“I will love you better when I love myself…”
Calling all freaks: your dirty hands are demanded on the dance floor once more.
There are few things in the world more rare and sacred to me than a Dannii Minogue release day.
When she’s not too busy promoting her Target Petites clothing line, judging (“Mom said you were working on a….talent show“) or helping gays find love in an Italian masseria (err, Minogueria), Disco D has ever-so-slowly squeaked out singles over the past few years – from the Sia-penned “Galaxy,” to her “All I Wanna Do” revisit in 2020, to her I Kissed a Boy theme song, “We Could Be the One.”
On Friday (February 2), Danielle Jane, Queen of Clubs™ – that’s 9 UK Top 10s and 17 No. 1 dance singles to her name, and more consecutive No. 1s on the chart than any other female artist in the world, thank you very much – returned to us a with a brand new collaboration: “Thinking ‘Bout Us,” crafted alongside Sydney-based DJ and producer Autone – really her first proper DJ collaboration since “Touch Me Like That” with Jason Nevins nearly 20 years ago now.
The emotionally mature, unexpectedly uplifting break-up anthem was penned by songwriting duo DNA Songs, who have worked with Jessica Mauboy and The Veronicas among other Ausssie legends.
It’s all about recognizing that maybe you’re not fully healed and ready for a relationship after all, and maybe it’s truly not them, it’s you, effectively stretching RuPaul‘s mantra (“If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?”) across a dance floor-ready beat.
“I’ll be back when I’m ready to love someone else / I promise you, in time I’m gonna treat you so well / I’m thinking ’bout us,” Dannii promises. It’s actually a refreshing twist on the standard break-up blame game trope: maybe I’m the problem!
The accompanying video, to be released on Monday (February 5), was directed by Adrian Spuria and Sean Higgins, and much to my delight, it’s set to include references to classic Dannii moments from the past – most obviously the “All I Wanna Do” phone thus far. (Taylor Swift, eat your Easter egg-loving heart out.)
“Working with Adrian and Sean from shotography was a dream. They effortlessly brought our vision to life for the video and it was a joy doing this in my hometown of Melbourne,” she says. While it’s not out yet, she looks absolutely stunning.
“This is a song that will positively resonate with so many people and especially my fans when they see the video with all the little references to some of my previous music releases. I love being introduced to new exciting talent, and Autone is certainly that, I can’t wait to see him spinning this in the clubs,” she adds.
Autone says: “This is my first original, so it’s like my baby, and I am extremely proud of that. To get to write with the boys from DNA Songs and record with Dannii was an absolute honour. One weekend, I was just having a play on the piano, and landed on this great chord progression…within 24 hours after that we had a recorded demo and knew we had something rather special.”
As a ride-or-die Dannii Stannii from the day I laid eyes on that copy of Neon Nights at Spin Street in Mohegan Sun at 16 years old, it is only too thrilling for me to see Dannii back in action on the dance floor, looking incredible and sounding amazing as ever.
And with a gig lined up again hosting BBC Three’s I Kissed a Girl later this year, one can only hope that this isn’t the only musical moment we’ll get from her in 2024. (Perhaps even some The Hits & Beyond and/or Club Disco reissue love, perhaps?)
Grab the Neon Nights 20 vinyl reissue right here.
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Photo credit: Central Station Records
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