Kylie‑Fever and the New Narrative: How Kevin Killian Turned a Pop Icon into a Poetic Legacy

Breaking: Kevin Killian’s posthumous Collection “Padam Padam” Shines a Spotlight on Kylie Minogue Obsession

May 2, 2024 – San Francisco’s literary underground is buzzing as Nightboat Books releases the definitive anthology of poet‑novelist Kevin Killian, titled Padam Padam. The volume, named after Kylie Minogue’s 2023 chart‑topper, gathers decades of poems, essays, and reviews that trace Killian’s lifelong fascination with the pop icon.

Kylie‑centric Works: From “Action Kylie” to “Impossible Princess”

Killian first turned Kylie’s discography into verse with the 2008 chapbook Action Kylie, a playful riff on hits such as “Slow” and “Spinning Around.” A year later, he released the award‑winning gay‑erotic novella Impossible Princess, borrowing its title from minogue’s misunderstood 1997 album.

Subsequent collections-2014’s “Tweaky Village” (featuring the poem “Tightrope,” a nod to a B‑side) and the forthcoming Padam Padam-continue the thread, each piece morphing a Kylie track into a literary experiment.

New Narrative Roots and the San Francisco Scene

emerging from the early‑1990s New Narrative movement, killian rubbed shoulders with Kathy acker, Robert Glück, and fellow San Francisco avant‑garde as chronicled by the Guardian. His “factory‑like” poetry readings-reminiscent of Andy Warhol’s gatherings-turned obscure poets into local celebrities, while he kept his own celebrity obsession firmly in view.

“Kevin engaged the Bay Area poetry scene like Warhol did his Factory, but without making himself the centerpiece,” recalled poet Evan Kennedy, a longtime freind and collaborator.

Why Kylie? Queer Identity and Pop Culture Fusion

Critics argue that Killian’s devotion to Minogue reflects a broader queer aesthetic: the blend of high art and pop, the “scrappier, more achievable glamour” that resonates with LGBTQ+ audiences. Writer Kay Gabriel notes, “In North America, loving Kylie often signals a queer cultural alignment; Killian’s exhaustive cataloguing of her career uncovers a hidden truth beneath the glitter.”

Killian’s wife of 34 years, author Dodie Bellamy, described his sexuality as “practically off the queer end of the chart,” underscoring the fluidity that allowed him to move seamlessly between academic poetics and fan‑mail reverence.

Posthumous Releases and Ongoing Legacy

Killian succumbed to cancer in 2020 at age 66, but his archive keeps expanding. In 2024 Nightboat Books will issue Selected Amazon Reviews, a compilation of the author’s witty, often biting product‑review essays-a side project that further illustrates his love for collapsing “high and low” culture.

“Padam Padam” not only preserves his voice but also introduces a new generation to the cross‑pollination of pop music and experimental verse, ensuring Killian remains “the greatest unsung genius in contemporary american literature,” as Dennis Cooper once proclaimed.

Key Kylie‑Inspired Works

Year	Title	Form
2008	Action Kylie	Poetry chapbook
2009	Impossible Princess	Gay erotic novella
2014	“Tightrope” (in Tweaky Village)	Poem
2023	Padam Padam	Collected poems

💡 Pro Tip: When exploring Killian’s work, read his poems alongside the Kylie tracks they reference. The musical rhythm often mirrors the poem’s cadence, revealing hidden layers of meaning.

💡 Did You Know? Kylie Minogue’s “Padam Padam” became the first single in 2023 to chart simultaneously in the UK, australia, and the US dance charts, a feat that inspired Killian’s posthumous title.

For more on the New Narrative movement, see the Poetry foundation glossary. To learn about Dodie Bellamy’s own avant‑garde projects, visit her official site.

What does Kylie Minogue’s music mean to you? Have you read any of Killian’s Kylie‑themed poems?