- CHS 1980-1985
- Performing on TV while still a student at school
- Found fame acting in television series Neighbours
- Highly successful musical performer and recording artist
- Highest-selling female Australian artist of all time
- Received the Order of Arts and Letters from the French Government 2008
- Received the OBE (Order of the British Empire) 2008
- Inducted into ARIA Hall of Fame 2011
- Awarded AO (Officer of the Order of Australia) 2019
Kylie was born in Melbourne in 1968, lived in Surrey Hills and attended Camberwell High School along with her sister Dannii and brother Brendan.
As a child actress she first appeared on television in the series The Henderson Kids. In 1986 she took on the role of Charlene Mitchell in the long running series Neighbours. During this time she became the youngest recipient of the Gold Logie. She continued in this role until 1988, when she embarked on a singing career after her song Locomotion topped the charts. This prompted a move to London where hits such as I Should Be So Lucky and Got To Be Certain propelled to pop stardom. Her duet with one-time Neighbours’ ‘husband’ Jason Donovan, Especially For You, was yet another number 1 single in Australia and the UK.
Her records also sold well in the US, Canada and Europe. Her albums Kylie and Enjoy Yourself were equally well received by the public and she was soon receiving offers to star in movies. She has appeared in such films as The Delinquents, Moulin Rouge and Jack and Diane. Her work in movies has been interspersed with several musical tours which are marked by spectacular staging and costuming. These have been televised and recorded, adding yet another layer to Kylie’s success story.
In 1986, Kylie was diagnosed with breast cancer. This was successfully treated and prompted her to become involved in charitable pursuits aimed at raising funds for breast cancer research. She has also been generous in her support for other charitable causes throughout her career.
Kylie has received a string of awards honouring her performances. Several ARIA awards culminated in her being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. She has a Grammy Award, a Mo Award, three Brit Awards and a Music Industry Trust Award. In 2008, the French Government appointed Kylie as a Chevalier for the “Ordre des Artes et des Lettres” for her contribution to French culture. Kylie was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2019 for her services to entertainment and charity work. The UK government also honoured her with an OBE (Order of the British Empire), presented to her by Prince Charles, in 2008. In 2016 Kylie returned to Melbourne to launch Kylie on Stage, a major new exhibition which draws on her spectacular live career. The exhibition includes costumes and objects from tours dating from1989 to 2011. Kylie said: “Touring and live performance has been such a big part of my life and my development as an artist, so I’m thrilled that Arts Centre Melbourne are staging this free national exhibition. I’m excited for fans to get up close and personal with my costumes and to get a glimpse behind the curtain to see some of the design process.”
Addendum
The 1985 Prospice included this article written by Kylie when she was in Year 12.
https://camhigh.exstudents.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/prospice-1985-1.pdf
Updated 2020
