Boy George accused of ‘ripping off’ Kylie Minogue album cover for new single
Boy George’s new single artwork looks remarkably similar to Kylie’s “Tension” album cover. (Getty)
Culture Club star Boy George is under fire for allegedly “ripping off” the artwork for Kylie Minogue’s Tension for his new single.
The artwork for Boy George’s new track “Religion” features the 62-year-old gay singer in his signature beard and hat combo, coloured in a green hue.
He’s stood against a orange-yellow sunlit background, with his name and the single title written across the artwork.
Yet the entire image – from the colour scheme to the typeface – looks remarkably similar to Kylie’s artwork for her album Tension, which was released in September, less than six months ago.
Fans of “Padam Padam” hitmaker and LGBTQ+ ally Kylie immediately spotted the resemblance and jumped onto social media to call out the “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me” singer.
“Boy George nicking Kylie’s album cover is insane,” wrote one fan on Twitter/X, while a second questioned: “Did Boy George really thinking copying Kylie would mask how bad the song is?”
“Tension isn’t even a year old yet! Not just that but when other artists chanel classic album covers into their album covers, they make it their own… this Boy George cover is basically just what if he released Tension instead of Kylie,” raged a third.
Another confused Kylie fan added: “I don’t understand, is this a tribute that Boy George is paying to Kylie or did he plagiarise her?”
For his part, Boy George appears to be playing into the social media firestorm.
When asked why he decided to pay “tribute” to Kylie with his new single cover, Boy George responded: “I’m recycling everything. It’s all the rage. Even fashion is catching on?”
He also referred to himself as an “utter genius” and, when accused by one Kylie fan of “leaking” her viral hit “Padam Padam”, appeared to suggest he “wrote” the song.
Last year, Boy George admitted to Australian TV show The Project that he accidentally “leaked” Kylie’s single “Padam Padam” before it was released.
Kylie was later question about the leak on The Project, revealing that she hadn’t heard about what “naughty George” had been up to.
“I’d like to think it was just pressing the wrong button or that he was very excited. But naughty George,” the shocked 55-year-old “Slow” singer said.
Kylie Minogue isn’t the only pop icon that Boy George can’t stop thinking about, either.
Last year, he reflected on his tumultuous relationship with Madonna, saying that he was “never gonna be mates” with the “Vogue” hitmaker again.
“I think that, you know, of course, we’re all sort of very selective about what we remember. People remember things as they want to, and as long as you do it with a sense of humour,” he said.
“Like me and Madonna are never gonna be mates, it’s over, it’s too late.
“So, I’m just gonna say what I think of her… what everybody says anyway.”
PinkNews has approached representatives for Boy George and Kylie Minogue for comment.
