It is the last Friday of June and I would hope anyone who actually follows this blog would know by now what that means; It’s time for the Spotlight artist for the month! For the month of June, I had initially planned a very different Spotlight post but sometimes things happen that kind of change the direction in which you are headed. For the month of June, that thing that happened was the kind of surprise release of a brand new single and music video from my third favorite artist of all time, (behind only Madonna and Liz Phair,) the one and only Kylie Minogue! Kylie is celebrating 25 years in the music industry this year and has been releasing random surprises throughout the year but I never actually expected a brand new single. What’s even more interesting is the fact that I have no idea yet what this single is being attached to, although my fingers are crossed for a whole album of new material! In any sense, June has definitely been a pretty major celebration of all things Kylie, with a brand new greatest hits album being released in addition to the single, (although the single is not included on this record, which gives me even more hope for that new album!) As I mentioned above, Kylie is my third favorite artist of all time and I knew that eventually I would be doing a Spotlight post showcasing her career and I knew it would be sometime this year, because of the 25th anniversary of her career, but I didn’t necessarily plan for it to be so soon.

Kylie’s career in the entertainment industry began when she was just a child, appearing alongside her sister Dannii in a popular children’s program called “Young Talent Time,” in her native Australia. She also appeared in several other film and television roles as a child, although her young acting career was always 0vershadowed by that of Dannii, as she grew into a well loved and very popular member of Australia’s child acting community. It wasn’t until 1986, when Kylie was just 18, that she got her big break as an actress, on the massively successful and even still running Australian soap opera, “Neighbours.” “Neighbours” has not only been a massively successful series over the past 27 years but has also become a bit of a star-making machine. In fact, some of my very favorite artists, aside from Kylie, got their big breaks on “Neighbours,” including Natalie Imbruglia, Holly Valance and Delta Goodrem. Still, Kylie was the first of this pack and has been the most successful. It was during a benefit concert in Sidney with other cast members of “Neighbours,” meant as a one-off event where the cast would sing a few songs for charity, that Kylie first performed what would go on to be her very first single as a recording artist, “The Loco-Motion.” After the massive success of that performance Kylie was pretty much immediately signed to a record label and “The Loco-Motion” was released as an official single, which spent seven weeks at number one in the Australian Charts.

This was only the beginning for Kylie. One of the things that has always been the most interesting to me about the past 25 years of Kylie’s career is the fact that it has fallen so easily into different eras or can be so easily categorized into different sections based on her sound, style and general image during each of these periods; from her earliest bubblegum pop music, to her more indie period, to her all out dance re-invention and beyond. Kylie has had a long career with tons of different styles, both in terms of music and image/appearance. This made this post really easy and really difficult to put together, because it was kind of hard to pick one specific look from each of these eras because each one was filled with such strong imagery. Still, I have picked out a personal favorite from each era of Kylie’s career, as well as a personal favorite track from each era, to share with you all here. All of that having been said, let’s get right to it!

POP KYLIE

For her first album, Kylie was hooked up by her record label at the time, Mushroom Records, with the massively successful songwriting team of Stock Aitken & Waterman, who had written massive hits for Bananrama, Donna Summer, Dead or Alive, Debbie Harry, Laura Branigan, Samantha Fox, Rick Astley and a long list of others.  Essentially, their involvement kind of guaranteed Kylie a hit… and did she ever have hits. In fact, her first consecutive 13 singles made the top 10 in the UK. She released hoards of worldwide hits during the period from 1987-1992 and became a massive international star, although after initial success in the US with “The Loco-Motion” she failed to achieve continued success here. Still, her career kept getting bigger and bigger until the release of her fourth album, “Let’s Get To It,” which was her first record to fail to reach the UK top 10 and it’s lead single, “Word Is Out,” was also her first single to fail to reach the UK top 10. Kylie has stated in interviews since this time that she felt as though she was being stifled by Stock Aitken & Waterman and that she had no creative input and was merely a puppet to them and to her label. So, it came as no surprise that after releasing her first greatest hits record and fulfilling her contract with Mushroom Records, she decided not to renew and to head in a completely different direction. Still, there were some definite pop treasures that came out of this period of Kylie’s career. My personal favorite track from Kylie’s early pop career would have to be “Hand On Your Heart,” which is just a gorgeous pop anthem, full of fun 1980s flare. Check out the video below!

The look I decided to recreate from Kylie’s early career was taken from one of my favorite music videos of her career, “Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquois,” one of her earliest ballads. I loved that this video was done in the style of a classic film, mixed with some fun 80s flare, and I loved the simple, classic makeup look she wore in the video, with the added touch of a shimmery white/silver shadow at the upper lash line that really brightens up the eyes! Check out the “Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquois” video to see the look in motion and my recreation of it below!

PRODUCTS USED:

FACE:
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Compact Makeup SPF 55 in Natural Beige
Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer in Moderately Fair
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Protector Finishing Powder in Natural Beige
Sedona Lace Contour & Blush Palette (gold-toned highlight)
Maybelline Expert Wear Blush in Pinch O’ Pink

EYES:
Stila Eye Shadow in Chinois
Clinique Pink Chocolate Eye Shadow (warm-toned reddish brown)
Urban Decay Book of Shadows Volume 4 Eye Shadows in Crystal & Zephyr
Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in Black
Rimmel London Soft Kohl Kajal Liner in Pure White
Revlon Grow Luscious by FabuLash Mascara in Blackest Black

LIPS:
Tarte Lipsurgence Natural Lip Tint in Moody

INDIE KYLIE

In 1993, after leaving Mushroom Records and ending her work with Stock, Aitken & Waterman, Kylie decided to take control of her career. She signed with an independent label, Deconstruction Records and took her music in a very different direction. The first album she released under Deconstruction, simply titled “Kylie Minogue,” was released to mixed reviews, although it spawned a few top 20 singles, including “Confide In Me,” “Put Yourself In My Place” and “Where Is The Feeling?,” and the album peaked at number 4 in the UK charts. She also featured on a track with alternative artist Nick Cave, who Kylie has credited with being the person who allowed her to finally open herself up creatively. This single, “Where The Wild Roses Grow,” was a hit across the UK and Europe, as well. Kylie also, by 1997, began a relationship with director Stephane Sednaoui, who she has also credited with helping her to develop her creativity. He also assisted her in creating the visuals for her most high-concept album to date, a commercial failure but a fan favorite, “Impossible Princess.” “Impossible Princess” was mainly a dance album and featured some of Kylie’s most deeply personal music of her career. It is an absolutely stunning, brilliant album and is kind of light years away from anything else she has done in her career. The album did, however, fare well in her native Australia and was also accompanied by a very successful tour called “Intimate & Live.” It was also during this period that Kylie really began trying to pursue a career in acting, as well, although she never actually found any real success in that form. One of my very favorite songs of her career came from this era, from the “Impossible Princess” album, called “Cowboy Style.” Check out the video for this song below, made up of footage from the aforementioned “Intimate & Live” tour.

The look I’ve decided to feature from this period in Kylie’s career comes from the first music video she released under Deconstruction Records, “Confide In Me,” which is another of my very favorite songs of Kylie’s career. One thing that was so brilliant about this video is the fact that it was such a drastic change in appearance for Kylie. I loved the look she wore in this video, which was really paled down skin with a really bright purple smoky eye and big red lips. The first thing I said when I finished recreating this look on myself was, “Oh lord, I look like a whore!” Of course, Kylie didn’t quite look like a whore in her video but the look could quite easily go in that direction! Check out the “Confide In Me” video and my recreation of the look below.

PRODUCTS USED:

FACE:
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer in Fair (as foundation)
Sedona Lace Contour & Blush Palette (gold-toned highlight as finishing powder, white highlight as highlight, light contour shade for contour)
Urban Decay Afterglow Powder Blush in Score

EYES:
MAC Crushed Metallic Pigments in  Summer Stash (pinkish frosted white shade)
Urban Decay Eye Shadows in Flash & Gravity
Revlon Luxurious Color Matte Kohl Eyeliner in Very Violet
Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in  Black
Milani Liquif’Eye Metallic Eye Liner Pencil in Black
Revlon Grow Luscious by FabuLash Mascara in Blackest Black
Milani Easy Brow Pencil in Natural Taupe

LIPS:
Prestige Lip Liner Pencil in Eggplant
Ulta Lip Color in Moroccan Red
L’oreal Infallible Le Rouge in Ravishing Red

DANCE KYLIE

Kylie made a “comeback” in a really major way in 1999 with the release of her 7th studio album under a new label, Parlophone Records, called “Light Years.” “Light Years” was kind of where Kylie finally found the happy medium between the extremes of her early bubblegum pop career and her much darker, harder “Impossible Princess” sound. This album is where Kylie took on a much stronger more pop-influenced dance sound, inspired by disco music. This album came only 2 years after the release of “Impossible Princess.” but has been widely considered a comeback record because it was Kylie’s return to pop and return to mainstream success. Kylie managed to maintain this success with her next two albums, “Fever” and “Body Language.”  “Fever” also marked Kylie’s return to mainstream success in the US with her massively successful singles “Can’t Get You Outta My Head” and “Love At First Sight.” This time she has actually managed to maintain success in the US, although it still isn’t nearly as big as in other parts of the world. It was also during this period in which I was able to see Kylie in person at a taping of the now defunct “Ryan Seacrest Show,” where she did a promotional stop for the US release of her album “Body Language.” “Body Language” included one of my favorite tracks from this era, “Red-Blooded Woman.” Check out the video below.

For this era, I just knew that I had to recreate the look that Kylie wore in her video for one of her most successful US singles to date, “Love At First Sight.” I absolutely fell in love with the video for this single and the look that she wore in this video. It was a very simple, basic summertime style makeup look with the absolutely genius twist of a bright pop of green in the crease! It was an incredibly atypical makeup look and one that I haven’t really seen before that or since. I immediately knew that I needed to recreate this look. Check out the “Love At First Sight” video and my recreation of the look below!

PRODUCTS USED:

FACE:
Covergirl TruBlend Mineral Foundation in Pure Beige
Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer in Moderately Fair
Covergirl TruBlend Loose Mineral Powder in Translucent Light
Tarte for True Blood Eye Shadow in Dusk
Sedona Lace Contour & Blush Palette (gold-toned highlight)
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Wonder

EYES:
Smashbox Burlesque Collection Eye Shadow Quad in Entice (Glittery Beige Shade)
Sugarpill Cosmetics Pressed Eye Shadows in Midori & Tako
Hard Candy Secret Stash Palette Eye Shadow (Glittery Mint Green Shade)
Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner Pen in Black
Revlon Grow Luscious by FabuLash Mascara in Blackest Black
Milani Easy Brow Pencil in Natural Taupe

LIPS:
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain in Honey
Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Peony

X KYLIE

In 2004, Kylie released her second official greatest hits album, which featured the new track, “I Believe In You,” which is one of my very favorite tracks of Kylie’s career. This track is particularly notable because it started Kylie’s friendship and collaborations with Jake Shears and Babydaddy of Scissor Sisters, which has produced some of the most brilliant tracks of her career. It was at this point that Kylie set out to embark on her Showgirl tour across the UK and Australia, however after the UK leg the Australian portion of the tour had to be cancelled when, in early 2005, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It wasn’t until 2006 when Kylie embarked on her Showgirl Homecoming tour in Australia, which was a completely re-worked version of the Showgirl tour, featuring new material including “White Diamond,” written with Jake Shears & Babydaddy, which has kind of become a theme for Kylie’s career and her beating cancer. It was also the title of documentary about Kylie, which was absolutely brilliant and inspiring. In 2007, Kylie released her 10th studio album, “X,” which became a massive success and featured some really brilliant music, including the singles “2 Hearts,” “In My Arms” and “Wow.” This album featured some of Kylie’s most positive and uplifting work, which one could assume was inspired by her overcoming breast cancer, including one of my very favorite tracks of her career, “No More Rain.” It was also during this period that Kylie finally embarked on her very first North American tour, (which I sadly did not get the opportunity to see.) It was really difficult to pick a track from this era to feature here because I loved so many of them! Still, I knew that I had to go with “I Believe In You,” as it has had so much personal meaning to me. Check out the video below!

I just knew that I had to recreate the look from Kylie’s video for the single, “In My Arms,” which was absolutely gorgeous and yet another example of Kylie’s willingness to play around and try really brilliant new things with makeup. This look was really extreme and dramatic and absolutely stunning. Check out the “In My Arms” video below, as well as my recreation of the look!

PRODUCTS USED:

FACE:
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Compact Makeup SPF 55 in Natural Beige
Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer in Moderately Fair
Tarte for True Blood Eye Shadow in Dusk
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Wonder

EYES:
Stila Backstage Palette Eye Shadows in Pacific, Coal and Flamingo
Glamour Doll Eyes Eye Shadow in Oddity
Urban Decay Eye Shadow in Blackout
Milani Liquif’eye Metallic Eye Liner Pencil in Black
Revlon Grow Luscious by FabuLash Mascara in Blackest Black

LIPS:
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Siren

K25

In 2012, Kylie released her 11th studio album, “Aphrodite,” which is probably my favorite record of hers to date. She also embarked on her Aphrodite World Tour, including North America, (which I also, quite unfortunately, missed.) Kylie also reached 5 consecutive number ones on the US dance charts during this period, kind of marking her biggest US success of her career. As mentioned above, 2012 is the 25th anniversary of Kylie’s career in music and, in celebration, she has begun releasing some really interesting and fun surprises this year. She put out a video and new orchestral recording for her 1992 single “Finer Feelings,” as well as a new orchestral recording of the song, “On A Night Like This” from the “Light Years” album. She also set out on what she has called an “Anti Tour,” on which she performed exclusively fan favorite b-sides, leaked recordings and fan-favorite album tracks. No singles or mainstream hits were featured on this tour, which was an amazing gesture to her fans, in my opinion, and an amazing way to celebrate 25 years, as Kylie probably has one of the largest collections of leaked demos, b-sides, etc., of any pop star out there and so many of these tracks have become favorites for fans the world over. At the end of May, Kylie also world premiered a brand new single, “Time Bomb,” and released another official greatest hits album, “The Best Of Kylie Minogue.” The single “Time Bomb” is not included on this greatest hits album and fans are all abuzz with what this single may be attached to and what else is to come in this, Kylie’s 25th year. We shall see, I suppose. I also wanted to feature one of my favorite songs from the previously mentioned “Aphrodite” album, one of my favorite singles from the album, “Get Outta My Way.” Check out the video below.

As soon as I saw the video for the song “Time Bomb,” I knew that I needed to recreate the absolutely stunning look that Kylie wore in the video. I also knew that I wanted to record a tutorial for this look! So, I have. This video features a really gorgeous brown cut crease look, but the cut crease is actually really high above her actual crease, giving the look a really interesting and unique appearance. Because of the fact that I don’t have near as much space between my crease and my eye brow as Kylie does, this effect doesn’t come off so much on my eyes but if you watch the “Time Bomb” video, you will see what I am talking about. Check out the video, as well as my tutorial for the look and pics of my recreation of it below!

PRODUCTS USED:

FACE:
Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 135
Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer in Moderately Fair
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Protector Finishing Powder in Natural Beige
Tarte Mineral Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess
Maybelline Expert Wear Blush in Dusty Rose

EYES:
Urban Decay Naked Palette Eye Shadows in Naked, Buck, Hustle & Creep
Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in Black
Milani Liquif’Eye Metallic Eye Liner Pencil in Black
Revlon Grow Luscious by FabuLash Mascara in Blackest Black
Milani Easy Brow Pencil in Natural Taupe

LIPS:
Beautique Lip Liner Pencil in Natural
L’oreal Endless Lipstick in In The Buff
Stila Lip Glaze in Ulta-mate Pink

As I mentioned above, I knew for as long as I have been doing a Spotlight post each month that I would be doing one for Kylie and I can’t even begin to explain how excited I was to do it! I was also really happy with the way that each of these looks came out! Kylie is another artist, though, like Madonna, where she has had so many different looks and so many striking visuals throughout her career that I just know that one Spotlight post will not be enough to cover it. I can’t imagine that there will not be a sequel at some point in the future! I also just wanted to take a moment to say that next week is the first week of July and I have a lot of really exciting things planned for July, as it is my birthday month! I really can’t wait to share some of these things with you all! In the meantime, though, I wish you all a beautiful weekend and a beautiful life!

Jason