The sexual tension, so to speak, between Madonna and Kylie Minogue has been simmering and sizzling since at least 2000 (though also long before, with Minogue constantly singing the former’s praises when she wasn’t just plain singing). For this was the year when Madonna sported a tank top emblazoned with “Kylie Minogue” in a shimmering, cursive-y font on it. And during an interview special with Graham Norton called Madonna & Graham that was aired on June 26, 2026 (a week before Confessions II would drop), Madonna would explain of the first truly iconic documentation of their affection for one another, “I was in my Western mode, rhinestoning everything, and I was trying to think of singers that I’m slightly in love with and so…naturally, I thought of Kylie and had a t-shirt made of her.”
This t-shirt was then, of course, worn during her performance of “Music” at the 2000 MTV European Music Awards, during which Kylie Minogue also performed “Kids,” her duet with Robbie Williams. Though it’s undeniable that far more remember Madonna’s appearance that year, both as a performer and as an award recipient (and also because she was wearing a fairly unforgettable red “cowboy suit” [that Lil Nas X must surely have been influenced by] while she returned to “civilian mode” in the audience). Not that Robbie and Kylie didn’t deliver a tour de force performance of their own (that, for whatever reason, had a Las Vegas showgirl-type them going on—long before Minogue embarked on her Showgirl: Greatest Hits Tour). It was just that 1) “Kids” wasn’t exactly the same international hit that “Music” was and 2) Madonna upstaged a lot of the rest of the night as well. Complete with Ali G (a.k.a. Sacha Baron Cohen) introducing her performance, what with being a key player in the Jonas Åkerlund-directed video. And, in the spirit of the era, “Ali G” got to make some misogynistic comments under the guise of it being “flattering” as he noted, “Even though she’s just squeezed a nipper out of ‘er punani, I still definitely would.”
Later, when Guy Ritchie took the stage to present the award for Best Video, he saw it as an opportunity to show off his own misogyny by saying, “Ali G, you’ll be in trouble when I get hold of ya. For speakin’ about my woman like that. But I definitely would. In fact, I definitely did.” The expected roar from the crowd came in response, as if talking about banging Madonna in such a crude way was acceptable just because the two were engaged and recently had a child together. Then, when Moby won the award, Ritchie added to his obnoxiousness by screaming, “The winner is…Madonna!” It was kind of like a Kanye award-ruining moment before it even existed. So yes, Madonna had many scene-stealing moments throughout the night, even when she was only just being talked about and not actually onstage. Yet she managed to make so many talk about Minogue by wearing that shirt during her second major live performance of “Music” (the first being at Roseland Ballroom, where she instead sported a top that read, “Britney Spears”).
In recalling this to Norton and Minogue on the Madonna & Graham special (along with both of them alluding to the time Minogue herself went onstage at the March 7th date of The Celebration Tour to sing “I Will Survive” and “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” with her while dressed in the same style Madonna rocked at the EMAs, only Minogue’s shirt said, what else, “Madonna”), she starts to channel a lot of butch energy as she flashes Minogue a “gleam-in-her-eye” kind of look and further adds, “I was actually a little bit jealous of you.” “Really?” Minogue says in disbelief. Norton then quizzically asks, “Why?” Madonna, continuing the foreplay, explains, “‘Cause she’s so cute. I think my ex-husband at the time had a crush on her.” And obviously, so does Madonna, based on their entire Confessions II-era interactions, including joining one another onstage at WorldPride Amsterdam for Club Confessions. Madonna’s DJ set event that she’s been taking to cities around the globe, starting in Los Angeles and also moving on to Paris, London and New York as her album rollout progressed. At each DJ set, not only has Madonna had a special guest (perhaps most notably, Charli XCX for the Paris edition), but she’s also had producer Stuart Price at her side…or rather, at her backside, for he stands behind the turntables making the magic happen.
Indeed, he’s made plenty of magic happen for Minogue as well, executive producing 2010’s much acclaimed Aphrodite. Which is part of why seeing the three of them join forces only sweetens the deal. And there’s probably no one else who could have produced this remix (another “Afterhours” one, just like “Bring Your Love” also has, even though this one should definitely be called “The Kylie Remix”) with as much finesse. After all, not every producer can say they’ve worked with the two of the biggest names in pop music (and brought out the best in them). Ergo, two of the biggest names in gay music.
On that note, having been the one to first describe being in their presence as “gay heaven” (which Madonna would later take on as her phrase while shouting to the Amsterdam crowd as she stood near Minogue, “Are we in gay heaven? Are we in gay. heaven. Yes!”), Norton also decided to come right out and ask the two of them during the special, “There are all these rumors that, uh, Kylie is on Confessions II. Is this you confirming that rumor?” Madonna and Kylie exchange more naughty glances with one another, neither confirming nor denying. That is, until August 1st, when the two joined forces at WorldPride Amsterdam to let the fans know that, at last, their collaboration is official: a remix of “Love Sensation.” And yes, it couldn’t be a more perfect track for Minogue to appear on since, in many ways, it sounds like the kind of song that could have been hers to begin with. In which case, Madonna better watch out if this version does too well—for non-fans might start to think “Love Sensation” is a Minogue song if it gets enough airplay and/or dancefloor action. And then she might truly have a reason to be jealous… A, er, sensation that might only add to their long-standing tension (sexual or otherwise). Incidentally, the name of a Kylie album as well.
Genna Rivieccio
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