Kylie Minogue’s ‘Padam Padam’ was nearly given to Rita Ora

Kylie Minogue’s viral hit ‘Padam Padam’ was nearly given to Rita Ora, the producer has revealed.

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The update on the track – which became one of the most popular anthems of summer last year – was shared by producer Lostboy as part of a new interview.

Lostboy, who worked with Norwegian songwriter Ina Wroldsen on the song, shared that there were initially doubts whether it would be the right fit for the Australian pop star, and was nearly passed to Rita Ora instead.

“We wrote Padam in February 2022 and there were maybe four or five months of us sitting on it, then I sent it to their label, and someone suggested to me, ‘Kylie would kill this’,” he told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column (via Music News).

“They were unsure and there was a moment when Rita was going to cut it and it was worming around a few artists on that label,” he added. “They were trying to make it work but they didn’t think it was for Kylie.”

The producer has written and produced multiple hit pop songs over his career, including creating songs for the likes of Dua Lipa, Lewis Capaldi, Anne-Marie, Ellie Goulding and Bebe Rexha. Later in the interview, he shared his gratitude that Minogue was able to make the song work, and made it so successful after putting her own imprint on it.

“I was surprised at how confident she was that she could make it, that it would fit for her. But I think of her as someone who is so good at reinventing,” Lostboy explained. “It feels modern, but it also feels like Kylie.”

The single became Minogue’s 35th UK Top 10 hit after it peaked at Number Eight on the UK Top 40 chart. Also, many publications cite ‘Padam Padam’ as a “gay anthem” and the word “Padam” is being used as a catch-all gay communiqué.

Following its release over the summer, Ariana Grande shared a video of her singing the track on social media in celebration of London Pride.

The single appeared on Minogue’s latest studio album ‘Tension’, which arrived last September. In a glistening four-star review, NME described the LP as being “up there with her best” work.

“It’s the sonic equivalent of a burst of confetti,” it read. “The whole album zips along in 36 minutes with no ballads and no duds, just tracks that either slap hard or shimmer infectiously.”

Last month, ‘Padam Padam’ was listed on NME’s list of the Top 50 songs of the year.