"GBI (German Bold Italic)" is a song by Japanese music producer Towa Tei from his second studio album Sound Museum (1997).

Music critics lauded the tongue-in-cheek song for its distinctiveness in Minogue's repertoire, regarding it as a highlight of Sound Museum and a defining moment in her career.

[1] He returned to Tokyo and did production work for various artists, including music groups A Tribe Called Quest and Yellow Magic Orchestra.

[20] Its production draws influence from supermarket muzak and J-pop, featuring retro drum machines, quirky riffs, jazz beats, bouncy synths, and drone sound effect.

[22] Simon Sheridan, the author of The Complete Kylie (2009), wrote the track is filled with random "blips, bumps, and scratches" and referred to it as an aural cartoon.

[23] In Words and Music: A History of Pop in the Shape of a City (2003), English journalist Paul Morley called it a hybrid of "hip-happy techno and post-fashionable experimental absurdism".

[25] Lyrically, the tongue-in-cheek song sees Minogue playing the part of a newly invented typeface named "German Bold Italic".

[24] According to Yoko Kawaguchi, the author of Butterfly's Sisters: The Geisha in Western Culture (2010), the decorative font effects are analogous to a woman's allure.

[38] "GBI (German Bold Italic)" was released in Japan as a CD maxi single on 10 September 1997 under Elektra, Akashic, and East West Records.

[40] The single features bonus CD-ROM programming including a screensaver, the original German Bold Italic font, and sound bites from the song.

[42] The single includes a brief intro produced by American band The Gentle People, as well as remixes by English DJs Krust (credited as Rekut) and Shy FX (the Ebony Boogie Down Mix).

[43] In October and November 1998, one year after its initial release in Japan, "GBI (German Bold Italic)" was issued in Australia and the United Kingdom.

[55] Thomas Conner of The Tulsa World and Aidin Vaziri of San Francisco Examiner viewed the track as a demonstration of Sound Museum's unique and captivating blend of different cultures.

[57] In their retrospect reviews, Andrews and Mayer Nissim from Digital Spy considered the track to be one of Minogue's career-defining moments,[58] while Cameron Adams from Herald Sun and Priya Elan from NME listed it among her oddest and most fascinating collaborations.

[60] Sheridan believed the unconventional track signaled the conclusion of Minogue's bold phase of experimenting with various musical styles, which was followed by a string of more mainstream projects throughout the rest of 1998.

[63] Sharing the same sentiment, Rowley considered "GBI (German Bold Italic)" to be one of Minogue's most innovative dance tracks, as it established a sonic foundation for what would eventually become her unique style of house-pop.

[69] Scottish DJ Calvin Harris chose it as his favorite track from Minogue, while Irish singer Róisín Murphy ranked it among her favourite dance music collaborations.

[72] Sednaoui previously directed the 1994 music video for English group Massive Attack's "Sly", in which Scottish singer-songwriter Nicolette walking down the streets in a kimono costume.

[74] Minogue and fashion designer William Baker selected an authentic kimono and obi at a small store in Greenwich Village, as well as a pink rubber whip from a sex shop.

[77] Minogue can be seen striking poses, lounging on luxurious red silk bed sheets, and delivering her lines in front of a stylized pine tree painting.

[76] Meanwhile, Tei is shown sitting primly on a hotel bed accompanied by two young Japanese women who gradually undress, lean on his shoulders, and whisper in his ears.

[72] The video is based on Sednaoui's perception of Minogue as a blend of geisha and manga superheroine, representing two contrasting Japanese portrayals of femininity.

[85] Tony Mitchell, writing in Alter/Asians : Asian-Australian Identities in Art, Media and Popular Culture (2000), viewed the fictional font as a metaphor for the unique hybrid of the German and Caucasian Japanese-Australian persona which Minogue had adopted in the video.

[77] Both of the authors suggested that Minogue and Madonna's choice to adopt geisha attire and mannerisms raised delicate questions about Asian representation in entertainment and cultural appropriation.

[62] Following the release of "GBI (German Bold Italic)", Minogue has made several live performances in Australia where she wore traditional Japanese costumes.

[92] Minogue filmed an interlude for her KylieX2008 tour wearing a bright pink kimono designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, with a large blonde wig and porcelain makeup.

[93] The interlude was part of the Japanese-inspired segment called "Naughty Manga Girl" in KylieX2008, during which Minogue performed in a kimono-style short dress, accompanied by dancers brandishing swords and a nude Japanese woman appearing on the screen.

[94] Minogue incorporated "GBI (German Bold Italic)" into her KylieFever2002 tour as a video interlude, playing while she temporarily left the stage and dancers took the forefront.

[97] The track was initially recorded as a demo alongside "GBI (German Bold Italic)" in 1996 but remained unfinished for eight years until Minogue had the opportunity to re-record her vocals in 2004.

[98] He had a fondness for the font since its release in 1997 and had previously incorporated it into his artworks, including drawings showcased at his 2011 exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art.