For five years she said no: Kylie Minogue handed Netflix a box of home videos

On 20 May 2026 Netflix released the three-part documentary series ‘Kylie’ — and the same day Kylie Minogue put out ‘Light up’, a song written for it.

Netflix Tudum reported it.

The series was directed by the Irish director Michael Harte, who previously made ‘Beckham’ (2023) for Netflix. The production company is John Battsek’s Ventureland.

The material is assembled not from concert footage but from the singer’s personal archive: home movies, photographs and new interviews. Beside Minogue herself, the cast includes her sister Dannii Minogue, Jason Donovan, the producer Pete Waterman and Nick Cave.

How she was persuaded over five years

The streamer describes the series the same way.

“In this intimate three-part documentary, Kylie Minogue opens her personal archives and reflects on a life that captivates, inspires and soundtracks multiple generations,” the official Netflix synopsis reads.

The project began in 2020, when Battsek first proposed making a film about her. She hesitated. The three of them — singer, producer and director — settled the details at the Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles; it was there that Harte reworked the idea from a standalone film into a short series.

In June 2024 news broke of a Netflix deal covering nearly forty years of her music and acting career. Apple TV and Disney+ had also been bidding for the project.

‘Light up’ runs 3 minutes 18 seconds and was released as its own single on premiere day. The rights sit with her own company Darenote Limited, and the track is issued under exclusive licence to Netflix Music.

Critics were unanimous: the series holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from twelve reviews. The Guardian’s Chitra Ramaswamy gave it four stars out of five and wrote that it is a portrait which escapes the usual tone of the celebrity memoir.

And a week later, on 27 May, Netflix promises to show the concert film of the Tension Tour as well.

Why she finally agreed

Minogue explained her yes herself.

“I felt like I had met the person to bring this to life and that I was at a good point in my life to take this leap of faith. I thought, ‘What am I scared of’ and once again, like so many other times in my career, I decided to go with my instinct and give it a try.”

‘Kylie’ was the first project for which the singer opened her own archive.