Dannii on TOUR
Down-to-earth and incredibly sweet, Dannii Minogue is as beautiful and happy as ever when New Idea catches up with her.
And why wouldn’t she be beaming? The successful singer, who hasn’t released an album in more than a decade, is back with new music. On top of that, she’ll be supporting ’90s boy band Take That (returning as a trio with Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen) on a huge Australian tour – their first in more than 20 years.
The boys and Dannii have shared so many of their career milestones together, so it makes perfect sense for the stars to team up and go on tour.
‘They’re great boys,’ the mother-of-one gushes. ‘We were all releasing our music at the same time in the UK. We had years and years of being on the same TV shows – whether it was Top Of The Pops or the music roadshows. We saw each other grow up through our music and develop. We were kids, and now we’re parents!’
In more recent times, Gary Barlow and Dannii got together for the UK TV series Let It Shine, and she’s thrilled to be able to collaborate again.
‘I worked with Gary last year and we had a great time,’ Dannii says. ‘I remember the boys were planning their tour and they were talking about their show. Gary was working and planning this world tour. [Me joining] didn’t come up until I came back [from the UK] and they said: “Hey would you like to join us?” And I said: “Yes I would!”’
And the tour promises to be quite the spectacular event.
‘Amazing big venues, their fans are incredible – a lot of my friends have said it’s a great mixture [me and them].’
Over the years, Take That have garnered 56 number-one hits, selling 45 million records worldwide, while Dannii scored a recordbreaking 14 numberone dance singles in the UK – more consecutive hits than any other female artist in the world.
After secretly working on new music of her own, Dannii has just released her new single Holding On.
‘I’ve been tinkering around in the studio, working with different people, and I had music there and I just felt ready,’ she explains. ‘And I’ve also got myself set up so I could release it, on my own, whenever I wanted to – no pressure, no hectic promotional schedule.
‘The song is there if people want to buy it or stream it or play it, just do it.’
Dannii’s other pride and joy, her gorgeous son Ethan – who she welcomed with ex-partner Kris Smith in 2010 – is slowly
‘I just felt ready... no pressure, no hectic promotional schedule’
being drip-fed her music.
‘He’s listened to... not a lot of the stuff that’s been released, but the new stuff that I’ve been working on, he’s listened to and if he breakdances to a song, then I know he likes it,’ she laughs.
‘I don’t think he’s seen any of my music videos. He might have seen Put The Needle On It because he knows the song.
‘My mum shows him some stuff sometimes. She shows him lots of Young Talent Time, which is hilarious!’
The beautiful songstress talks Take That, touring and what son Ethan really thinks of her music
Viewers saw Jacqui Patterson eliminated from Australian Survivor last week. However, leaving the competition is the least of the statuesque brunette’s worries, after she shockingly revealed she has been diagnosed with cancer. Speaking on The Project, the Byron Bay-based marriage celebrant revealed that she discovered a stage four melanoma on her back following surgery, after she broke her arm on the reality show. ‘If I can say one thing – check your skin, guys. I had an injury on the show. There’s been a silver lining to that,’ she said. ‘My sister noticed an unusual mole on my shoulder. Within the week, I was diagnosed with a grade four melanoma.’ ‘It’s just like that. Don’t wait. Check yourself out,’ she said, adding: ‘I’m a survivor, I will kick this.’