Concert review: New songs, old hits and lots of roses at Kylie Minogue’s exuberant F1 gig

Formula One Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2024

Marina Bay Street Circuit

Sept 21

Eight years after gracing the Padang stage at the Singapore Grand Prix in 2016, Kylie Minogue still managed to get 50,000 fans dancing at the same venue on Sept 21.

Under a giant disco ball and backed by 10 dancers and three vocalists, the Australian singer turned up the beat with delightful dance-pop numbers, particularly from her latest critically acclaimed album Tension (2023).

The 56-year-old opened her 75-minute set after 10pm with the electropop title track, and her set list included the euphoric, synth-driven Hold On To Now.

Not to be left out was the viral hit Padam Padam, which has become her second most-played track on Spotify, just behind all-time favourite Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (2001). Older crowd-pleasers such as Slow (2003) and In Your Eyes (2002) were also included.

Singapore is currently not a stop on Minogue’s recently announced Tension tour in 2025. For now, it is scheduled to visit Bangkok, Tokyo, Kaohsiung and Manila in March, as well as Australia and the United Kingdom.

But more dates could be on the cards. And if the star’s intention was to use her Sept 21 performance to leave fans wanting more, it worked.

Here are three highlights from her latest outing at the Singapore Grand Prix.

1. Sneak preview of new album

Minogue is slated to release a sequel to Tension, studio album Tension II, on Oct 18. Although the Sept 21 show did not showcase the new work in all its glory, fans got a first listen at two of its 13 tracks.

There was the live performance of Edge Of Saturday Night, which was released as a single in August. The lively dance-pop number, a collaboration with American DJ-producer The Blessed Madonna, celebrates a weekend’s wild shenanigans and seems tailor-made for a Saturday night performance. Indeed, Minogue declared the song “is us right now”.

Those with keen ears might also have picked up on a snippet of Good As Gone, another Tension II track, played during the show’s encore.

2. Familiar outfits in the flesh

Fans who follow Minogue on social media might have found her three stage outfits familiar, as she has donned mostly similar, if not identical, costumes before.

Her opening get-up – a shimmering black poncho, complete with fish-net stockings and thigh-high boots – was a look from her Electric Picnic performance in Ireland in August.

She then changed into a sparkly, fringed magenta and black number for Spinning Around (2000), reminiscent of the silver version she wore at WeHo Pride’s Outloud Music Festival in Los Angeles in June. But before she could even finish Spinning Around, Singapore’s heat and humidity got to her, and she removed part of the ensemble.

“It’s too hot. It’s just too hot,” she said.

Then there was her bejewelled black gown, paired with a fuschia wrap, during On A Night Like This (2000), which was also straight out of her Electric Picnic performance.

She still looked ravishing in these repeats – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

3. Coming up roses

Performers often receive bouquets, but it is not every day that audience members also get a flower.

Just before Minogue performed All The Lovers (2010), staff members distributed fresh pink and white long-stemmed roses from the front of the stage, and the singer said: “I wanted to give you your flowers. I wanted to share this.”

She then continued to thank the audience for their support over her 36-year music career.

While All The Lovers had already been performed during her 2016 F1 show, this latest rendition had an added sweetness as the crowd waved along with blooms in hand.

It was a night when Minogue not only gave it her all, she also gave back.