Big party star for Mardi Gras still a mystery

Mardi Gras maybe ... British pop singer Rita Ora / Pic: Brett Costello Source: The Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph reports

As sure as a hangover is the day after Sydney's Mardi Gras, so too is talk of the big international artist tipped to appear at the infamous all-night after-party.

With less than a month to go until the annual celebration and with previous bill babes including Kylie Minogue and George Michael, a question mark continues to hang over the name of the all-important headline for the March 2 hoedown.

Among those rumoured to be in the mix for the 2013 gay festival gala are bygone British pop star Craig David, sultry singer-songwriter Rita Ora and edgy electro artiste Elle Goulding.

Speculation has also turned to South Korea's most famous fake horserider, PSY, who, along with Ora and Goulding, will be touring the country at the time of Mardi Gras with Future Music.

Fill Me In hitmaker David is also touring in March with his unfortunately titled show, Still Born To Do It.

"The way Mardi Gras source their acts now has changed completely," an insider told Confidential.

"Where a few years ago they could have just gone, right, let's fly in (Call Me Maybe singer) Carly Rae Jepsen for the night, it's not that easy any more.

"There's a feeling at the moment that there may not be a 'star' to finish things up this year."

Last year Minogue waived her appearance fee and the year before Rihanna, who was in Sydney at the time, failed to take to the stage despite a major woo-fest by Mardi Gras HQ.

There was no official comment on the big name yesterday.

Already confirmed to play the festival are Heather Small, former frontwoman of M People; The Presets; Scissor Sisters' lead singer Jake Shears and Delta Goodrem.

Will & Grace comedienne Megan Mullaly is also expected to play a part in this year's Mardi Gras parade.

Kylie Minogue's first Mardi Gras event featured Little Britain's Matt Lucas and singer Sam Sparro

Mardi Gras set will be over in a flash ... Singer Kylie Minogue is this year's star attraction at the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Picture: John Grainger Source: The Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph reports

The queen of this year's Mardi Gras Kylie Minogue fronted up for the first of her official parade duties, hosting an intimate soiree at the Sheraton on the Park in the lead-up to her Saturday night performance.

Kylie is making her first appearance at the Mardi Gras in 14 years and coincidentally the visit coincides with the year-long celebration of her career to date, dubbed K25.

The shindig, which drew a few visiting celebs including Little Britain’s Matt Lucas and Aussie performer Sam Sparro, was an informal get-together prior to Saturday's parade, with Minogue working the room for parade's bosses and its sponsors.

And Minogue's sister Dannii was expected to drop by, after a CBD book signing, as was US drag queen Ru Paul who is in town on Mardi Gras duties.

Minogue, who arrived in Sydney on Monday, has been rehearsing her post-parade performance in town this week with a troupe of dancers from her Aphrodite: Les Folie tour, with a 20-minute medley planned for the Hordern Pavilion event.

"It's going to go by in a flash, because the show will be a pretty fast-paced 20 minutes of goodness," Minogue told Sydney gay and lesbian magazine the Star Observer this week.

"It was really hard to choose what to do in that 20 minutes, because I can't do everything.

"I'm sure there's going to be some people saying 'why didn't she do this' or 'why didn't she do that'.

"But it's a celebration; I could go there and sing everyone's name in the hall, and we'd still have a good time.

"And my understanding of having a gay following started in Sydney, so it feels poetic to come back and celebrate that."

Kylie coming home for Mardi Gras after 14-year hiatus

Organisers are expecting the biggest Mardi Gras yet with Kylie Minogue returning to the event. Picture: Warner / Source: Supplied

Elise Scott, The Herald Sun, reports

KYLIE Minogue, the petite diva of pop, will ride the biggest float in Mardi Gras history when she returns to Oxford Street in this year's parade.

After 14 years the pop singer has announced she's coming home for the Sydney Mardi Gras on March 3, and organisers are pulling out all the stops.

"I think people will be packing their bags from around the country and the world," CEO of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Michael Rolik, told AAP.

"It's the biggest float we've ever produced."

Minogue, who is celebrating her 25th anniversary in the music industry this year, has had a long-standing relationship with the colourful parade, but hasn't appeared at the event since 1998.

"I am coming home for Mardi Gras this year!" Minogue said in a statement today.

"I simply cannot wait, and it's going to be a beautiful way to celebrate 25 years of this relationship."

Minogue's float will have a "K25" theme to celebrate Minogue's 25-year landmark, but any other details are being kept a secret.

"It's still very much under wraps. We're going to keep very tight-lipped," Rolik said.

"It's a surprise for Kylie."

Minogue began her career as a teenage actress on Australian television soap Neighbours, before moving into the music industry and releasing her debut single Locomotion in 1987.

She has often publicly commented on the loyalty of her gay fans.

"Your support over the years has just been phenomenal and I can't wait to come home and share that with you. So see you in March," she said.

Rolik said Minogue appeals to the gay and lesbian community for many reasons, one being her "fun and uplifting" music.

"She's uniquely Australian and so are we (Mardi Gras)," he said.

But it's not just her upbeat music, Rolik says, that makes her a perfect addition to the Mardi Gras Parade - she also shares the festival's ideology.

"Kylie's spoken out about marriage equality and equal love," he said.

"We absolutely love her and we're really thrilled she's coming back."

Minogue took to Twitter to comment on the announcement.

"Fourteen years since my last Mardi Gras! Can't wait to see you there in March," she greeted with the hash tag #bringonthelove.

The Sydney Mardi Gras aims to raise visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community.

NSW Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts George Souris welcomed Minogue's involvement in the event, saying she holds a special place in the hearts of Australians.

"The presence of Kylie Minogue is sure to make this the biggest and best Sydney Mardi Gras ever," he said in a statement.