Dannii Minogue

The younger sister of Australian pop superstar Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue has enjoyed her own success in a number of celebrity roles, from singer/songwriter and TV actress to fashion designer, model, and gay rights activitist. Born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1971, Dannii enrolled in singing and dancing lessons at an early age; by the time she was seven years old, she'd already landed a spot on the Australian television series Skyways. Minogue's next venture landed her a place with Young Talent Time, a teen variety program that bore a strong resemblance to The Mickey Mouse Club. She appeared on her first album with the show's cast in 1985, taking a solo spotlight on one song. Although she left the show in 1988, Dannii Minogue's time in the spotlight was far from complete, and sales from her DANNII clothing line helped extend her success into other arenas. A short year later, Dannii signed a recording contract with the Mushroom Records label while working on the soap opera Home & Away. Her debut single "Love & Kisses" was released in 1990, eventually charting in the Top Ten in both Australia and the U.K. The popular song was part of Dannii's self-titled album, a collection of pop/rock songs and dance tracks that reached gold status before Dannii had even turned 21 years old. A remix album appeared in 1992, and Dannii Minogue spent the rest of the decade releasing dance-oriented records (Get Into You, Girl), hosting TV shows (Top of the Pops, The Big Breakfast), and acting in several film and theater productions. The 2000s brought Minogue more musical success, as her 2001 single "Who Do You Love Now?" reached the top spot on America's dance charts. The following album, Neon Lights, enjoyed similar levels of success in the U.K., and Minogue's domination of the U.K.'s dance charts soon earned her the nickname "Queen of the Clubs." The digital release of Club Disco in 2007 did little to dispel that praise. ~ Charlotte Dillon, All Music Guide