Hand on your heart.
23 August 2008 @ 01:18 ; 0 Comments
While planning out this post I couldn't decide which video to post up, but eventually it was unanimous that this one was selected. Regardless of what the final video was selected to be featured here it's still Kylie so much love to her.
I used up my Friday night watching all over again both Showgirl and the Homecoming tour DVDs. There I was, in bed, Kylie flashing on my little television screen, music bouncing off the walls. I still remembered a couple of years back, she was supposed to perform on our shores, and then cancer got the better of her. Not to be mean or anything, but it was a little benediction seeing as I was too poor then to get tickets to see her up close (still am too poor now so if she were to come to Singapore I would have to grovel to get tickets. Or just kill myself.)
So. Kylie. Showgirl.
The obvious difference between the two, besides the title of the tour, was the fact that Showgirl was done pre-cancer, and the Homecoming one, after the treatment and a clean bill of health. There are various other differences notched up about the two, so we'll go through it through this post. Well not thoroughly, of course. I doubt everyone would finish this post.
If you ask me which of the two I prefer, without a moment's hesitation I would say the Showgirl one. The first volume, before she had to go on sabbatical. Everything just seemed so much more joyful in that tour. Kitschy, campy, over-the-top, Kylie was at her best there, performing her heart out for the lucky London audience. Compare that to the Homecoming tour- yes, she still gave her all, as she normally does, but the little nuances of it just gave Homecoming an overall slightly different vibe. And it's not necessarily about the audience too, because in both DVDs they looked like they were enjoying themselves immensely, as they should be. It's Kylie!
Now for one thing, the setlist for the Homecoming tour was tweaked, probably after the revelation of her breast cancer and the subsequent chemotherapy she underwent to get rid of it. Some songs were dropped, new songs were added, musical arrangements were tweaked. The third act of the tour was radically amended, perhaps to showcase her strength as she went through her treatment and all. However it felt like Kylie was taking herself a bit too seriously there during that segment. The songs were mainly from her Impossible Princess era (undoubtedly her best release to date; it's Kylie's version of Ray Of Light, you can say that) so it's a bit more bleak, a bit more introspective, a bit more tame, sane. However because it's the Showgirl tour, and it's Kylie, you can't expect her to be taken seriously, even with such a segment to prove otherwise. It just bogged the entire night down a notch.
I also had some problems digesting the costumes that were showcased in the Homecoming tour. It's more outlandish, more garish, like space monkeys collided with Cher. Just because it's a Kylie tour doesn't make it a right to have such abominations being put on display! It's like a crazy slap in the face. Her make-up was also put on quite thick, like as if they used a paintbrush on her. Or at least, Christina Aguilera went rampage on her face.
Despite that, on standalone, both tours had their plus points:
Showgirl tour
+ "Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" - excellent delivery (and a personal fave)
+ "Red Blooded Woman" - sexy, sassy and miles better compared to the Homecoming one
+ "Hand On Your Heart" - great remix performed!
+ "I Should Be So Lucky" - props for the use of sign language while Kylie sang
Homecoming tour
+ Despite me bashing the second segment, the backups sang a refrain of "Finer Feelings", one of her better ballads
+ "Slow" - more upbeat, better, fun
+ Interpolating "Vogue" into "Burning Up" - absolutely ingenious
+ She was practically glowing throughout the concert, and obviously seemed to be enjoying herself so much more as compared to the previous Showgirl
The greatest similarity that has to be highlighted that the two tours shared, besides the fact that it's Kylie (three times) was how she managed to deliver every single time. Unlike other singers, Kylie didn't set herself out to prove to others that she can sing, blah blah blah. But after watching the DVDs, you don't really need a second thought to know that she actually can sing her little heart out. She may not have
Kylie may not have that edge like Madonna, or superstar wattage like Britney, or powerhouse vocals like Whitney, but what she does have that gives her her own edge is her humility, and the fact that she is still humble, still nice, still kind, after being so long in the business. There is not a bad word to describe her, not a malicious rumour to taint her, not a celebrity to paint an evil picture of her. Kylie Minogue is the epitome of good girl sunshine, a popstar forever regarded as a safe, bright light that may or may not be everyone's cup of tea. Quintessentially, she is a role model that should be made an example of, that everyone should aspire to look up to. Whether they're six or sixty.
Put your hand on your heart and tell me...
