Kylie Minogue has the kind of brand recognition usually reserved for saints or corporations, but here she's likely to be confused or compared with Madonna.

After all the two singers have the same bottle-blonde looks and similar records of career longevity, beginning in the 1980s with teenybop pop that morphed over time into something more substantial, including cutting-edge dance remixes.

Kylie Minogue belts out a song. [William Baker/Darenote Ltd]

They have both had successful movie careers and their share of flops. As two of the world's top-earning female artists their images have graced the covers of glossy magazines for decades. Importantly, their love lives have been a source of delight for gossip columnists and schadenfreude for the public.

But it's "Kaili Minuo" who will be playing in China for the first time this weekend, as part of her world tour that is said to have cost $16 million to produce and been seen by over half a million people in America and Europe.

According to the major Chinese website Sina, which calls Minogue "Pea Princess" on account of her relative lack of height (1.53 m): "The little princess of Europe and the United States is worthy of the status of Madonna. They stand shoulder to shoulder, their style and charm have won them countless fans."

This is good news for Minogue because it means there is a buzz about her visit and that will translate into sold-out shows.

For Internet TV news presenter Chen Zhuan, young Chinese people are interested in Minogue and will flock to see her in concert because "they're focused on personality" and she's fashionable.

She admits to preferring Madonna, while Beijing actress Wu Yu says some people may confuse the two artists.

"She's not as famous but people know the songs and when they hear them they'll want to go and see her," Wu says.

As for Minogue's music, Zeta Bar DJ Edmund says he plays her tracks "sometimes", adding that remixers or DJs cover up to five tracks on every new album in order to appeal to more fans.

"Her voice really suits house music," says Edmund, who is planning to buy two tickets for the show in the capital city. "Unbelievably she made the jump from soap queen to pop star and is a major leaguer in the world of entertainment. So, why not take the opportunity to hear her sing the classics?"

The transformation from ordinary girl next door in an Aussie TV show called Neighbors, 22 years ago, to national icon of at least two countries is an inspiring story partly because it's a triumph over adversities.

Even Minogue's most ardent fans would be hard-pressed to say she has the acting chops of countrywoman Nicole Kidman, or an impressive vocal range. She's too petite to be a model and her claim to fame in the beauty stakes is a great butt.

Yet, she arguably trumps Kidman, Elle McPherson and the rest. Why? She's worked hard to reinvent her brand, had the courage to go where others feared to tread and ignored the naysayers.

At the same time she's been lucky to have a good team behind her (including manager Terry Blamey, her accountant father and a mother who tours with her) and has been wise enough to accept their counsel.

As a result she's become a marketing phenomenon who promotes everything from Kylie brand calendars and couture (fashion and interior design) to perfume, ring tones and underwear.

Though she has sold over 60 million records and created a Kylie empire, it is, ironically, tragedy that made Minogue a legend in her own lifetime.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and had to deal with it publicly. Her surgery and chemotherapy were front-page news and when she resumed her career in 2006, her popularity peaked. She had become a symbol of hope and courage.

In Britain, which she calls her adopted home, Minogue is celebrity royalty and was given an OBE for services to music in this year's honors list. In France she received the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, the country's top cultural award.

Here in China, the red carpet will be rolled out for Minogue. Local reports about the Pea Princess' world tour have been glowing and provide lavish details of what to expect, including a record-breaking 10 m LED screen, a stunning Jean Paul Gaultier wardrobe and showers of golden confetti.

There's no shame in being compared favorably with the world's most successful female recoding artist of all time. Minogue should be so lucky.

(China Daily November 26, 2008)