Madonna has refused to confirm or deny long-swirling rumours that Kylie Minogue will feature on her upcoming album.

• READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Madonna: ”People pick on me. That’s just the way it is”

The pop legend is gearing up to release her 15th studio record on July 3 – the spiritual follow-up to 2005’s ‘Confessions On A Dance Floor’, and on Friday (June 26), she was a guest on The Graham Norton Show to discuss the album.

Kylie made a surprise appearance during the interview, and the pair were immediately put on the spot by Norton, who said: “There are rumours that Kylie is on ‘Confession II’. Is this you confirming that rumour?”

While the ‘Padam, Padam’ singer stayed silent, Madonna simply said: “Why do you have to know everything? You’re very nosy.” When he protested that it was his job, she playfully replied: “It’s my job to be mysterious.”

Kylie herself has teased possible collaborations between the two in recent years, particularly in the wake of their appearance on stage together at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on one night of Madonna’s ‘Celebration’ tour in 2024, where they sang duets of ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ and ‘I Will Survive’ on International Women’s Day.

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She said in 2023 that it would be “amazing” to work with Madonna, and she later said when asked at an Oscars after party about the chances of a studio hook up: “Maybe, who knows? Let’s see.”

Kylie sent a heartfelt message to Madonna after she had been left in intensive care after a serious bacterial infection. “‘I feel for everyone touring, but especially women touring,” Minogue said. “I think it’s just that bit more work for us, and it is so taxing on you as a whole. I will definitely be getting my ticket and going to see Madonna when she gets back on the road.”

Minogue spoke to NME at the end of last year about her plans for new music, revealing that she had been “thinking about it just quietly, in the background”.

“With these guys [who I am working with now], we always talk about ‘Oh, remember this one we started and we really didn’t get to finish it’. That discussion is always in the background, and I will have a micro break over Christmas and come back to it. Making music is my hobby and it’s a happy place for me, so I will,” she said.

As for Madonna, the new record marks her first since ‘Madame X’, which arrived in 2019. Around the time of that release, the ‘Like A Virgin’ singer spoke to NME about her relationship with being in the public eye.

“It has its pluses and minuses,” she revealed. “The great thing about being famous is that you have a voice and you can spread messages and fight for people who don’t have the ability to fight for themselves, and share your wealth with people who need help.”

To celebrate the upcoming record’s release, Madonna has surprised fans in New York City by playing an impromptu set at Times Square, and also shared a star-studded short film accompaniment to the record starring Sabrina Carpenter, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kate Moss, Julia Garner, Shygirl, Richard E. Grant, Honey Dijon and more.

The ‘Vogue’ singer has also been confirmed as one of the co-headliners for the first-ever FIFA World Cup halftime show alongside Shakira and BTS, and has implored fans to “put your fucking phones down and connect” when at gigs.

Madonna will be holding an intimate London listening party for ‘Confessions II’ at the start of July, and will also be starring in an episode of The Studio, with the episode being centred around her long-delayed biopic – which she recently revealed was scrapped due to budget issues.

Elsewhere in her Graham Norton interview, Madonna hinted that 2027 could be the year she could finally perform at Glastonbury.