Kylie Minogue has admitted to battling voices of doubt as she prepares to perform before a sold-out AFL grand final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.
The Melbourne-born singer told reporters at the MCG on Thursday that the 100,024 spectators, along with millions watching elsewhere, could expect a tightly packed performance featuring familiar songs, nostalgia and surprises.
“We really are throwing everything at it,” Minogue said. “They’re getting a Melbourne girl performing in her hometown, which is wild to me.”
Although she has performed in stadiums around the world during her 38-year career, Minogue said the short, televised set presented a different challenge. She will have about 20 minutes to establish a connection with the crowd before the match begins.
“With a longer show, you might have two or three songs to kind of settle in, but with a 20-minute set, I’ve got to get to that point quickly,” she said.
A rehearsal without amplification, with only her backing singers beside her, brought home the significance of the occasion. “I’m singing centre stage at the MCG,” she recalled, adding that she hoped not to become too overwhelmed by the emotion.
Minogue has not disclosed the full setlist, although she said Love At First Sight might be the song she most enjoys performing. The show will also include a reference to her journey from attending Camberwell High School and dreaming about pop music to returning to Melbourne’s most prominent sporting venue.
The singer has been preparing for the performance alongside AFL players, including Hawthorn’s Nick Watson and Jack Ginnivan, who coached her in kicking a football. The lessons prompted her to reflect on the similarities between elite sport and live performance.
“I’m not in a team sport, but I kind of am,” she said, describing the many people working on the production and the need for everyone to support one another.
Minogue said performers and athletes could also share the same private anxieties before a major appearance. “The voices in your head … we’ve all got the same thing,” she said. “It’s like, ‘OK, there’s no turning back now. It’s showtime’.”
Weather conditions may provide an additional test, with Saturday forecast to be cold and wet, with temperatures around 15 degrees and up to 15 millimetres of rain. “But that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?” Minogue said.
