Tension (Kylie Minogue Album)
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''Tension'' is the sixteenth studio album by Australian singer
Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
. It was released in a variety of formats on September 22, 2023, by
BMG Rights Management BMG Rights Management GmbH (also known simply as BMG) is an international music company based in Berlin, Germany. It combines the activities of a music publisher and a record label. BMG was founded in October 2008 after Bertelsmann sold its ...
and Minogue's company Darenote. It was announced in May 2023, and is Minogue's first set of material since ''
Disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
'' (2020). Minogue worked with a number of producers, including long-time collaborators Richard "Biff" Stannard, Duck Blackwell, Jackson Foote, PhD, and
Cutfather Mich Hedin Hansen (born 9 April 1968), known professionally as Cutfather, is a Danish music producer, songwriter, remixer and DJ based in Copenhagen. Cutfather has a studio on Njalsgade, Copenhagen. Career Cutfather is perhaps best known for his ...
, to create a record that emphasises each song's individuality rather than a central theme. ''Tension'', influenced by
electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
, incorporates a variety of electronic dance genres, including 1980s
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
,
disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
, and
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
, as well as contemporary
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
and EDM elements. The lyrics address themes of love, heartbreak, and empowerment. ''Tension'' garnered critical acclaim from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, who praised its eclectic sound, catchiness, and production quality. Some publications considered it to be one of Minogue's best works, and it appeared on several year-end lists. The album was a commercial success, having peaked at number one in Australia, Wallonia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, as well as on component charts in the United States. It also reached the top ten in several countries, including France, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and Switzerland. Two weeks after its release, the
British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
(BPI) certified it silver for selling more than 60,000 units in the United Kingdom. The album generated three singles: "
Padam Padam ''Padam Padam'' () is a 2011 South Korean television series starring Jung Woo-sung, Han Ji-min, and Kim Bum. The romance / fantasy series was written by Noh Hee-kyung, and the title is a reference to a 1951 French song by Edith Piaf, an onom ...
," "
Tension Tension may refer to: Science * Psychological stress * Tension (physics), a force related to the stretching of an object (the opposite of compression) * Tension (geology), a stress which stretches rocks in two opposite directions * Voltage or el ...
," and " Hold on to Now." "Padam Padam" peaked in the top ten of the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, making her the only female artist to do so between the 1980s and 2020s. The song won both an
ARIA Award The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
for Best Pop Release and a
Grammy Award for Best Pop Dance Recording The Grammy Award for Best Pop Dance Recording is an award presented by the Recording Academy to honor quality dance pop music performances in any given year. The award was presented for the first time at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in 2024, as ...
. Minogue made several live appearances and performances to promote the album, including on ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'', at the
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, and as the headliner of Radio 2 Live in the Park. Furthermore, Minogue commenced her first Las Vegas residency show, '' More Than Just a Residency'', in November 2023. In December of that year, a
remix album A remix album is an album consisting of remixes or rerecorded versions of an artist's earlier released material. The first act who employed the format was American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (''Aerial Pandemonium Ballet'', 1971). As of 2007 ...
, ''Extension (The Extended Remixes)'', was released, and a repackage of ''Tension'' was confirmed for 2024.


Background

On November 6, 2020, Minogue released her fifteenth studio album, ''
Disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
'' (2020). It marked a musical departure from her
country-pop Country pop (also known as pop country or urban cowboy) is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres ...
-inspired album ''
Golden Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall * Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershi ...
'' (2018), as well as a return to her
disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
-oriented sound.
Music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
praised her take on disco and
dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded danc ...
in general, and she went on to achieve commercial success in a variety of markets. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, Minogue did not promote the album with a
concert tour A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
, but she did film a one-time special live show called ''
Infinite Disco Infinite Disco was a livestream concert by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue, held in support of her fifteenth studio album ''Disco'' (2020). It was broadcast on two dates in 2020 and was a joint-venture production by Driift and BMG Ri ...
'' and re-released the album in December 2021. Near the end of her ''Disco'' promotion, Minogue appeared on
BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...
to discuss new music, saying, "Perhaps it's going a bit more electropop. Don't quote me that ..but that's what's on the boil at the minute." Minogue confirmed this in a June 2022 interview with ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
'' Australia, citing her 2003 single "
Slow In everyday use and in kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude (mathematics), magnitude of the change of its Position (vector), position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per ...
" as inspiration for the album's sound. Minogue also returned to her hometown of
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
in February 2022, having lived in London since the 1990s.


Development and production

The first sessions began with longtime collaborators Richard "Biff" Stannard, Duck Blackwell, and Jon Green, as well as Minogue's A&R Jamie Nelson. They had planned to embrace 1980s music and culture for the album, but they eventually scrapped it and decided not to focus on a theme. Minogue shared her thoughts on the choice: "Initially we were thinking 80s, but it didn't pan out that way ..we agreed there's no theme nd thatit'd be refreshing not to have a theme after having done ''Golden'' and ''Disco''." Recording for the album began in July 2022, and finished within 2023. Stannard does not fly, so the five collaborators decided to travel to
Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
in August 2022 and rent an
Airbnb Airbnb, Inc. ( ), based in San Francisco, California, operates an online marketplace focused on short-term homestays and experiences. The company acts as a broker and charges a commission from each booking. The company was founded in 2008 b ...
to work on the album remotely. A week-long session in Surrey resulted in ten completed songs. The five collaborators then began working with Anya Jones and
Camille Purcell Camille Angelina Purcell, known professionally as Kamille (stylised KAMILLE), is an English singer, songwriter, producer and record label owner. Personal life and career beginnings Camille took part in many school productions and plays and st ...
, resulting in two songs written in one day: " Things We Do for Love" and "
Tension Tension may refer to: Science * Psychological stress * Tension (physics), a force related to the stretching of an object (the opposite of compression) * Tension (geology), a stress which stretches rocks in two opposite directions * Voltage or el ...
". Minogue visited
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
,
Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
,
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, and Paris to continue recording the album. Nelson sent Minogue a demo of the song "
Padam Padam ''Padam Padam'' () is a 2011 South Korean television series starring Jung Woo-sung, Han Ji-min, and Kim Bum. The romance / fantasy series was written by Noh Hee-kyung, and the title is a reference to a 1951 French song by Edith Piaf, an onom ...
," written by
Ina Wroldsen Ina Christine Wroldsen (born 29 May 1984), previously known simply as Ina, is a Norwegian singer and songwriter. She was a part of the electropop duo Ask Embla with Icelandic producer and songwriter Arnthor Birgisson. Career Wroldsen's caree ...
and produced by Lostboy, while she was in Miami. Minogue fell in love with the demo and recorded it in a London hotel; it became one of the album's later inclusions. Nelson sent Minogue a demo of the song "Hands" that included rapping. Nelson encouraged Minogue to contribute vocals and rap, which she later described as "refreshing". Minogue recalled that tracks like "Story" and " 10 Out of 10" took longer to complete. "10 Out of 10" was recorded in a variety of locations because she had never met the track's collaborator, Dutch DJ
Oliver Heldens Olivier J. L. Heldens (born 1 February 1995) is a Dutch DJ and electronic music producer from Rotterdam. He is regarded as a pioneer of the future house genre, propelling it to international attention and scoring numerous chart successes, includ ...
. To create the track, both artists would send stems via email. Minogue stated that when selecting the final tracks for ''Tension'', "If the song could stand on its own and bumped up nicely with the other songs, that's the album." Reflecting on the album's content, she said, "There are songs n ''Tension''that may appear more superficial, but I feel like I can sing them with more certainty than I may have in the early days, when I was 19, 20, 21, 25." Minogue co-wrote twelve of the album's sixteen songs and worked as an additional vocal engineer for nine of them.


Music and lyrics

''Tension'' includes a wide variety of sounds, with a heavy emphasis on electronic dance music. Minogue was initially inspired to create an
electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
album, and she later revealed that her 2003 single "Slow" served as a template for the project. She described it as a "blend of personal reflection, club abandon, and melancholic highs," adding that she wanted to "celebrate each song's individuality and dive into that freedom." The album's lyrics explore themes of love, lust, and empowerment, all of which have recurred in Minogue's previous work, according to Jonah Waterhouse of ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
'' Australia. Vera Maksymiuk of ''Riff Magazine'' and Neil Z. Yeung of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
compared Minogue's dance-oriented sound to her previous albums ''
Fever Fever, also referred to as pyrexia, is defined as having a body temperature, temperature above the human body temperature, normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature Human body temperature#Fever, set point. There is not a single ...
'' (2001) and ''
Aphrodite Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols include ...
'' (2010), while ''
DIY "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and semi ...
'' editor Otis Robinson cited influences from
Scandipop Nordic popular music, also referred to as Scandinavian popular music, includes pop and rock music of the Nordic countries. The musical scene is known for its biggest bands like ABBA, Roxette, A-ha, Michael Learns to Rock, Ace of Base, Aqua, and B ...
,
eurodance Euro-Dance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG, Euro-electronica or Euro) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of hip hop, techno, Hi-NRG, house music, and Euro-Disco. This ...
, and
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
. According to ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
''s Harry Tafoya, the record is a "compendium of all the sounds she's best known for: confectionary synth-pop, breezy Euro house, and propulsive EDM". Covertly, ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' writer Alexa Camp felt a "unambiguous sonic thread
hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
link dall 14 of its songs". ''Tension'' begins with the lead single, "Padam Padam," written by Ina Wroldsen and produced by Lostboy. The song, a "hypnotic"
electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic co ...
number with synth and
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
elements, references the heartbeat and is considered the album's centrepiece due to its sound. Minogue co-wrote the album's second track, " Hold on to Now." The synth-driven sound and "earnest" songwriting have been compared to those of Swedish singer
Robyn Robin Miriam Carlsson (born 12 June 1979), known as Robyn (), is a Swedish pop singer, songwriter, record producer, and DJ. She arrived on the music scene with her 1995 debut album, ''Robyn Is Here'', which produced two Billboard Hot 100, ''Bil ...
. "Things We Do for Love" features synth, guitar, and drum riffs that recall 1980s synth-pop and
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...
. The only experimental piece on the album, according to critics, is the
title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title. Title track may al ...
. It features
vocoder A vocoder (, a portmanteau of ''voice'' and ''encoder'') is a category of speech coding that analyzes and synthesizes the human voice signal for audio data compression, multiplexing, voice encryption or voice transformation. The vocoder was ...
on Minogue's vocal deliveries and jangly piano riffs, which is influenced by
1990s File:1990s decade montage.png, From top left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the Earth after it was launched in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War ...
house music House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by Disc jockey, DJs and music producers from Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago' ...
with elements of dance and electronic music. "One More Time," is an uptempo pop-
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
-
disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
hybrid that recalls Minogue's previous album, ''Disco'' (2020). "You Still Get Me High" continues Minogue's exploration of the 1980s pop-dance sound from "Things We Do for Love". Its lyrical content, which was inspired by love-related themes, was praised as the album's overall lyrical highlight. "Hands" and "Green Light" were described as mid-tempo pieces inspired by R&B and funk, but neither was co-written by Minogue. "Hands" features a "nostalgic" disco-inspired funky bass line, while "Green Light" was compared to the works of British recording artist
Dua Lipa Dua Lipa ( , ; born ) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Possessing a mezzo-soprano vocal range, she is known for her signature disco- pop sound. Lipa has received numerous accolades, including six Brit Awards, three Gramm ...
, which includes early-1980s pop elements and a saxophone solo. "Vegas High" served as a prelude to Minogue's announcement of her Las Vegas residency. It's a high-energy
club Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises ...
track inspired by 1990s
techno music Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time (4/4) and often ch ...
. Dutch DJ Oliver Heldens collaborated on "10 Out of 10", and was released as a
promotional single A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...
several months before the album's official release date. According to Heldens, the track "is inspired by 80s synth-pop and disco, 90s house, and 00s Eurodance, with a modern dance music twist." The standard edition's final track, "Story," reverts to the album's 1980s sound. Musically, it is described as a fast-paced
bubblegum pop Bubblegum (also called bubblegum pop) is pop music in a catchy and upbeat style that is considered disposable, contrived, or marketed for children and adolescents. The term also refers to a rock and pop subgenre, originating in the United States i ...
-dance track that critics found "anthematic".


Release and packaging

''Tension'' was made available in a variety of formats on September 22, 2023. It is her sixteenth musical release, the third with
BMG Rights Management BMG Rights Management GmbH (also known simply as BMG) is an international music company based in Berlin, Germany. It combines the activities of a music publisher and a record label. BMG was founded in October 2008 after Bertelsmann sold its ...
and the third under Darenote, following ''Golden'' (2018) and ''Disco'' (2020). The standard album has 11 tracks that total more than 35 minutes in length, while the deluxe edition includes three extra songs: "Love Train," "Just Imagine," and "Somebody to Love." ''Tension'' was available in a variety of physical formats through her webstore and other retail outlets. Pre-release versions included a signed autograph. Both the standard and deluxe editions come in slipcases and a casebound book, with the standard version featuring alternate artwork in a variety of colours.CD versions listed below: * * * There were also eight large
vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl m ...
variants available, including a standard black vinyl, a silver vinyl with gatefold packaging, and four different coloured slipcase vinyls: transparent orange, transparent pink, transparent green, and a clear vinyl shaped like a coke bottle.Vinyl formats of ''Tension'' listed below: * * * * * Furthermore, each coloured vinyl has an alternate cover art that matches its colour. A white test pressing vinyl limited to fifty copies was available exclusively at her store, with her autograph on the cover. In London, a
pop-up store Pop-up retail, also known as pop-up store (pop-up shop in the UK, Australia and Ireland) or flash retailing, is a trend of opening short-term sales spaces that last for days to weeks before closing down, often to catch onto a fad or scheduled e ...
sold a limited edition clear vinyl with a holographic cover. Five cassette tapes were also released: an orange tape, a green tape, a blue tape, a pink tape, and a double cassette that included content from the deluxe edition.Cassette formats for ''Tension'' listed below: * * * * ''Tension'' was also released on
digital Digital usually refers to something using discrete digits, often binary digits. Technology and computing Hardware *Digital electronics, electronic circuits which operate using digital signals **Digital camera, which captures and stores digital i ...
and
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, with both standard and deluxe editions. Haris Nukem, a British photographer, captured the artwork for ''Tension'', while Studio Moross designed the packaging. It shows Minogue holding a large diamond that covers one of her eyes, with the album title at the top and Minogue's logo underneath. Her skin's
colour scheme In color theory, a color scheme is the choice of colors used in various artistic and design contexts. For example, the "Achromatic" use of a white background with black text is an example of a basic and commonly default color scheme in web de ...
is set with a green hue against an orange background. In an interview with French magazine ''
Numéro ''Numéro'' is an international fashion magazine published by Paul-Emmanuel Reiffers. It has a circulation of 80,000, and the French edition reached its 100th issue in February 2009. The magazine covers international fashion, beauty, design, h ...
'', Minogue revealed that Nukem based the photo on a sketch he drew, and that he came up with the idea of her holding a diamond by telling her, "I don't know why, but I see you holding this diamond." Minogue and her team considered naming the album ''Vegas High'', in reference to the album's title track. She later decided to name the album ''Tension'', saying, "I hope this doesn't sound depressing – when you watch the news, the word is used negatively – but actually, once we decided that, I was pleasantly surprised that this title was well received. People were eager to listen to the album ''Tension''." Despite not knowing the final title when the artwork was shot, Minogue stated that the diamond eventually corresponded to the title: "The diamond is a subliminal image: that of the creation of beautiful things under pressure." I believe people can feel it through the cover, especially if they understand how diamonds are formed, i.e. under constraint."


Singles and other songs

''Tension'' has released three singles: "Padam Padam," the title song, and "Hold On To Now." Additionally, Minogue posted visualisers for five of the album's songs on her YouTube channel: "Things We Do for Love", "You Still Get Me High", "Green Light", "10 Out of 10", and "Story". Minogue is seen singing and dancing to each of the songs. Minogue collaborated with Dutch DJ and producer Oliver Heldens to release "10 out of 10" as a
promotional single A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...
prior to the album's announcement. Heldens' label,
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
, released the song on 3 April 2023, and it later became the tenth track on Minogue's album. Days later, a
lyric video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
was posted on Heldens' YouTube channel. Minogue has made no promotional appearances, but Heldens has performed the song on several shows. It peaked at number 19 on the
UK Singles Downloads Chart The UK Singles Downloads Chart is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) on behalf of the music industry. Since July 2015, the chart week runs from Friday to Thursday, with the chart date given as the following Thursday. The main chart con ...
. On 18 May, "Padam Padam" was released as the album's
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...
, marking Minogue's first solo release since 2021's "
Real Groove "Real Groove" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue from her fifteenth studio album, '' Disco'' (2020). The song was written by Minogue, Teemu Brunila, Nico Stadi and Alida Garpestad Peck, with a sense of optimism for days ahead during ...
". Critics praised "Padam Padam" for its catchiness and production quality, and it was frequently cited as a contender for
song of the summer Song of the summer is the unofficial designation of the song that is dominant both culturally and commercially between the end of May and the beginning of September in a given year. Although the idea of a song of the summer had been around for years ...
. The song was a commercial breakthrough for Minogue, reaching the top ten in the United Kingdom, Israel, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, South Africa, Bulgaria, and Latvia, as well as component charts in the United States. It was also
certified Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
in Minogue's native Australia and the United Kingdom. Since its release, "Padam Padam" has gone viral on various social media platforms, and its repeated appearances during
Pride Month LGBT Pride Month is a month, typically in June, dedicated to celebration and commemoration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride. Pride Month began after the Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests in 1969, and ha ...
around the world have earned it recognition as a
gay anthem A gay anthem is a popular song that has become widely popular among, or has become identified with, the gay community, although some of these songs have also become anthems for the wider LGBT community. Not all songs labelled as "gay anthems" ...
. A music video was directed by
Sophie Muller Sophie Luise Elisabeth Muller (born 31 January 1962) is a British music video director who has directed more than 300 music videos. She won a Grammy Award for Annie Lennox's 1992 ''Diva'' video album, and an MTV Video Music Award for Lennox's son ...
, which was aesthetically inspired by the works of ''
The Man Who Fell to Earth ''The Man Who Fell to Earth'' is a 1976 British science fiction drama film directed by Nicolas Roeg and written by Paul Mayersberg. Based on Walter Tevis's 1963 novel of the same name, the film follows an extraterrestrial (Thomas Jerome Newt ...
'' (1976) and elements of Americana culture. The album's title track "Tension" was released as the second single. It was released on 31 August 2023, in a variety of formats such as CD, digital streaming, and cassette. The song received positive feedback for its dance-oriented sound, with critics praising Minogue's musical exploration. Commercially, it has charted in fewer countries, including Minogue's home country of Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, where it has reached the top ten. Muller also directed the music video, which featured Minogue portraying a variety of characters in a neo-futuristic setting. "Hold on to Now" was the album's third single, released both digitally and physically on 10 November 2023. Critics praised the song's production quality and overall sound, calling it one of the album's best tracks. Prior to its release, the song reached number 81 in the United Kingdom and 21 in New Zealand. After its release, it debuted on component charts in Germany, Australia, and the United States. A lyric video was also released with Minogue featured.


Promotion and appearances

Minogue began promoting the album with live performances in May 2023, when she appeared on ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' and sang "Padam Padam" and "
Can't Get You Out of My Head "Can't Get You Out of My Head" is a song that was recorded by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her eighth studio album, ''Fever (Kylie Minogue album), Fever'' (2001). Parlophone, Parlophone Records released the song as the album's Single ( ...
". In June, she surprised everyone by performing the same songs at
Capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
's
Summertime Ball Capital's Summertime Ball is a mini-festival in London, held on either first or second Saturday or Sunday of June by the radio station Capital. The first ball was at Emirates Stadium in 2009, and it has since been held at Wembley Stadium. The ...
. She performed "Padam Padam" as part of her nine-track set at the
iHeartMedia iHeartMedia, Inc., formerly CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc.), a company fou ...
KTUphoria 2023 live show. She also appeared on two shows hosted by American personality
Andy Cohen Andrew Joseph Cohen (born June 2, 1968) is an American radio and television talk show host, producer, and writer. Cohen is the host and executive producer of Bravo's late night talk show, '' Watch What Happens Live!'' He also has a pop culture ...
: the Sirius XM radio show and Cohen's Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Watch What Happens Live! Show, where she spoke about the song's success. She also performed "Padam Padam" twice at the Horse Meat Disco event due to technical difficulties with the first performance. Minogue and Tears For Fears co-headlined Radio 2 Live, Radio 2 in the Park at Victoria Park, London, Victoria Park in Leicester in September, one week before the album's release. She headlined the second and final night of the festival, performing "Padam Padam," "Tension," and the album track "Hold On to Now." Kylie appeared at Lio London for the 2023 London Fashion Week launch, where she performed several album tracks, including "Padam Padam" and "Tension". Minogue also opened a Kylie Pop-up Store in London from September 22 to September 24. Minogue performed a free concert at the Shepherd's Bush Empire on September 27, 2023. Over 100,000 people applied for 2,000 tickets. Minogue performed "Padam Padam" at the opening ceremony of the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 15, 2023. The next night, she performed several songs with Mark Ronson on the T Mobile stage in front of the Sphere (venue), Las Vegas Sphere. Minogue concluded the Formula One, F1 weekend event on November 18th by performing at the Amber Lounge, which has prided itself on being "the world's most exclusive afterparty" since its inception at the Monaco Grand Prix two decades ago. ''An Audience with..., An Audience with Kylie'', a television concert special filmed at the Royal Albert Hall on December 1, 2023 and broadcast on ''ITV (TV network), ITV'' on December 10 and Boxing Day 2023, included songs from ''Tension''.


Tours

Minogue announced on July 26, 2023, that she would begin her first concert residency in Las Vegas, titled '' More Than Just a Residency''. The announcement came after Minogue hinted at a concert residency on ''Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen''. She teased the concert title, dates, and a preview of the album track "Vegas High" on social media. In a press release for the show, Minogue stated that the residency had been planned for three years and promised new arrangements of her music catalogue as well as tracks from ''Tension''. The residency will take place at The Venetian Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, from November 3, 2023 to May 4, 2024. Tickets went on sale commercially in early to mid-August 2023, and they quickly sold out. The concert tour received positive reviews from publications, with many praising the show's production, performances, Minogue's energy, and overall quality. Minogue confirmed on ''The Jennifer Hudson Show'' in February 2024 that she plans to follow up her residency tour with a US tour that will eventually expand internationally.


Additional releases

Minogue announced the release of ''Extension (The Extended Mixes)'' on social media in early November 2023. The
remix album A remix album is an album consisting of remixes or rerecorded versions of an artist's earlier released material. The first act who employed the format was American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (''Aerial Pandemonium Ballet'', 1971). As of 2007 ...
contains all eleven original tracks with extended edits, as well as a digital version of the original album. The album's artwork and packaging are similar to ''Tension'', with a green and pink colour scheme. On November 2, 2023, BMG Rights Management released the album in three formats: limited paint splatter double vinyl, digital, and streaming. ''Extension'' charted in a number of countries, including Australia, Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), France, Scotland, and the United Kingdom, as well as the Dance/Electronic Albums in the US. Minogue confirmed to ''Variety (magazine), Variety'' in February 2024 that ''Tension'' would be repackaged in the same year.


Critical reception

''Tension'' received critical acclaim from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average based on ratings from publications, the album scored 86 out of 100 based on 16 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim", making it Minogue's highest-rated album on the site. On AnyDecentMusic?, which assigns a weighted average based on ratings from publications, the album scored 8.1 out of 10, based on 18 reviews. Many critics considered ''Tension'' to be among Minogue's best work. John Earls from ''Classic Pop (magazine), Classic Pop'' wrote that ''Tension'' is "built on confidence" and is an "object lesson in truly memorable pop". Otis Robinson of ''
DIY "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and semi ...
'' noted that "there's enough originality pumped throughout each track that ''Tension'' will undoubtedly stand as one of the most favoured contemporary Kylie eras." Harry Tafoya from ''
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'' described it as her "most relaxed album" as well as her best record in recent years. Emma Harrison of ''Metro (British newspaper), Metro'' gave it five stars, heralding it as one of the "icon's best albums yet". Several critics praised the album's overall energy and Minogue's contributions. Neil Z. Yeung of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
described the record's energy as "custom-made for living in the moment and embracing cathartic release", while writing that "''Tension'' is a master class in pop wizardry and escapist bliss. Releasing an album this expertly crafted and stunning in her fifth decade in the business is an absolute wonder to behold." Hannah Mylrea from ''Rolling Stone (magazine), Rolling Stone UK'' labelled it "brilliantly good fun", while Vera Maksymiuk from ''Riff Magazine'' gave ''Tension'' an 8 out of 10, describing it as "purely joyous and alluring". Writing for ''Crack (magazine), Crack Magazine'', Michael Cragg called it "quintessential Kylie", saying it is "an album packed full of gleaming choruses, gold-plated melodies and Kylie's uncanny ability to make love and loss shimmer with possibilities." Other reviewers noted the album's diverse set of sounds and genres. ''Retropop Magazine'' awarded the album four stars, with particular commendations toward its sonic diversity and stating that it featured some of her best vocal performances. ''NMEs Nick Levine noted that although ''Tension'' was not Minogue's "most cohesive or revealing" work, he believed each track was "driven by its own internal logic". Despite praising the album's various sounds, Alexa Camp of ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' felt Minogue was playing it safe with the record, referring to it as "another Kylie Minogue album". Annabel Ross of ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' awarded it three stars, saying that although ''Tension'' did a better job at "facilitating dance floor euphoria", she felt Minogue's "cheerful guardedness" throughout the album's content was the only "fault".


Accolades

Minogue and her work on ''Tension'' won Best Pop Release and were nominated for ARIA Award for Best Solo Artist, Best Solo Artist, ARIA Award for Best Independent Release, Best Independent Release, and ARIA Award for Song of the Year, Song of the Year at the 2023 ARIA Music Awards. Minogue has received the most ARIA nominations since 2002, when she won five out of seven. Minogue won MTV Europe Music Award for Best Australian Act, Best Australian Act at the 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards, marking her first nomination and win in the awards show since 2003. "Padam Padam" became the inaugural winner of the
Grammy Award for Best Pop Dance Recording The Grammy Award for Best Pop Dance Recording is an award presented by the Recording Academy to honor quality dance pop music performances in any given year. The award was presented for the first time at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in 2024, as ...
in 2024, becoming the first ever solo female song to be nominated and win in that category, her first Grammy-nominated song since "I Believe in You (Kylie Minogue song), I Believe in You" was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording, Best Dance Recording in 2006, her first nomination since 2009, and her first win since "Come into My World" in 2004.


Commercial performance

''Tension'' debuted at number one on the ARIA Charts, Australian Albums Chart, marking Minogue's fourth consecutive number-one album and eighth overall. Annabelle Herd, CEO of the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), congratulated Minogue on her achievements, saying, "It’s a thrill to see an ARIA Hall of Fame artist continue to dominate, reinvent and represent Australian music on such a global scale. We can’t wait to celebrate her success at 2023 ARIA Music Awards, this year’s awards." In New Zealand, the album debuted at number five on the Recorded Music NZ, regional albums chart, making it Minogue's highest-charting album since ''Fever'' (2001) and the week's second best-seller. In Ireland, the album debuted at number two on the Official Charts Company, regional albums chart, making it her third consecutive album to top the Irish Recorded Music Association, Independent Album Charts. ''Tension'' debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, marking Minogue's ninth number-one album and fourth consecutive entry since ''Golden'' (2018). According to the Official Charts Company, ''Tension'' outsold the rest of its top-20 competitors four days after its release, with total first-week sales of 53,239 album-equivalent units. This was the fifth highest opening sales for a record in the UK in 2023, and the third best-selling vinyl of the year. Minogue also became the tenth solo act with the most UK number one albums, tying Bob Dylan, and the third female artist, following Taylor Swift (10) and Madonna (12). ''Tension'' also debuted at number one on the Official Charts Company, Scottish Albums Chart, making it her fifth time there. As of 9 March 2024, ''Tension'' spent 19 weeks on the UK Albums Sales Chart. ''Tension'' debuted in Japan on two Oricon component charts, at 19 on the digital chart and 20 on the Western chart. It also debuted at 65 on ''Billboard Japans Hot Albums chart. ''Tension'' became her best-charting album in the Netherlands, debuting at number three on the Dutch Album Top 100. In Belgium, Tension was Minogue's first number-one album on the Wallonia Ultratop Albums Chart and her highest-charting record on the Flanders Ultratop Albums Chart. Tension debuted at number two on the Swiss Hitparade, Swiss Albums Top 100 and the Productores de Música de España, Spanish Top 100 Albums charts, matching Minogue's highest charting peak in Switzerland and Spain, ''Aphrodite'' (2010). The album debuted at number 31 in the Hitlisten, Danish Albums Chart, her first appearance since ''Kiss Me Once (Kylie Minogue album), Kiss Me Once'' (2014). ''Tension'' debuted at number 21 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 in the United States, making it her third highest-charting album there. It sold 24,500 total album-equivalent units in its first week, with 19,500 of those being pure sales, making it Minogue's best first-week sales since ''Body Language (Kylie Minogue album), Body Language'' in 2003, when she sold 43,500. It also debuted at number one on the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Dance/Electronic Albums chart, becoming her second consecutive album to do so following ''Disco'', and peaked at number four on the Independent Albums chart, also sharing the spot with ''Disco''. In Canada, ''Tension'' debuted at number 23 on the Canadian Albums Chart, regional albums charts.


Track listing

Notes * signifies a vocal producer * Disc 2 of ''Extension: The Extended Mixes'' on digital platforms contains the standard version of ''Tension''.


Personnel

Musicians *
Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
– lead vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (tracks 8, 10) * Peter Rycroft – keyboards, Programming (music), programming (1) *
Ina Wroldsen Ina Christine Wroldsen (born 29 May 1984), previously known simply as Ina, is a Norwegian singer and songwriter. She was a part of the electropop duo Ask Embla with Icelandic producer and songwriter Arnthor Birgisson. Career Wroldsen's caree ...
– vocals (1) * Duck Blackwell – bass guitar, drums, guitar, keyboards (2–6, 9, 11, 14); backing vocals (5) * Biff Stannard – percussion (2–6, 9, 11, 14), additional keyboards (2–6, 9, 14), backing vocals (2, 3, 5), keyboards (11) * Jon Green – guitar (2–6), backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 6), keyboards (2, 5, 6) * House Gospel Choir – choir (2) * Natalie Maddix – choir direction, vocal vocal arrangement (2) * Liza Marie Jennings – vocal arrangement (2) * Jonny Bird – guitar (3) * Ms Marinade – additional rap (7) * Elizabeth Loughrey – backing vocals (7) * Ryan Ashley – backing vocals (7) * Daniel Davidsen – bass guitar (7, 8); drums, guitar, keyboards, programming (7) * Kasper Larsen – bass guitar, drums, keyboards, programming (7) * Mich Hansen – percussion (7) * Peter Wallevik – backing vocals, keyboards (8) * Ruby Spiro – backing vocals (8) * Thomas Edinger – saxophone (8) * James Abrahart – backing vocals (10) * Martin Bijelic – bass guitar, Glockenspiel, bells, clapping, drum machine, keyboards, synthesizer, vocal effects (10) *
Oliver Heldens Olivier J. L. Heldens (born 1 February 1995) is a Dutch DJ and electronic music producer from Rotterdam. He is regarded as a pioneer of the future house genre, propelling it to international attention and scoring numerous chart successes, includ ...
– bass guitar, bells, clapping, drums, keyboards, percussion, synthesizer, vocal effects (10) * Maegan Cottone – backing vocals (12) * Karen Poole – backing vocals (13) * Carl Ryden – drums, keyboards (13) Technical * Dick Beetham – Mastering (audio), mastering (1–9, 11–13) * Guy Massey – Audio mixing (recorded music), mixing (1–9, 11–13) * Dale Becker – mastering (10) * Oliver Heldens – mastering, mixing (10) * Serge Courtois – mixing (10) * Peter Rycroft – Audio engineer, engineering (1) * Duck Blackwell – engineering (2–6, 9, 11, 14) * Biff Stannard – engineering (3–6) * Jonny Bird – engineering (3) * Jon Green – engineering (4–6) * Daniel Davidsen – engineering (7) * Kasper Larsen – engineering (7) * PhD – engineering (8) * Sky Adams – engineering (12) * Carl Ryden – engineering (13) * Kylie Minogue – vocal engineering (1, 7, 8, 13), additional vocal engineering (2–4, 6, 11, 14) Visuals * Studio Moross – design * Haris Nukem – photography


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Release history


See also

*List of number-one albums of 2023 (Australia) *List of number-one albums of 2023 (Belgium) *List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 2020s *List of UK top-ten albums in 2023


References


Notes


Citations

{{Authority control 2023 albums BMG Rights Management albums Kylie Minogue albums Albums produced by Richard Stannard (songwriter) Albums produced by Cutfather