Kylie 2009

Kylie has come a long way since gracing our TV screens as tomboy Charlene in Neighbours. In honour of our beloved pop-princess’ life, iconic talent and unstoppable musical career, we take a look back in pictures at Kylie Minogue through the ages.

Kylie was launched into the media spotlight in the late 1980s through her role on popular soap opera Neighbours as the fresh-faced, girl-next-door, Charlene.

Pictured with Neighbours co-star Jason Donovan, the couple spurred huge media interest over their on and off-screen love affair, which continued well into the ’90s.

Kylie and Jason on the set of Neighbours. The Australian soap opera, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2005, has launched a number of careers throughout its running, including Guy Pearce (Mike Young), Natalie Imbruglia (Beth Willis) and Delta Goodrem (Nina Tucker).

Minogue performing Locomotion in 1988. The song spent seven weeks at number one on the Australian music charts and was the highest selling single in Australia in the 1980s.

A wistful looking Kylie on set for her video Je ne sais pas pourquoi. The song was released as the fourth single from her debut album Kylie in 1988 and was a top five hit in the UK. Kylie subsequently became the first artist in the history of the British charts to have four top three singles from one album.

With such growing popularity, Kylie’s girl-next-door image was swiftly cast aside for a more glamourous and sexy one — for which Kylie is still famous for today.

Kylie Minogue performs during the MTV Europe Music Awards at the Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany in 1999. The awards were beamed to millions of adoring music fans around the world.

Light Years (2000) was influenced by 1970s disco and lent itself to the type of music that Kylie does best. It generated rave reviews with hit singles such as Spinning Around and Fever, and contributed to one of the biggest career come-backs the music industry has ever seen.

Kylie has always been a picture of grace and beauty while remaining one of the world’s biggest sex icons. However, she is adored by women and gay men alike, and acknowledges the gay community by performing at various gay venues and events throughout the world.

Kylie’s evolving image and often overt sexuality has led to some comparisons to the queen of pop, Madonna.

Kylie looking a picture of health and radiance in New York in 2002.

Dashing Frenchman, Oliver Martinez was a rock for Kylie when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, barely leaving the singer’s side throughout her battle with the disease. However, the pair separated in 2007.

Kylie gave a very candid interview about her cancer ordeal in London in 2007 with British TV presenter and good friend, Cat Deeley. She later appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show in the United States and spoke on the common problem of cancer misdiagnosis.

Showgirl – The Homecoming Tour was the comeback tour for the brave and devoted Kylie Minogue following her cancellation of the Australian and Asian legs of the original tour. She’d been forced to cancel as a result of her illness.

After waging war on breast cancer, splitting with Oliver Martinez and performing her sell-out Showgirl – Homecoming tour, Kylie deserved to party. Pictured here at a celebration thrown in honour of the 20th anniversary of her first number one single Locomotion.

Proving she’s still got what it takes, Kylie poses with her International Female Solo Artist award during the Brit Awards 2008 in London this February.

In May this year, our Aussie starlet received the much revered Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France, which recognises significant contributions to the arts.

Performing on stage on the opening night of her world tour KYLIE X 2008 Tour at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris this May.

Continuing the KYLIE X 2008 Tour, Kylie performs in the southern German city of Stuttgart on May 9 and proves to the world that even at 40 years old, she’s still going strong.

View our slideshow of some of the world’s most successful and beautiful women over 40.

Kylie Minogue performs on stage during The Brit Awards 2009.

Not just an entertainer, Kylie Minogue poses during the official launch of her new fragrance ‘Sexy Darling’ in Sydney 2008.

Yet another accomplishment, Kylie Minogue receives her Order of the British Empire (OBE) from the Prince of Wales for services to music, at Buckingham Palace in 2008.

Kylie Minogue and Mathew Horne entertain fans during The Brit Awards 2009.

Kylie shines as she arrives at the 2009 Brit Awards.