Cher and Kylie | Photo: Instagram/cher and Instagram/kylieminogue
1 Dannii Minogue – 1998, 2007, 2015
Kylie Minogue’s younger sister, known for hits like All I Wanna Do, Put the Needle On It and Perfection, has performed at Mardi Gras three times. The Melbourne-born star also performed at Manchester Pride in the UK in 2015.
2 Conchita Wurst – 2016
The 2015 Eurovision champ capitalized on her success with a high profile performing slot in Sydney the following year. She’s since released her self-titled debut album, which reached number one in her native Austria, and number 26 in Australia.
Instagram/jakeshears
3 Jake Shears – 2013, 2015
He topped charts around the world as the frontman of Scissor Sisters, whose hits include I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ and Night Work. But two-time Sydney Mardi Gras performer Jake has also forged a successful solo career. He released his first solo song Creep City in 2017. He also made his Broadway debut in Kinky Boots the same year. He did a DJ slot at Mardi Gras in 2013, and performed with Courtney Act in 2015!
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4 Boy George – 1995, 2007
The Culture Club star has been a global star since the release of 1982 blockbuster single Do You Really Want To Hurt Me. As well as selling 50 million records with his band, he’s also found time to record an amazing nine solo albums! He’s certainly popular Down Under, appearing on the Sydney stage twice, while also serving as a coach on The Voice Australia.
5 Courtney Act – 2005, 2014, 2015, 2016
She was runner up on the sixth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and her career continues to go from strength to strength, last month winning Celebrity Big Brother in the UK. But Courtney has been famous in her homeland for many years, first appearing at Mardi Gras as far back as 2005, two years after appearing as a contestant on season one of Australian Idol.
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6 RuPaul – 2012
The drag icon is known for helming the reality show that bears her name. But the star has been a showbiz stalwart for decades – again, she somehow found the time to release 11 solo albums, as well as the iconic single Supermodel (You Better Work) in 1992. However, it would be another 20 years before she made her grand debut at Sydney Mardi Gras.
7 George Michael – 2010
He sadly passed away in his London home on Christmas Day 2016. And in the final phase of his iconic career, the ever-elusive George Michael made fewer and fewer public appearances. One anomaly, though, was his appearance at Sydney Mardi Gras in 2010.
He followed this with a triumphant mini-set at the London 2012 Olympic Games, alongside the likes of The Spice Girls and Take That.
8 Kylie Minogue – 1994, 1998, 2012
She may have scored only two top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits in America. (Do the Loco-Motion hit number three in 1988. Then Can’t Get You out of My Head hit number seven in 2011, in case you’re wondering). But even at 50 (!), in Europe and Oceania, there is only one princess of pop.
Kylie is one of Australia’s biggest musical exports, selling 80 million records worldwide. Beloved by gay men, she’s also one of the music industry’s most vocal LGBTI allies, even wearing a rainbow dress last December to celebrate marriage equality in her country.
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