Kylie Minogue Reveals She Had Second Cancer Diagnosis In 2021; Here's Why She Chose To Keep It Private

In her new Netflix documentary series, released on Wednesday, Australian pop star Kylie Minogue revealed that she was diagnosed with cancer for a second time in 2021. Minogue overcame breast cancer in 2005. In the documentary, she also revealed why she kept her second cancer diagnosis private.

Kylie Minogue on her second cancer diagnosis

The 57-year-old singer said, “My second cancer diagnosis was in early 2021. I was able to keep that to myself … Not like the first time,” she said, referring to her first cancer treatment.

“Thankfully, I got through it. Again. And all is well. Hey, who knows what’s around the corner, but pop music nurtures me … my passion for music is greater than ever.”

Why Kylie Minogue kept her second cancer diagnosis private

On the challenges post-treatment, Minogue said she struggled “to find the right time” to announce it publicly, after the success of her Grammy-winning 2023 song Padam Padam.

“I don’t feel obliged to tell the world, and actually I just couldn’t at the time because I was just a shell of a person,” she said.

“I didn’t want to leave the house again at one point. Padam Padam opened so many doors for me but on the inside I knew that cancer wasn’t just a blip in my life. And I really just wanted to say what happened so I can let go of it. I’d sit through interviews and every opportunity I thought, ‘now’s the time’, but I kept it to myself.”

Kylie also shared that her 2023 song Story, from her album Tension, is about that tough phase of her life.

Minogue was 36 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2005.