Kylie Minogue Reveals Second Cancer Diagnosis
Kylie Minogue has disclosed that she received a second cancer diagnosis in early 2021, following her successful treatment for breast cancer in 2005.
In her new self-titled Netflix documentary, released on Wednesday, the Australian singer shared that she "got through it, again," but chose not to make the news public at the time.
"My second cancer diagnosis was in early 2021. I was able to keep that to myself,"
said Minogue, 57. "Not like the first time."
"Thankfully, I got through it, again, and all is well,"
she continued. "Hey, who knows what's around the corner, but pop music nurtures me... my passion for music is greater than ever."
Minogue explained the difficulty she faced in deciding when to announce her second cancer experience, especially amid the success of her Grammy-winning 2023 dance-pop single "Padam Padam."
"I don't feel obliged to tell the world, and actually I just couldn't at the time because I was just a shell of a person,"
Minogue said.
"I didn't want to leave the house again at one point. Padam Padam opened so many doors for me but on the inside I knew that cancer wasn't just a blip in my life.
And I really just wanted to say what happened so I can let go of it. I'd sit through interviews and every opportunity I thought, 'now's the time', but I kept it to myself."
Although she did not disclose her second cancer diagnosis to fans or journalists, Minogue subtly referenced her experience in her 2023 album Tension. One track, "Story," includes the lyrics:
"I had a secret that I kept to myself / Turn another page, baby take the stage."
In the three-part documentary, directed by Michael Harte, who also worked on the David Beckham film, Minogue stated:
"I needed to have something that marked that time."
Minogue, who was diagnosed following a routine check-up, emphasized that sharing this information was her choice, hoping it might serve as a reminder for others to stay vigilant with their health.
"Early detection was very helpful and I am so grateful to be able to say that I am well today,"
she added in the film's promotional material.
Background on First Diagnosis and Impact
When Minogue was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, she had to cancel the remainder of her Showgirl greatest hits tour and withdraw from headlining Glastonbury Festival's Sunday legends slot to undergo treatment, which included chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The diagnosis was widely publicized, and Minogue received extensive support from fans and public figures alike.
As one of the few female celebrities at the time to openly discuss a cancer diagnosis, Minogue was praised for raising awareness of the disease. Her openness led to a significant increase in women getting screened, particularly in Australia, where this phenomenon was dubbed the "Kylie effect."
Minogue revealed to Netflix producers that she had postponed treatment to pursue several rounds of IVF in hopes of having a child.
"I was 36 when I got my diagnoses so already it's – you need to be thinking about children,"
she said in the film.
"So I did try, I even postponed my chemotherapy to try, which was quite scary at the time because you just want it out, gone."
"If it had happened it would have been just shy of a miracle. But it didn't work out that way."
Minogue was eventually given the all-clear and, in 2008, disclosed that she had initially been misdiagnosed and told she "was alright, and had nothing to worry about."
She finally performed on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage in 2019 — 14 years after the originally planned appearance — delivering a decades-spanning greatest hits set that became the festival's most-watched performance ever, during which she was visibly emotional.
Recent Achievements
In December 2023, Minogue achieved a UK Christmas number one single and album chart double, further cementing her enduring success in the music industry.
