Spank Perth are bringing the ultimate Kylie Minogue tribute show and dance party to The Rechabite this weekend, and your disco needs you!
WA’s premier Kylie impersonator Absolute Kylie is teaming up with the Spank team for a celebration of all your favourite Kylie tracks, and a selection of 80s, 90s and disco hits from Burning Man guest DJ Starma Llama, Perth’s own DJ Tasty and Spank’s DJ Yanique.
We caught up with Sarah Harmony, the other other Minogue, to find out more about her love of Kylie and what it takes to be a professional impersonator.
“My first memories of watching Kylie are watching her on Rage when I was a girl. I think I could probably relate to her back then because she was little and blonde and sang pop songs. I always really loved pop songs with a really good melody and I still do. I never thought that I’d become who turned into Kylie Minogue!”
“I really loved all the hits that Stock, Aitken and Waterman did, it’s not just Kylie. I just think they’re really good pop songs. Pop songs are really underrated. People think they’re fluffy, but they’re not, they make people happy and feel good!”
I imagined Sarah would have had to have been locked away for years, studying the history of the elder Minogue sister to perfect her craft, but she tells me it was her fans who drove her to don the golden hotpants.
“I used to be a nurse, and then I left nursing because I wanted to become a singer,” Sarah explains.
I started singing, I did bands, I did duos, I did cabaret shows, I tried everything… and all the time people used to say to me ‘You look like Kylie Minogue, you should do a Kylie Minogue thing’.
“I kind of just used to be flippant about it until one day I saw an agent who said he had this big show and I did it and then very next day another agent called me and wanted to book me and it just happened like that. I can’t believe I’m still doing it, I’ve been doing it for 17 years!”
With a career that spans four decades now, Kylie has transformed her image and sound over the years with the best of them. As a superfan, Sarah finds it hard to choose a favourite Kylie era.
“I really like the old songs. I’m a bit sick of the The Loco-Motion… I do love that era, but I quite like the new stuff that she’s done. The disco. I’m just into disco and fun and lights. Probably they’re my two favourite eras. I didn’t really feel it when she went a bit country…”
Aside from her title as Australia’s pop princess, Kylie is known for her glittering live productions and international tours, complete with iconic costumes that have even earned their own touring exhibition. I wonder how Sarah is able to replicate these fabulous creations.
“There’s an amazing guy called Isaac Lummis, he lives in Melbourne and he’s doing amazing costume design for huge theatre shows now. I’ve used my husband, and I also have to give a mention to one of my dancers Janelle, who does the most amazing costumes… and it’s fun to just dress up!”
Sarah is also proud to claim she’s even had a Minogue stamp of approval for her Kylie impersonation, performing in front of Dannii Minogue on reality TV.
“I was on Australia’s Got Talent and I went on as her sister and I thought she’s really going to hate me because she’s had Kylie Minogue thrown in her face all her life, but she was absolutely lovely, beautiful, genuine and she said you sound great, you look great and you can go through! I’m wearing her jeans actually… I’m wearing her jeans as we speak. She makes jeans for short people!”
Sarah is also pressed to choose her favourite Kylie track from the collection, finding herself conflicted over the original classic.
“The one that’s popping into my head is Put Yourself Into My Place… but I’m not fussy. I know I said I’m sick of The Loco-Motion, but I’m not really live… as soon as you sing it live it turns into a whole other experience. It’s really fun!”
Spank Perth’s Kylie tribute and dance party is taking over The Rechabite this Saturday 1st May. For discounted tickets and more information, head to It’s On The House.
Leigh Andrew Hill
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