Kylie Ann Minogue was born on 28 May 1968 in Melbourne, Australia, to accountant Ron Minogue and dancer Carol Ann Jones. She is one of the best-selling female recording artists in history, with worldwide record sales estimated at more than 80 million, and is the older sister of singer and actress Dannii Minogue.
Kylie's Welsh ancestry comes through her mother's side of the family. Carol Ann Jones was born in February 1945 in Maesteg, Mid Glamorgan, and emigrated to Australia with her family as a child in 1955. Kylie's maternal grandmother, Millicent Riddiford, was born at Llangynwyd, near Maesteg, the daughter of George Morgan Riddiford, who had married Margaret "Megan" Hughes at St Michael's Church, Llangynwyd, in January 1920. Kylie has spoken publicly about this heritage, referring to her grandparents using the Welsh words "nain" and "taid".
Kylie first became known for playing Charlene Mitchell in the Australian soap opera Neighbours between 1986 and 1988; her on-screen wedding to Jason Donovan's character drew a UK television audience of around 20 million viewers. Her debut single, "Locomotion", released in 1987, became the best-selling Australian single of the decade. She went on to release a long run of chart hits, including "I Should Be So Lucky", "Especially for You" (a duet with Jason Donovan) and "Can't Get You Out of My Head", and starred as Satine in the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!.
Family connections in the Maesteg area were also mentioned by readers of this site over the years, including relatives in Cymmer and, according to one account, a family branch near Blaenau Ffestiniog in north Wales.