop singer,Bright, Spencer. "Why we love Kylie - By three of the people who know her best". The Daily Mail, 2007-11-09. Retrieved on 2008-05-30. and her brother, Brendan, works as a news cameraman in Australia.

The Minogue sisters began their careers as children on Australian television, and from the age of twelve, Kylie appeared in small roles in soap operas such as The Sullivans and Skyways, before being cast in one of the lead roles in The Henderson Kids.Wearring, Myles. "Kylie's life on screen". news.com.au, 2008-05-28. Retrieved on 2008-05-28. She gave her first singing performance in 1983, on the weekly music programme Young Talent Time which featured Dannii as a regular performer. Dannii's success in this program overshadowed Kylie's acting achievements, until Kylie was cast in the soap opera Neighbours in 1986.