Interview with Dannii Minogue

Dannii Minogue is releasing her greatest hits album "Hits & Beyond" in the U.K. today. The double disc features some of her greatest hits such as  "Put The Needle on It," "I Begin To Wonder" and "Perfection." The compilation also introduces six new tracks including the forgettable new single "Under Pressure" and the excellent "Love Fight," a pulsating slice of disco drama with an infectious "uh-oh-oh" that will surely get the Euro kids grooving this summer.

Listening to Dannii, I am once again reminded how similar she sounds vocally  to her sister, but  based on some of their most recent work I think the two sisters differ musically. Kylie's productions tend to be more subtle and delicate, while Dannii favors much bolder beats. Dannii's fat red lipstick on that cover art tells it all.

I met Dannii for an interview a while back and here are some outtakes from our chat:

Dannii about the alleged rivalry with sister Kylie:
"I really respect what Kylie is doing (. . . ), we were raised in a family of love and support and that has not changed."

Dannii about the comparison with sister Kylie:
"It is hard to be compared to Kylie all the time. But on the other hand, however, people will always try to compare you to somebody. My last name is getting a lot of attention. It makes a great headline. It opens doors and provides a lot of opportunity and I’m very thankful for it. I wouldn’t want it any other way."

Dannii about gay fans:
"Gays have always been a part of my music. But I have never jumped on the pink bandwagon to increase my popularity. It just came naturally."

Dannii about the issue of gay marriage:
"It is not a black or white issue. Some kind of certificate of commitment is important. It doesn’t have to be a marriage. Something official that is accepted by all government bodies would be sufficient. As long as you can have a special day together that is recognized by the government is what counts."