Kylie Minogue reveals her secret to Vegas success as she opens up why she stripped back her first ever residency

IT has been a whirlwind year for Kylie Minogue.

In the space of less than 12 months she has had a ninth UK No1 album with Tension and scored her highest-charting single in 12 years with song of the summer Padam Padam.

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She is hotly tipped to land Grammy nominations, the first since 2009.

Oh, and then there is the small matter of kicking off her debut Las Vegas residency.

The sold-out run of shows at The Venetian hotel’s cabaret-style venue Voltaire sees her come full circle and become a real-life Showgirl, 16 years after a breast cancer diagnosis forced her to scrap the global tour of the same name.

The moment is not lost on 55-year-old Kylie, who gave her only interview with The Sun backstage at The Venetian resort.

She said: “It’s surreal to be in Vegas, full stop. But yes, this moment feels very good and I’m so grateful for the opportunities that I have right now.”

Kylie added: “I have pretty much never stopped working but there are certain times where everything seems to work in tandem — and of course we never know when, or if, these moments will happen.”

By Kylie’s own admission, even her biggest cheerleaders at her record label BMG could not have predicted what 2023 had in store.

But when we meet in the extravagant surroundings of The Venetian, it is not an egocentric diva who greets me.

Nor is there an army of make-up artists, assistants and managers.

Instead, there is a warm, self-assured but down-to-earth woman who somehow hasn’t let shifting 80million records and amassing a reported fortune of more than £100million go to her head — and who still likes to unwind with a good old cuppa.

Although it has to be said Kylie is dressed in clobber worth more than all of the content of my suitcase.

Most importantly for me, the singer graciously doesn’t wince or seem irked when I accidentally refer to her as “babe” and “mate” as we hang out while she unwinds after wrapping up her first weekend in Sin City.

“Yes! And a good bit of sorting,” she said with a laugh when I asked her if she still does mundane jobs such as ironing and hoovering just like the rest of us when not in pop star mode.

“I love to potter around and as I’m on the road so much, whenever I’m in a place where I can settle for more than a few days, I can do this. Nothing beats being at home though.

“I am a little fastidious even at work and I’m normally the last person to leave and I’m tidying up before I go.”

Rather than having an epic rider of flowers, champagne and non-negotiable brands of fragranced candles, Kylie opts to keep things refreshingly stripped back in her dressing room before performing for 1,000 devoted fans at Voltaire.

She revealed: “I keep my backstage area pretty simple. I don’t need distraction. Here in Vegas, a humidifier is essential.

‘Always a buzz’

“High up on the list of priorities is a kettle and a coffee machine. A well-timed cup of tea can always make things better.”

But do not be fooled. Come curtain-up at 11pm, the sexy pop star who has dominated the charts for more than three decades hasn’t gone anywhere.

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Kylie’s 75-minute concert is nothing short of spectacular.

She emerges in a glittering gold gown from Dolce & Gabbana and matching high-heeled boots as she belts out fan favourite Light Years before no less than four outfit changes.

Rather than being over-inflated with pyrotechnics and gimmicks, Kylie’s show is centred on being up-close-and-personal with her fans rather than a distant spot on stage.

It is a nod to Vegas from years gone by.

Kylie said: “I like the idea of flying but for now it feels good to be so close to the audience.

“The show is kind of in reverse to the big ‘Vegas-like’ concerts I have taken on the road before.

“It is the warmth and the embrace of the venue itself that gives way to a spectacle of a different nature.

“It’s been great to get back into gear, especially being able to rehearse and prepare in-situ.

“Yes, much of the fundamentals of a show snap back like muscle memory but a new show always brings new challenges.

“I have really enjoyed this challenge and am excited to be doing something a little different.

“It is a brand-new venue and has so many moving parts.”

The intimacy means Kylie will be able to interact with fans more, something Adele at the nearby Colosseum at Caesars Palace says has turned her into a “bit of a rambler”.

Kylie said with a laugh: “I didn’t know Adele said that but I can relate. I love interacting with the audience and can often feel like I need to pull myself back to get on with the show.

“But I think a lot of the magic is in those moments. The biggest buzz is it’s a live event.

“There are many people backstage and on stage doing what they love and have trained for or worked as for years.

“The audience come with their amazing energy and their own personal connection to me or my music.

“It’s such a unifying energy and experience and one that you feel but you can’t bottle, so it will always be special.”

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The show features a 19-song set list including a cover of Elvis classic Can’t Help Falling In Love and four tracks from her latest album — Vegas High, Padam Padam, Tension and new single Hold On To Now.

Kylie said: “Having new material in a show is always a buzz. I feel that the four new songs have reinvigorated the set list.

“They also sound like they have always been there.”

It has been five years since Kylie’s previous run of shows.

Her last outing, 2018’s Golden Tour, was a trek blighted by cancelled dates after Kylie suffered a knee injury.

But while Vegas will give Kylie more stability instead of zipping all over the world, she has no plans to go easy.

Kylie said: “I still want to go all out. Whenever I say to myself, ‘You have to go cruise control’ it never happens. I can’t help but give everything.

“One unique change to the norm has been having to be very aware of my vocals as we’re in the desert.

“I’ve heard from a few performers that you have to take extra care as this type of climate can be difficult to manage.”

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THE more intimate show means anything can happen – much to the stress of her security.

The singer sparked concern among bodyguards after halting the performance to invite a man on stage when she spotted his outfit.

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Kind-hearted Kylie couldn’t resist giving the fan his moment to shine as he danced away in a sparkling gold top.

She said: “Actually, hang on. Come up here and show everyone.”

Perched at the end of the runway the security staff turned to each other and one said: “Did you approve that?

Another responded: “No, I didn’t, but it’s OK. She clearly approved that. She’s the boss.”

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FOR £24 – which isn’t that bad by Vegas standards – fans could drink a cocktail created just for Kylie.

The drink, Vegas High, is made up of Kylie’s very own brand of rose prosecco, with Aperol and sparkling grapefruit juice.

It is named after one of the songs on her new album.

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KYLIE told the audience her younger self would struggle to comprehend what she had achieved.

She said: “The eight-year-old me would have a hard time believing all this. I was obsessed with Abba. I was obsessed with music basically.”

Kylie added: “Seventeen year-old-me made a demo of three songs and cried in the studio. I was so nervous. I used all my pocket money.

“And that just reminded me. The first song I ever released I recorded as a demo and no record company knew nothing. I must have had that dream inside me.

“Here I am all these years later.”