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Kim Wilde (born Kim Smith, 18 November 1960) is an English pop singer, DJ and
television presenter A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television show, television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. Nowadays, it is common for ...
. She first saw success in 1981 with her debut single "
Kids in America "Kids in America" is a song recorded by English pop singer Kim Wilde. It was released in the United Kingdom as her debut single in January 1981, and in the United States in spring 1982, later appearing on her Kim Wilde (album), self-titled de ...
", which peaked at No. 2 in the UK. In 1983, she received the
Brit Award The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
for Best British Female solo artist.BRITs Profile: Kim Wilde
Brits.co.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2012 In 1986, she had a UK No. 2 hit with a reworked version of
the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...
' song "
You Keep Me Hangin' On "You Keep Me Hangin' On" is a song written and composed by Holland–Dozier–Holland. It was first recorded in 1966 by American Motown girl group the Supremes, reaching number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. American rock band Vanilla Fudge ...
", which also topped the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1987. Between 1981 and 1996, she had 25 singles that charted within the Top 50 of the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. Her other hits include "
Chequered Love "Chequered Love" is the second single by British singer Kim Wilde. The song was released in the spring of 1981 to follow Wilde's successful debut "Kids in America". As with that single, writing credits were given to Wilde's father and brother M ...
" (1981), "
You Came "You Came" is a song by English singer Kim Wilde from her sixth studio album, ''Close'' (1988). It was released on 4 July 1988 as the album's second single. The song was written by Wilde and Ricky Wilde, after the birth of his first child, Marty. ...
" (1988), and "
Never Trust a Stranger "Never Trust a Stranger" is a song by English singer Kim Wilde, released as the third single from her sixth album, '' Close'' (1988). Remixed from the original album track by producer Ricki Wilde, it was released in the autumn of 1988 following t ...
" (1988). In 2003, she collaborated with
Nena Gabriele Susanne Kerner (born 24 March 1960), better known as Nena, is a German singer and songwriter who rose to international fame in 1983 as the lead vocalist of the band Nena (band), Nena with the Neue Deutsche Welle song "99 Luftballons". I ...
on the song "
Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime "Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann" (German for "somehow, somewhere, sometime") is a 1984 song by Nena written by band members Jörn-Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen and Carlo Karges. It was a commercial success in Europe. Released initially as a single, i ...
", which topped the Dutch charts. She holds the record for being the most-charted British female solo act of the 1980s, with seventeen UK Top 40 hit singles. Starting in 1998, while still active in music, she has branched into an alternative career as a landscape gardener, which has included presenting gardening shows on the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
and
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
. In 2005, she won a Gold award for her courtyard garden at the
Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...
’s
Chelsea Flower Show The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the ''Great Spring Show'',Phil Clayton, ''The Great Temple Show'' in ''The Garden'' 2008, p.452, The Royal Horticultural Society is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural ...
.


Early life

The eldest child of 1950s
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
er
Marty Wilde Marty Wilde, (born Reginald Leonard Smith; 15 April 1939) is an English singer and songwriter. He was among the first generation of British pop stars to emulate American rock and roll, scoring several 1950s hit singles including " Endless Sl ...
(birth name Reginald Smith) and Joyce Baker, who had been a member of the singing and dancing group
the Vernons Girls The Vernons Girls were an English musical ensemble of female vocalists. They were formed at the Vernons football pools companyLarkin C., ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'' (Muze UK Ltd, 1997), , p. 461 in the 1950s in Liverpool, settlin ...
, Kim Smith was born in the
West London West London is the western part of London, England, north of the River Thames, west of the City of London, and extending to the Greater London boundary. The term is used to differentiate the area from the other parts of London: North Londo ...
suburb of
Chiswick Chiswick ( ) is a district of west London, England. It contains Hogarth's House, the former residence of the 18th-century English artist William Hogarth; Chiswick House, a neo-Palladian villa regarded as one of the finest in England; and Full ...
and attended
Oakfield Preparatory School Oakfield Preparatory School is an independent coeducational preparatory school in West Dulwich, Lambeth. Oakfield is a member of the Independent Schools Association. With over 350 boys and girls aged between 2 and 11, it is housed in historic ...
, in the Southeast London area of
Dulwich Dulwich (; ) is an area in south London, England. The settlement is mostly in the London Borough of Southwark, with parts in the London Borough of Lambeth, and consists of Dulwich Village, East Dulwich, West Dulwich, and the Southwark half of ...
. When she was nine, the family moved to
Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For govern ...
, where she was educated at
Tewin Tewin is an English village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England between the towns of Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Welwyn (village) and the county town Hertford, it is within commuting distance of London. Tewin Wood is a very affluent re ...
and later
Presdales School Presdales School is a girls' secondary school with academy status, located in Ware, Hertfordshire in the East of England. The school also operates a coeducational sixth form. The current headmaster is M Warren, who took the post in 2016. Hist ...
. In 1980, at age 20, she completed a foundation course at St Albans College of Art & Design. As Kim Wilde, she was signed to RAK Records by Mickie Most.


Music career


The RAK years

Wilde's father Marty and brother,
Ricky Ricky may refer to: Places *Říčky (Brno-Country District), a village and municipality in the Czech Republic *Říčky v Orlických horách, a village in the north of the Czech Republic * Rickmansworth, a town in England sometimes called "Ricky" ...
, were responsible for writing virtually all of her material in the early-to-mid 1980s. Key influences on the songwriting process included
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic music, electronic band formed in Wirral Peninsula, Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of co-founders Andy McCluskey (vocals, bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboar ...
(OMD),
Ultravox Ultravox (earlier styled as Ultravox!) were a British new wave band, formed in London in April 1974 as Tiger Lily. Between 1980 and 1986, they scored seven Top Ten albums and seventeen Top 40 singles in the UK, the most successful of which was ...
,
John Foxx John Foxx (born Dennis Leigh; 26 September 1948) is an English singer, musician, artist, photographer, graphic designer, writer, teacher and lecturer. He was the original lead singer of the new wave band Ultravox, before leaving to embark on a ...
,
Gary Numan Gary Anthony James Webb (born 8 March 1958), known professionally as Gary Numan, is an English musician. He entered the music industry as frontman of the new wave band Tubeway Army. After releasing two albums with the band, he released his d ...
, Skids, Sex Pistols,
the Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the wa ...
, Kraftwerk and
the Stranglers The Stranglers are an English rock band who emerged via the punk rock scene. Scoring 23 UK top 40 singles and 19 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are one of the longest-surviving bands to have origin ...
. Wilde released her debut single "
Kids in America "Kids in America" is a song recorded by English pop singer Kim Wilde. It was released in the United Kingdom as her debut single in January 1981, and in the United States in spring 1982, later appearing on her Kim Wilde (album), self-titled de ...
" in January 1981. An instant success, it reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart and scaled the Top 5 in other countries such as Germany, France and Australia. Although it achieved only moderate success in the US, peaking at No. 25 when released in 1982, it is often regarded today as Wilde's signature song. Her debut studio album '' Kim Wilde'' (1981) repeated the success of the single, spawning two further hits in "
Chequered Love "Chequered Love" is the second single by British singer Kim Wilde. The song was released in the spring of 1981 to follow Wilde's successful debut "Kids in America". As with that single, writing credits were given to Wilde's father and brother M ...
" (Top 5 in the UK, France, Australia and Germany) and the UK-only single " Water on Glass" (UK No. 11). Wilde's follow-up album was 1982's '' Select'', led by the hit singles "
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
" and " View from a Bridge". Both were No. 1 hits in France and reached Top 10 positions in Germany and Australia. At the time, there was some controversy about Wilde's hesitation to do live concerts. Her first concerts in September 1982 took place in Denmark, before embarking on a UK-wide tour in October. Wilde's third studio album, '' Catch as Catch Can'' (1983) was a relative commercial failure. The first single from the album, " Love Blonde", was another success in France and Scandinavia, but failed to have major success in other countries. The failure of the album led to her leaving RAK and signing with
MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...
in the summer of 1984.


The MCA years

Wilde's first album for MCA ''
Teases & Dares ''Teases & Dares'' is the fourth studio album by the English pop singer Kim Wilde, released on 5 November 1984 by MCA Records. The song "Is It Over" is featured in the film '' Fletch'' (1985). Background After leaving Rak Records, who had r ...
'' (1984) was again overlooked in her home country, but fared better in Germany, France and Scandinavia as well as scoring another German Top 10 single with "
The Second Time "The Second Time" is the first single from Kim Wilde's fourth studio album ''Teases & Dares'' (1984). It was re-titled "Go for It" for the North American market. The track was also Wilde's first release on the MCA record label. Her last few re ...
" (which was Top 30 in the UK). The video for this song appeared in an episode of the 1980s TV hit ''
Knight Rider ''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series '' Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...
'' in 1985. The second single, " The Touch", was not a commercial success, but the third single, the
rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western music ...
"
Rage to Love "Rage to Love" is the third and final single from ''Teases & Dares'', the fourth studio album by Kim Wilde. Released in April 1985, the song was remixed by Dave Edmunds for its release as a single. It became Wilde's biggest UK hit for three years ...
", made the UK top 20 in 1985. On ''Teases & Dares'', Wilde made her first songwriting contributions, penning two songs. Meanwhile, she had embarked on three European concert tours (1983, 1985 and 1986). On her fifth studio album, 1986's ''
Another Step ''Another Step'' is the fifth studio album by English pop singer Kim Wilde, released on 3 November 1986 by MCA Records. The album contained her comeback worldwide hit "You Keep Me Hangin' On", which reached No. 1 in the US, as well as the UK ...
'', Wilde wrote or co-wrote most of the songs. The album's lead single " Schoolgirl" flopped in Europe and Australia, but Wilde's fortunes improved in spectacular fashion with the album's second single, a
Hi-NRG Hi-NRG (pronounced "high energy") is a genre of uptempo disco or electronic dance music (EDM) that originated in the United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s. As a music genre, typified by fast tempo, staccato hi-hat rhythms (and the ...
remake of
the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...
classic "
You Keep Me Hangin' On "You Keep Me Hangin' On" is a song written and composed by Holland–Dozier–Holland. It was first recorded in 1966 by American Motown girl group the Supremes, reaching number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. American rock band Vanilla Fudge ...
". After topping the charts in Australia and Canada and peaking at No. 2 in the UK, it became a US No. 1 single in 1987. With that hit, she became the fifth UK female solo artist ever to top the US Hot 100, following
Petula Clark Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades. Clark's professional career began during the ...
,
Lulu Lulu may refer to: Companies * LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer * Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer * Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia * Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, ...
,
Sheena Easton Sheena Shirley Easton (; born 27 April 1959) is a Scottish singer and actress. Easton came into the public eye in an episode of the first British musical reality television programme '' The Big Time: Pop Singer'', which recorded her attempts to ...
, and
Bonnie Tyler Gaynor Sullivan (née Hopkins; born 8 June 1951), known professionally as Bonnie Tyler, is a Welsh singer who is known for her distinctive husky voice. Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 album '' The World Starts Tonight'' a ...
.Leona Lewis, First UK Woman In 21 Years To Top Billboard Hot 100
BBC America, 27 March 2008 Her popularity, especially in her native UK, was revitalised and she scored further Top 10 hits in 1987 with "
Another Step (Closer to You) "Another Step (Closer to You)" is a song from the Kim Wilde album '' Another Step'', performed as a duet with Junior Giscombe. It was released as the third single from the album. Wilde co-wrote the song with Steve Byrd, who originally sang the ma ...
" (recorded with
Junior Junior or Juniors may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * ''Junior'' (Junior Mance album), 1959 * ''Junior'' (Röyksopp album), 2009 * ''Junior'' (Kaki King album), 2010 * ''Junior'' (LaFontaines album), 2019 Films * ''Junior'' (1994 ...
) and "
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958; it has since been recorded by numerous other music artists. By the song's 50th anniversary in 2008, Lee's original version had s ...
" (a
Comic Relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...
charity single, recorded with comedian
Mel Smith Melvyn Kenneth Smith (3 December 1952 – 19 July 2013) was an English comedian, actor and director. Smith worked on the sketch comedy shows ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' and ''Alas Smith and Jones'' with his comedy partner, Griff Rhys Jones. ...
). In 1988, Wilde released her biggest selling album to date, ''
Close Close may refer to: Music * ''Close'' (Kim Wilde album), 1988 * ''Close'' (Marvin Sapp album), 2017 * ''Close'' (Sean Bonniwell album), 1969 * "Close" (Sub Focus song), 2014 * "Close" (Nick Jonas song), 2016 * "Close" (Rae Sremmurd song), 201 ...
'', which returned her to the UK top 10 and spent almost eight months on the UK album chart. It produced four major European hits: " Hey Mister Heartache", "
You Came "You Came" is a song by English singer Kim Wilde from her sixth studio album, ''Close'' (1988). It was released on 4 July 1988 as the album's second single. The song was written by Wilde and Ricky Wilde, after the birth of his first child, Marty. ...
", "
Never Trust a Stranger "Never Trust a Stranger" is a song by English singer Kim Wilde, released as the third single from her sixth album, '' Close'' (1988). Remixed from the original album track by producer Ricki Wilde, it was released in the autumn of 1988 following t ...
" and " Four Letter Word" (the last 3 were Top 10 hits in the UK). The release of the album coincided with a tour of Europe, where she was the opening act for
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
's
Bad World Tour Bad was the first solo concert tour by American singer Michael Jackson, launched in support of his seventh studio album '' Bad'' (1987). Sponsored by Pepsi and spanning 16 months, the tour included 123 concerts for over 4.4 million fans across ...
. Wilde released her next studio album, '' Love Moves'', in 1990. The album barely made the UK Top 40, and, although it was a Top 10 success in Scandinavian countries, it failed to sell as well as its predecessor and only spawned two minor hits, "
It's Here "It's Here" is a song by English singer-songwriter Kim Wilde, released as the first single from her seventh album, '' Love Moves'' (1990), and is also her first release of the new decade. Wilde was the most charted and biggest-selling British fe ...
" a Top 20 success in Middle and Northern Europe as well as " Can't Get Enough (Of Your Love)", her last Top 20 hit in France. She toured Europe again, this time opening for fellow Briton
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
. A collaboration with
Rick Nowels Richard Wright Nowels Jr. is an American songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and arranger. He has co-written and co-produced over 90 hit singles with multiple artistsStevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasi ...
and
Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, the most successful all-female rock band of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist. Raised in ...
, resulted in the guitar-driven pop of the single "
Love Is Holy "Love Is Holy" is the first single from '' Love Is'', a 1992 album by English singer Kim Wilde. It was written by American songwriting duo Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley. Wilde travelled to Los Angeles to do three live tracks with Nowels, and duri ...
" and the album '' Love Is'' (1992). The album's success was again limited to a small number of countries, though the single became another Top 20 hit in the UK, and the second single (" Heart over Mind") also made the Top 40. In 1993, she released her first official compilation album ''
The Singles Collection 1981–1993 ''The Singles Collection 1981–1993'' is a greatest hits album by English singer Kim Wilde, released on 6 September 1993 by MCA Records. Content The album contains fifteen Top 20 hits from the UK and German charts, but omits hits such as "Hey M ...
'', which was a success throughout Europe and Australia and the dancefloor-influenced single " If I Can't Have You" (a cover of the Yvonne Elliman song from the film '' Saturday Night Fever'' that was penned by the Bee Gees), became her last UK Top 20 Hit as well as a No. 3 hit in Australia. Wilde embarked on a huge "Greatest Hits" concert tour through Europe in 1994 and also toured Australia and Japan for the first time in six years. Her next studio album, '' Now & Forever'' (1995), was a commercial failure worldwide. Her single " Breakin' Away", however, was a minor hit, and the follow-up, " This I Swear", was also a minor hit in Europe. She released the single "
Shame Shame is an unpleasant self-conscious emotion often associated with negative self-evaluation; motivation to quit; and feelings of pain, exposure, distrust, powerlessness, and worthlessness. Definition Shame is a discrete, basic emotion, d ...
" in 1996, an
Evelyn "Champagne" King Evelyn "Champagne" King (born July 1, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. She is best known for her hit disco single "Shame", which was released in 1977 during the height of disco's popularity. King had other hits from ...
cover. From February 1996 to February 1997, Wilde appeared in
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
's West End production of the
rock musical A rock musical is a musical theatre work with rock music. The genre of rock musical may overlap somewhat with album musicals, concept albums and song cycles, as they sometimes tell a story through the rock music, and some album musicals and conc ...
, ''
Tommy Tommy may refer to: People * Tommy (given name) * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...
''. After this, Wilde started recording a new studio album. However, there were problems with her record company – MCA Records had by that time become part of
Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
– and legal problems concerning the songs. Subsequently, Wilde abandoned the album which remains unreleased.


Return to pop

Wilde performing live at Let's Rock Bristol in 2014 Since November 2001, Wilde has toured the UK three times (and once in Australia during 2003) as part of the
Here and Now Tour The Here and Now Tour is a series of concert tours, which began in 2001, featuring groups and singers famous in the 1980s. The Tour takes in arenas and theatres around the UK and still runs today. The tours are organised by Tony Denton Promotions. ...
, an Eighties revival concert series, together with artists such as
Paul Young Paul Antony Young (born 17 January 1956) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & the Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, he became a teen idol with his solo success in the 1980s. ...
,
the Human League The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their third album ''Dare' ...
,
Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, the most successful all-female rock band of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist. Raised in ...
, Howard Jones and
Five Star Five Star (also styled as 5 Star) are a British pop group, formed in 1983 and comprising siblings Stedman, Lorraine, Denise, Doris and Delroy Pearson. Between 1985 and 1988, Five Star had four top 20 albums and 15 top 40 singles in the UK, ...
. New recordings also followed; in 2001, she recorded a new track, " Loved", for a
compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...
which became a surprise hit in Belgium. She recorded the single "Born to be Wild" in 2002, and in summer of 2003 she had a major hit with "
Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime "Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann" (German for "somehow, somewhere, sometime") is a 1984 song by Nena written by band members Jörn-Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen and Carlo Karges. It was a commercial success in Europe. Released initially as a single, i ...
", a
duet A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a solo ...
with German pop star
Nena Gabriele Susanne Kerner (born 24 March 1960), better known as Nena, is a German singer and songwriter who rose to international fame in 1983 as the lead vocalist of the band Nena (band), Nena with the Neue Deutsche Welle song "99 Luftballons". I ...
. The single was a Top 10 hit in Germany, Belgium, Austria, Netherlands and Switzerland. In 2006, Wilde signed a new
recording contract A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist (or group), where the artist makes a record (or series of records) for the label to sell and promote. Artists ...
with EMI Germany and released the first single from her tenth studio album in many countries across Europe, Scandinavia and Asia. "
You Came 2006 In Modern English, ''you'' is the second-person pronoun. It is grammatically plural, and was historically used only for the dative case, but in most modern dialects is used for all cases and numbers. History ''You'' comes from the Proto- ...
" charted Top 20 in most of these countries and became her biggest solo hit in Germany since 1988. The album '' Never Say Never'' included eight new tracks plus five re-worked previous hits and has charted in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. The second single from the album, which was voted for by fans on her official website was "
Perfect Girl "Perfect Girl" is the second single from Kim Wilde's comeback album '' Never Say Never'', released in 2006. The album contains new songs (including this one) as well as re-recorded versions of some of Wilde's 1980s hits. Released in Germany, ...
", released in November 2006 and spent nine weeks on the German Top 100 singles chart. A third single, "
Together We Belong "Together We Belong" is the third single from the Kim Wilde album '' Never Say Never'', released in 2006. The album contained new songs (including this one) as well as re-recorded versions of some of Wilde's 1980s hits. Released in Germany, t ...
", was released in March 2007 and a fourth single, "Baby Obey Me", was released in Germany as a remix featuring German rapper Ill Inspecta. Since 2003, Wilde has appeared on numerous festival bills and concerts all over Europe with her own band. In early September 2009, a brand new single, "Run to You", recorded as a duet with Swedish rock band
Fibes, Oh Fibes! Fibes, Oh Fibes! is a Sweden, Swedish funk rock band that rose to fame in early 2004. The trio, from Gothenburg on the west coast of Sweden, was formed in 2001. Their first release was a self-titled EP in 2003. The band name is from drum compan ...
, was released in Sweden. The song reached the Swedish Top 30. In 2010, Wilde signed a new recording contract with Sony Music Germany. The label released her eleventh studio album, '' Come Out and Play'' on 17 August, with "Lights Down Low" preceding that as lead single. The album peaked at No. 10 in Germany and was followed by a tour in Europe in February and March 2011. Wilde's twelfth studio album, ''
Snapshots Snapshot, snapshots or snap shot may refer to: * Snapshot (photography), a photograph taken without preparation Computing * Snapshot (computer storage), the state of a system at a particular point in time * Snapshot (file format) or SNP, a file ...
'', was released on 26 August 2011 and features cover versions of songs hand-picked from the last five decades. A double release of " It's Alright" and "
Sleeping Satellite "Sleeping Satellite" is a song by British singer-songwriter Tasmin Archer, released in September 1992 as the first single from her debut album, '' Great Expectations'' (1992). Co-written by Archer, the song received favorable reviews from music ...
" was released on 19 August as the lead single. Two further singles failed to reach the chart. Wilde toured in support of the album in Germany in March 2012. In November 2012, Wilde was featured as the lead vocalist on
Reflekt Reflekt were an English electronic music duo consisting of DJ/ remixer/ producers Seb Fontaine and Jay Peake (aka Jay P. - one half of Stretch & Vern). Biography Reflekt are best known for their 2004 club hit " Need to Feel Loved", which rea ...
's "A Beautiful House", which can be found on
Armada Music Armada Music is a Dutch independent record label that specialises in releasing electronic dance music. The name Armada derives from the first two letters of the founders' first names: Armin van Buuren, Maykel Piron and David Lewis. Signed a ...
's "Antillas & Dankmann's Best Remix 2002–2012" compilation. Wilde released her next studio album, ''
Wilde Winter Songbook ''Wilde Winter Songbook'' is the thirteenth studio album and first Christmas album by English singer Kim Wilde, released on 11 November 2013 by Wildeflower Records. The album consists of a mix of traditional Christmas songs, covers of contempora ...
'' in November 2013. On 18 December 2017, Wilde released a Christmas single with
Lawnmower Deth Lawnmower Deth are an English thrash metal band, who parodied the genre and recorded three and a half albums. Initially active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, they reformed in 2008. Biography Main career (1987–1993) Lawnmower Deth were for ...
titled ''" F U Kristmas!"''. Wilde released her fourteenth studio album ''
Here Come the Aliens ''Here Come the Aliens'' is the fourteenth studio album by English pop singer Kim Wilde, released on 16 March 2018 by Wildeflower Records. It is her first studio album since '' Wilde Winter Songbook'' (2013). It contains the singles "Pop Don't ...
'' on 16 March 2018. It was inspired by an encounter with a
UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...
she had in 2009. While sitting in her
garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...
with her husband and a friend, they noticed something odd about the sky and experienced an eerie silence. They observed a huge bright light behind a cloud. Being curious she walked down the grass to track the source of the light and what she noticed was that the light was swiftly moving back and forth. She thought about it every day and it gave her the idea for her new album. On 25 June 2019, ''
The New York Times Magazine ''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine Supplement (publishing), supplement included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted man ...
'' listed Kim Wilde among hundreds of artists whose material was destroyed in the 2008 Universal Studios fire. In May 2021, Wilde confirmed she would celebrate 40 years of music with the release of a
box set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...
greatest hits album titled, '' Pop Don't Stop: Greatest Hits''. The album was released in August 2021.


Impact and recognition

Wilde performing in 2007 Wilde holds the record for being the most-charted British female solo act of the 1980s, with seventeen UK Top 40 hit singles throughout the decade (including her duets with Junior Giscombe and Mel Smith). A number of artists have performed covers of Kim Wilde songs, ranging from pop and rock to dance and
death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
versions. On 16 February 1991, then
Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
drummer
Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of gru ...
recorded a version of "
Kids in America "Kids in America" is a song recorded by English pop singer Kim Wilde. It was released in the United Kingdom as her debut single in January 1981, and in the United States in spring 1982, later appearing on her Kim Wilde (album), self-titled de ...
" in an
Arlington County, Virginia Arlington County is a County (United States), county in the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the Washington, D.C., District of Co ...
basement studio. It is the third track on the rare 2015 "
Songs from the Laundry Room ''Songs from the Laundry Room'' is an EP by American rock band Foo Fighters, released exclusively for Record Store Day 2015. This EP and the Foo Fighters album are the two Foo Fighters releases upon which Dave Grohl plays all the instruments. Re ...
"
Foo Fighters Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...
EP, a clip of which plays during the credit roll of the
Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
episode of Grohl's
Sonic Highways ''Sonic Highways'' is the eighth studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters, released on November 10, 2014, through Roswell and RCA Records. Similar to their previous album, ''Wasting Light'' (2011), it was produced by the band with Butch ...
documentary TV series. American pop star Tiffany recorded a version of "Kids in America" in 2007 for her album '' I Think We're Alone Now: '80s Hits and More''. German
eurodance Euro-Dance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG, Euro-electronica or Euro) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of hip hop, techno, Hi-NRG, house music, and Euro-Disco. This ...
act
Cascada Cascada (, Spanish for "Waterfall", stylized as CASCADA, CASC''A''DA and cascada) is a German dance music act founded in 2004 by singer Natalie Horler and DJs/producers DJ Manian and DJ Yanou. They are best known for their hit singles " Every ...
, recorded a version of "Kids in America", on their '' Everytime We Touch'' album in 2007. Wilde has provided inspiration for other artists, including
Charlotte Hatherley Charlotte Franklin Hatherley (born 20 June 1979) is an English singer, songwriter, guitarist and soundtrack composer. She initially came to prominence as guitarist and backing vocalist for alternative rock band Ash. Since leaving Ash in 2006, sh ...
, who wrote a song about her entitled "Kim Wilde", and included it on her debut album, ''
Grey Will Fade ''Grey Will Fade'' is the debut studio album by English musician Charlotte Hatherley, the guitarist for Ash, released by Double Dragon Music on 16 August 2004. Spurred on by the positive response to "Grey Will Fade", which appeared as a B-si ...
''. East German punk rock band
Feeling B Feeling B was a punk rock band founded in East Berlin in 1983. They started out firmly grounded in the underground punk scene. Over time, Feeling B's popularity grew greatly, and climaxed around the end of the German Democratic Republic. Fron ...
also recorded a song called "Kim Wilde", which featured on their debut album, '' Hea Hoa Hoa Hea Hea Hoa'' (1989). In 1985, French singer
Laurent Voulzy Lucien Voulzy (, born 18 December 1948), better known as Laurent Voulzy (), is a French singer-songwriter, composer and musician. Life and career Voulzy was born in Paris, France. He originally led the English-pop-influenced Le Temple de Vénus ...
paid tribute to Wilde in his song " Les Nuits Sans Kim Wilde" ("The Nights without Kim Wilde"). In her graphic novel ''
Persepolis , native_name_lang = , alternate_name = , image = Gate of All Nations, Persepolis.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = Ruins of the Gate of All Nations, Persepolis. , map = , map_type ...
'', Iranian cartoonist
Marjane Satrapi Marjane Satrapi (; fa, مرجان ساتراپی ; born 22 November 1969) is a French-Iranian graphic novelist, cartoonist, illustrator, film director, and children's book author. Her best-known works include the graphic novel ''Persepolis'' a ...
has a comic strip titled ''Kim Wilde''. In it the main character Marji, a young Iranian girl, sings "Kids in America" in the streets of the Iranian capital. Also, when her parents go on holiday in Turkey, they buy a poster of Wilde and smuggle it into
Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
for Marji. Marji pins the poster on her bedroom's wall and practises emulating Wilde.


Gardening career

During her first
pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops ( gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy usually occurs by sexual intercourse, but ca ...
, an old interest in gardening resurfaced and she attended
Capel Manor College __NOTOC__ Capel Manor College is a special environmental college located in Enfield, London. The College has six campuses across the capital, Brooks Farm (Leyton), Crystal Palace Park, Enfield, Gunnersbury Park, Mottingham and Regent’s Park. ...
to learn about
horticulture Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...
, so as to create a garden for her children. As a celebrity, she was asked by
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
to act as a designer for their programme ''Better Gardens''. A year later, she started a two-year commitment with the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, recording two series of ''Garden Invaders''. In 2001, she (along with fellow horticulturist David Fountain) created the "All About Alice" garden for the Tatton Flower Show and was awarded the 'Best Show Garden' award. In 2005, she won a Gold award for her courtyard garden at the
Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...
's
Chelsea Flower Show The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the ''Great Spring Show'',Phil Clayton, ''The Great Temple Show'' in ''The Garden'' 2008, p.452, The Royal Horticultural Society is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural ...
.Singer Kim Wilde wins garden gold
BBC News, 24 May 2005 She has designed and created numerous gardens during her involvement in the ''Better Gardens'' and ''Garden Invaders'' TV programmes and commissioned by individuals and organisations. She has also created gardens for flower shows across the UK. In 2001 she was involved in setting a world record for the largest tree transplantation, when a
London plane London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major se ...
was moved from Belgium to a development site in
Warrington Warrington () is a town and unparished area in the borough of the same name in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Mersey. It is east of Liverpool, and west of Manchester. The population in 2019 was estimat ...
. After standing in its new location for six years, however, the tree was toppled by a storm in January 2007.


Publications

Wilde has written two books as part of her gardening career. The first, ''Gardening with Children'', was released on 4 April 2005 by
Collins Collins may refer to: People Surname Given name * Collins O. Bright (1917–?), Sierra Leonean diplomat * Collins Chabane (1960–2015), South African Minister of Public Service and Administration * Collins Cheboi (born 1987), Kenyan middle- ...
publishers. Translations of the book were released at the same time in Spain, France, Denmark and the Netherlands, and later in Germany. Her second book, ''The First-Time Gardener'', was released on 3 April 2006 (again by Collins), and is a beginner's guide to gardening.


Television

Wilde broadened her
eco-friendly Environment friendly processes, or environmental-friendly processes (also referred to as eco-friendly, nature-friendly, and green), are sustainability and marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that clai ...
image by taking on advertising jobs for various 'green' companies. For two years, she featured on advertisements for the highstreet health food shop
Holland & Barrett Holland & Barrett (H&B) is a multinational chain of health food shops with over 1,300 stores in 16 countries, including a substantial presence in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, ...
. She wrote infomercials for Bold and Timotei, and in 2008, she started advertising 'green kitchens' for
Magnet A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, steel, nickel, ...
. In 2019, in a nod to her singing and gardening careers,
Cadbury Cadbury, formerly Cadbury's and Cadbury Schweppes, is a British multinational confectionery company fully owned by Mondelez International (originally Kraft Foods) since 2010. It is the second largest confectionery brand in the world after Mar ...
featured Wilde in one of their 30 second TV commercials for their Darkmilk chocolate bar campaign, set in a horticultural setting.


Radio

Wilde presented ''Secret Songs'' on
Magic 105.4 Magic Radio is a British digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer. The station is available on 105.4 FM in London and across the UK on Digital Radio, on the Magic Radio app, television and online. It had previously been a part of a ...
every Sunday between 10am and 1pm. It later became ''The Request Show''. In 2021, Kim Wilde joined Ireland's Classic Hits Radio, presenting ''The Kim Wilde 80’s Show'' which airs in the evenings, four days a week.


Personal life

On 1 September 1996, Wilde married her co-star in ''
Tommy Tommy may refer to: People * Tommy (given name) * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...
'', Hal Fowler, and expressed a desire to have children as soon as possible. On 3 January 1998 she gave birth to Harry Tristan. On 13 January 2000, Rose Elisabeth was born. They announced their separation and subsequent divorce via a statement on Twitter on 21 December 2022.


Discography


Studio albums

*'' Kim Wilde'' (1981) *'' Select'' (1982) *'' Catch as Catch Can'' (1983) *''
Teases & Dares ''Teases & Dares'' is the fourth studio album by the English pop singer Kim Wilde, released on 5 November 1984 by MCA Records. The song "Is It Over" is featured in the film '' Fletch'' (1985). Background After leaving Rak Records, who had r ...
'' (1984) *''
Another Step ''Another Step'' is the fifth studio album by English pop singer Kim Wilde, released on 3 November 1986 by MCA Records. The album contained her comeback worldwide hit "You Keep Me Hangin' On", which reached No. 1 in the US, as well as the UK ...
'' (1986) *''
Close Close may refer to: Music * ''Close'' (Kim Wilde album), 1988 * ''Close'' (Marvin Sapp album), 2017 * ''Close'' (Sean Bonniwell album), 1969 * "Close" (Sub Focus song), 2014 * "Close" (Nick Jonas song), 2016 * "Close" (Rae Sremmurd song), 201 ...
'' (1988) *'' Love Moves'' (1990) *'' Love Is'' (1992) *'' Now & Forever'' (1995) *'' Never Say Never'' (2006) *'' Come Out and Play'' (2010) *''
Snapshots Snapshot, snapshots or snap shot may refer to: * Snapshot (photography), a photograph taken without preparation Computing * Snapshot (computer storage), the state of a system at a particular point in time * Snapshot (file format) or SNP, a file ...
'' (2011) *''
Wilde Winter Songbook ''Wilde Winter Songbook'' is the thirteenth studio album and first Christmas album by English singer Kim Wilde, released on 11 November 2013 by Wildeflower Records. The album consists of a mix of traditional Christmas songs, covers of contempora ...
'' (2013) *''
Here Come the Aliens ''Here Come the Aliens'' is the fourteenth studio album by English pop singer Kim Wilde, released on 16 March 2018 by Wildeflower Records. It is her first studio album since '' Wilde Winter Songbook'' (2013). It contains the singles "Pop Don't ...
'' (2018)


Compilations and other albums

*'' The Very Best of Kim Wilde'' (1984) *''
The Singles Collection 1981–1993 ''The Singles Collection 1981–1993'' is a greatest hits album by English singer Kim Wilde, released on 6 September 1993 by MCA Records. Content The album contains fifteen Top 20 hits from the UK and German charts, but omits hits such as "Hey M ...
'' (1993) *'' The Remix Collection'' (1993) *'' The Very Best of Kim Wilde'' (2001) *'' The Hits Collection'' (2006) *'' Pop Don't Stop: Greatest Hits'' (2021)


Awards

*1996 RSH-GOLD Female Classic of 1995 (Germany) *1993
Bambi Award The Bambi, often called the Bambi Award and stylised as BAMBI, is a German award presented annually by Hubert Burda Media to recognize excellence in international media and television to personalities in the media, arts, culture, sports, and oth ...
for "The Singles Collection" (Germany) *1990 Diamond Award (Netherlands) *1988 European Platinum Award as female singer who sold the most records across Europe (she shared this award with equally successful 80s singer Sandra) *1984 Golden Otto Best Singer (Germany) *1983 Silver Otto Second Best Singer (Germany) *1982 Silver Otto Second Best Singer (Germany) *1981 Golden Otto Best Singer (Germany) *1981
Rockbjörnen Rockbjörnen (Swedish: ''the Rock Bear'') is a music prize in Sweden, divided into several categories, which is awarded annually by the newspaper ''Aftonbladet''. The prize was first awarded in 1979, and is mostly centered on pop and rock. In 2 ...
– Best female singer (Sweden) Billboard Music Awards !Ref. , - , 1985 , rowspan=4, Herself , Top Pop Singles Artist – Female , , , - , rowspan=6, 1987 , Top Pop Singles Artist , , rowspan=6, , - , Top Pop Album Artist – Female , , - , Top Dance Sales Artist , , - , rowspan=3, "
You Keep Me Hangin' On "You Keep Me Hangin' On" is a song written and composed by Holland–Dozier–Holland. It was first recorded in 1966 by American Motown girl group the Supremes, reaching number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. American rock band Vanilla Fudge ...
" , Top Pop Single , , - , Top Hot Crossover Single , , - , Top Dance Sales 12' Single , Brit Awards !Ref. , - , 1983 , rowspan=4, Herself , rowspan=4, British Female Solo Artist , , , - , 1985 , , , - , 1987 , , , - ,
1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...
, , Classic Pop Reader Awards , - , rowspan=3, 2019 , rowspan=2, Herself , Artist of the Year , , - , Live Act of the Year , , - , "Kandy Krush" , Single of the Year , Smash Hits Poll Winners Party , - , rowspan=2, 1981 , rowspan=18, Herself , Best Female Singer , , - , rowspan=2, Most Fanciable Female , , - , rowspan=2, 1982 , , - , rowspan=2, Best Female Singer , , - , rowspan=2, 1983 , , - , rowspan=2, Most Fanciable Female , , - , rowspan=2, 1984 , , - , rowspan=2, Best Female Singer , , - , rowspan=2, 1985 , , - , rowspan=3, Most Fanciable Female , , - , 1986 , , - , rowspan=3, 1987 , , - , Worst Female Singer , , - , rowspan=2, Best Female Solo Singer , , - , rowspan=2, 1988 , , - , rowspan=2, Most Fanciable Female , , - , rowspan=2, 1989 , , - , Best Female Solo Singer ,


Bibliography

*''Gardening with Children'' (2005) *''The First-Time Gardener'' (2006)


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilde, Kim 1960 births Living people Brit Award winners English dance musicians English garden writers English gardeners English new wave musicians English songwriters English television personalities Women new wave singers British Hi-NRG musicians People from Chiswick Rak Records artists English women pop singers 20th-century English women singers 20th-century English singers 21st-century English women singers 21st-century English women writers 21st-century English singers English women in electronic music