HE’S the King Of Pop, she’s the Queen Of Pop, so it’s only right Kylie Minogue is the big-name collaborator on Ed Sheeran’s new album.
The pair have joined forces for the song Visiting Hours on his upcoming record, which is expected to be named Subtract.
They linked up in March when Ed made a tearful appearance in Australia at the memorial for his late music-mogul pal Michael Gudinski.
After playing a short set, he joined Kylie on stage for a rendition of her hits All The Lovers and The Locomotion.
An Ed source said: “He wrote Visiting Hours in quarantine in Australia, performed it at the gig and asked Kylie to feature on it as she was there too, with the pair having hit it off.
“The song was a dedication to Michael and Kylie felt it right to put her vocals on the track. It was a fitting tribute to the music legend and she was flattered to be asked by Ed.”
Also on the track is Aussie singer JIMMY BARNES, who played at Michael’s memorial concert too.
DITCHING BOOZE
Speaking on Ash London Live, Ed said: “Jimmy Barnes and Kylie are actually singing on that on the album now. I’ve got them singing backing vocals on it.
“From knowing Michael, they are the most important people in his life musically. He was always saying, ‘Kylie’ or ‘Jimmy Barnes’.
“When I was in Australia, I sang with Kylie and I was hanging with Jimmy Barnes and I said to them, ‘You guys have to be on the song.’
“So I got back to England, I recorded it and sent it off to them and they’re on it.
“I used to send Michael songs because he would always say, ‘You need to send me songs for Jimmy’.
“So I used to send him loads. He always wanted me to sing with Kylie and I ended up getting to sing with her.”
Last week, Ed told how his fantastic new song Bad Habits had a special meaning for him, as he had to drop some of his own by ditching booze and big nights out when he became husband to Cherry Seaborn and father to their daughter Lyra.
But Kylie — who has her own wine range — doesn’t seem to have helped matters. The pop princess sent him a crate of her new plonk, which has been flying off the shelves.
Ed said: “Kylie has just sent me a box of wine. I just got a box of Kylie wine! You know, she’s sold a million bottles of wine.
“She’s f***ing killing it. In the UK, Kylie is queen. She cannot do any wrong.
“Thank you for your wine. The sparkling rosé was lovely. Nice one.”
I wouldn’t mind a crate of that, Kylie.
COLL’S A HULL OF A LOT FITTER
COLIN FARRELL appears to be the only person who has come out of lockdown looking better.
The Hollywood actor, who turned 45 last month, went shirtless for a jog in Los Angeles and appeared better than ever.
He wore a headband to keep his hair out of his eyes, some rather snug blue shorts and trainers as he got a sweat on.
Colin recently took part in Australia’s Brisbane marathon, where he finished 222nd out of 682 runners.
The Irish star is Down Under to film Thirteen Lives, about the 2018 Thai cave rescue.
But Colin will have to make do with jogging in a slightly less glamorous backdrop when he stars with Unbroken’s Jack O’connell In BBC drama The North Water, which is set in Hull.
I know where I’d rather be for my morning run.
CHRISTIAN ‘WARNED’ OVER BRITNEY SONG
BRITNEY SPEARS’ 2007 hit single Piece Of Me, from fifth album Blackout, secretly revealed the torture she faced long before the #FreeBritney campaign began.
But electro dance man Christian Karlsson of Galantis, who co-wrote and produced it, had been warned not to write about what was going on behind the shiny pop queen facade when they worked together on the album.
Christian – whose Little Mix and David Guetta collab Heartbreak Anthem is enjoying a fifth week in the Top Ten – said: “Blackout is a standout pop album but it was made when I think she was not in a good headspace.
“Everyone that worked on the album was trying to help her come back in whatever way we could, which was with music.
“I was told by her label, ‘Don’t write about what’s going on with her, write other stuff’.
“I was like, ‘I have to write Piece Of Me’. I wanted her to come back and she really liked it. She was working hard on the vocals.”
A year later, she was placed under a legal conservatorship, with dad Jamie in charge of her life and money.
She told a court in America last week how she is depressed and wants it ended.
