Prime Minister to honour pop princess
Music editor Kathy McCabe takes you on a stroll down memory lane to relive some of the good, bad and ugly moments of ARIA history
Friends in high places ... Kylie Minogue and Julia Gillard. Source: The Daily Telegraph
Back on track ... Ricki-Lee Coulter / Pic: Damian Shaw Source: The Daily Telegraph
THE Prime Minister met the pop princess at a tsunami fundraiser in Tokyo eights months ago and will now induct her new friend Kylie Minogue into the ARIA Hall Of Fame on Sunday.
Julia Gillard and Minogue, who shares her 25th anniversary in music with the awards, bonded as the star guests at the Australian Embassy fundraiser on March 11.
"Both look forward to meeting each other again under much happier circumstances," according to the statement.
Minogue's manager Terry Blamey and the award organisers have orchestrated a plot twist for the 2011 ceremony worthy of Kath and Kim in securing the Prime Minister to induct Australia's beloved pop pioneer and brave survivor.
Minogue will share her night of honour with her entire family and partner Andres Velencoso.
ARIA organisers have also enlisted award-winning actor David Wenham to indu! ct The W iggles, celebrating their 20th year of entertaining children and saving parents' sanity.
Wenham's credentials are strong - he has two young daughters and knows all the words to Hot Potato.
Touring legend Stevie Nicks, who is loved by Australian audiences, is also added to the presenter's roll, joining other international guests, The Voice judge Joel madden and his brother Benji, who will act as a mentor on the Australian series.
Australia's most revered rock frontwoman Chrissy Amphlett will take the stage for what is sure to be a highlight of the night.
Raining fans for Ricki-Lee
RICKI-Lee Coulter's life is sparkling as she rejuvenates her music career with hit-in-waiting Raining Diamonds.
The svelte pop star's single is a girl-power anthem that encourages women in destructive relationships to take a stand.
Coulter wrote it with US hitmaker Billy Mann during a trip to the US to restore her music mojo.
"When I was in the booth, Billy told me to imagine the woman who is stuck in a shitty relationship and doesn't know what to do and needs some strength. He told me to sing it to her - I was in tears," she said.
Coulter - who will present an award at Sunday's ARIAs - is enjoying connecting with fans who have stopped her in recent months to say she had been an inspiration in their own battles over weight and self-esteem.
The 25th anniversary ARIA Awards from Allphones Arena will be broadcast on Go! From 7.30pm