Kim Wilde | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Wilde in 2021 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kim Smith |
| Born | (1960-11-18)18 November 1960 (age 64) Chiswick, Middlesex, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | kimwilde |
| Father | Marty Wilde |
| Relatives | Ricky Wilde (brother) |
Kim Wilde (bornKim Smith, 18 November 1960)[3] is an English pop singer. She first gained success in 1981 with her debut single "Kids in America", which peaked at No. 2 in the UK. In 1983, she received theBrit Award for Best British Female solo artist.[4] In 1986, she had a UK No. 2 hit with a reworked version ofthe Supremes' song "You Keep Me Hangin' On", which also topped the USBillboard Hot 100 in 1987. Between 1981 and 1996, she had 25 singles that charted within the Top 50 of theUK Singles Chart. Her other hits include "Chequered Love" (1981), "You Came" (1988), and "Never Trust a Stranger" (1988). In 2003, she collaborated withNena on the song "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime", which topped theDutch andAustrian 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 theBBC andChannel 4. In 2005, she won a Gold award for her courtyard garden at theRoyal Horticultural Society'sChelsea Flower Show.
She was born as Kim Smith in theWest London suburb ofChiswick, the eldest child of 1950srock and rollerMarty Wilde (birth name Reginald Smith) and Joyce Baker, who had been a member of the singing and dancing groupthe Vernons Girls. She attendedOakfield Preparatory School, in theSoutheast London area ofDulwich.[citation needed] When she was nine, the family moved toHertfordshire, where she was educated atTewin and laterPresdales School.[5] In 1980, at age 20, she completed a foundation course at St Albans College of Art & Design. As Kim Wilde, she was signed toRAK Records byMickie Most.[6]
Wilde's first professional singing credit was as a backup singer to her brotherRicky's 1972 song "I Am an Astronaut."[7]
Wilde's father Marty and brother, Ricky, were responsible for writing virtually all of her material in the early-to-mid 1980s. Key influences on the songwriting process includedOrchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD),Ultravox,John Foxx,Gary Numan,Skids,Sex Pistols,the Clash,Kraftwerk andthe Stranglers.[8][9] Wilde released her debut single "Kids in America" 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.[10] Although it achieved only moderate success in the US, peaking at No. 25 when released in 1982, it is often regarded today as Wilde'ssignature song. Her debut studio albumKim Wilde (1981) repeated the success of the single, spawning two further hits in "Chequered Love" (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'sSelect, led by the hit singles "Cambodia" 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.[11] Her first concerts in September 1982 took place in Denmark,[12] before embarking on a UK-wide tour in October.[13] Wilde's third studio album,Catch as Catch Can (1983) was a relative commercial failure.[citation needed] 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 withMCA Records in the summer of 1984.[14]
Wilde's first album for MCATeases & Dares (1984) was again overlooked in her home country,[citation needed] but fared better in Germany, France and Scandinavia as well as scoring another German Top 10 single with "The Second Time" (which was Top 30 in the UK). The video for this song appeared in an episode of the 1980s TV hitKnight Rider in 1985.[15] The second single, "The Touch", was not a commercial success, but the third single, therockabilly "Rage to Love" (the video for which features a cameo appearance byJustin Hayward, guitarist and frontman ofthe Moody Blues) made the UK top 20 in 1985. OnTeases & Dares, Wilde made her first songwriting contributions, penning two songs. Meanwhile, she had embarked on three European concert tours (1983, 1985 and 1986).[citation needed]
On her fifth studio album, 1986'sAnother Step, 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, aHi-NRG remake ofthe Supremes classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On".[16] 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, followingPetula Clark,Lulu,Sheena Easton, andBonnie Tyler.[17] Her popularity, especially in her native UK, was revitalised and she scored further Top 10 hits in 1987 with "Another Step (Closer to You)" (recorded withJunior) and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (aComic Relief charity single, recorded with comedianMel Smith).
In 1988, Wilde released her biggest selling album to date,[citation needed]Close, 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", "Never Trust a Stranger" 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 forMichael Jackson'sBad World Tour.[18] 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" 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 as the opening act forDavid Bowie.[18]
A collaboration withRick Nowels, who had produced hits forStevie Nicks andBelinda Carlisle, resulted in the guitar-driven pop of the single "Love Is Holy" and the albumLove 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,[19] and the second single ("Heart over Mind") also made the Top 40.[19] In 1993, she released her first official compilation albumThe Singles Collection 1981–1993, which was a success throughout Europe and Australia and the dancefloor-influenced single "If I Can't Have You" (a cover of theYvonne Elliman song from the filmSaturday Night Fever that was penned by theBee Gees), became her last UK Top 20 Hit as well as a No. 3 hit in Australia.[20]
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.[citation needed] Her next studio album,Now & Forever (1995), was a commercial failure worldwide.[18] Her single "Breakin' Away", however, was a minor hit, and the follow-up, "This I Swear", was also a minor hit in Europe.[21] She released the single "Shame" in 1996, anEvelyn "Champagne" King cover.[22] From February 1996 to February 1997, Wilde appeared inLondon'sWest End production of therock musical,Tommy.[23]
Since November 2001, Wilde has toured the UK three times (and once in Australia during 2003) as part of theHere and Now Tour, an Eighties revival concert series, together with artists such asPaul Young,the Human League,Belinda Carlisle,Howard Jones andFive Star. New recordings also followed; in 2001, she recorded a new track, "Loved", for acompilation album which became a surprise hit in Belgium.[24] She recorded the single "Born to be Wild" in 2002, and in summer of 2003 she had a major hit with "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime", aduet with German pop starNena. The single was a Top 10 hit in Germany, Belgium, Austria, Netherlands and Switzerland.[25]
In 2006, Wilde signed a newrecording contract with EMI Germany and released the first single from her tenth studio album in many countries across Europe, Scandinavia and Asia. "You Came 2006" charted Top 20 in most of these countries and became her biggest solo hit in Germany since 1988.[21] The albumNever 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", released in November 2006 and spent nine weeks on the German Top 100 singles chart.[21] A third single, "Together We Belong", was released in March 2007 and a fourth single, "Baby Obey Me", was released in Germany as a remix featuring German rapper Ill Inspecta.[26]
Since 2003, Wilde has appeared on numerous festival bills and concerts all over Europe with her own band.[27] In early September 2009, a brand new single, "Run to You", recorded as a duet with Swedish rock bandFibes, Oh Fibes!, was released in Sweden. The song reached the Swedish Top 30.[28]
In 2010, Wilde signed a new recording contract withSony Music Germany. The label released her eleventh studio album,Come Out and Play on 17 August,[29] with "Lights Down Low" preceding that as lead single.[30] The album peaked at No. 10 in Germany[31] and was followed by a tour in Europe in February and March 2011.
Wilde's twelfth studio album,Snapshots, was released on 26 August 2011 and featured cover versions of songs hand-picked from the last five decades. A double release of "It's Alright" and "Sleeping Satellite" 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 onReflekt's "A Beautiful House".[citation needed]
.jpg)
Wilde released her next studio album,Wilde Winter Songbook in November 2013.[32] On 18 December 2017, Wilde released a Christmas single withLawnmower Deth titled"F U Kristmas!".[33] Wilde released her fourteenth studio albumHere Come the Aliens on 16 March 2018.[34] It was inspired by an encounter with aUFO she had in 2009. While sitting in hergarden with her husband and a friend, they noticed something odd about the sky and experienced an eerie silence.[35][36][37] 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.[38]
In May 2021, Wilde confirmed she would celebrate 40 years of music with the release of abox set greatest hits album titled,Pop Don't Stop: Greatest Hits. The album was released in August 2021.[39]
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).[40]
A number of artists have performed covers of Kim Wilde songs, ranging from pop and rock to dance anddeath metal versions. On 16 February 1991, thenNirvana drummerDave Grohl recorded a version of "Kids in America" in anArlington County, Virginia basement studio.[41] It is the third track on the rare 2015 "Songs from the Laundry Room"Foo Fighters EP, a clip of which plays during the credit roll of theSeattle, Washington episode of Grohl'sSonic Highwaysdocumentary TV series.[42] American pop starTiffany recorded a version of "Kids in America" in 2007 for her albumI Think We're Alone Now: '80s Hits and More. Germaneurodance actCascada, recorded a version of "Kids in America", on theirEverytime We Touch album in 2007.
Wilde has provided inspiration for other artists, includingCharlotte Hatherley, who wrote a song about her entitled "Kim Wilde", and included it on her debut album,Grey Will Fade.[43] East German punk rock bandFeeling B also recorded a song called "Kim Wilde", which featured on their debut album,Hea Hoa Hoa Hea Hea Hoa (1989). In 1985, French singerLaurent Voulzy paid tribute to Wilde in his song "Les Nuits Sans Kim Wilde" ("The Nights without Kim Wilde").[44] In her graphic novelPersepolis, Iranian cartoonistMarjane Satrapi has a comic strip titledKim 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 intoTehran for Marji. Marji pins the poster on her bedroom's wall and practises emulating Wilde.[45]
During her firstpregnancy, an old interest in gardening resurfaced and she attendedCapel Manor College to learn abouthorticulture, so as to create a garden for her children. As a celebrity, she was asked byChannel 4 to act as a designer for their programmeBetter Gardens.[46] A year later, she started a two-year commitment with theBBC, recording two series ofGarden Invaders.[47]
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.[48] In 2005, she won a Gold award for her courtyard garden at theRoyal Horticultural Society'sChelsea Flower Show.[49] She has designed and created numerous gardens during her involvement in theBetter Gardens andGarden 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 18 metres (58 ft)London plane was moved from Belgium to a development site inWarrington.[50] After standing in its new location for six years, however, the tree was toppled byCyclone Kyrill in January 2007.[51]
Wilde has written two books as part of her gardening career. The first,Gardening with Children, was released on 4 April 2005 byCollins publishers.[52] Translations of the book were released at the same time in Spain, France, Denmark and the Netherlands, and later in Germany.[53][citation needed] Her second book,The First-Time Gardener, was released on 3 April 2006 (again by Collins), and is a beginner's guide to gardening.[54]
Wilde broadened hereco-friendly image by taking on advertising jobs for various 'green' companies. For two years, she featured on advertisements for the highstreethealth food shopHolland & Barrett. She wroteinfomercials forBold[55] andTimotei,[56] and in 2008, she started advertising 'green kitchens' forMagnet.[57] In 2019,Cadbury featured Wilde in one of their 30 second TV commercials for their Darkmilk chocolate bar campaign, set in a horticultural setting.[58]
Wilde presentedSecret Songs onMagic 105.4 every Sunday between 10 am and 1 pm.[when?][59] It later becameThe Request Show. In 2021, Wilde joinedIreland's Classic Hits Radio, presentingThe Kim Wilde 80's Show which airs in the evenings, four days a week.[60]
On 1 September 1996, Wilde married her co-star inTommy, Hal Fowler, and expressed a desire to have children as soon as possible.[61] On 3 January 1998 she gave birth to Harry Tristan.[62] On 13 January 2000, Rose Elisabeth was born.[63][64] They announced their separation and subsequent divorce via a statement on Twitter on 21 December 2022.[65]
Studio albums
| Compilations and other albums
|
Billboard Music Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Herself | Top Pop Singles Artist – Female | Nominated | [67] |
| 1987 | Top Pop Singles Artist | Nominated | [68] | |
| Top Pop Album Artist – Female | Nominated | |||
| Top Dance Sales Artist | Nominated | |||
| "You Keep Me Hangin' On" | Top Pop Single | Nominated | ||
| Top Hot Crossover Single | Nominated | |||
| Top Dance Sales 12' Single | Nominated |
Brit Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Herself | British Female Solo Artist | Won | [69] |
| 1985 | Nominated | [70] | ||
| 1987 | Nominated | [71] | ||
| 1988 | Nominated | [72] |
Classic Pop Reader Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019[73] | Herself | Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| Live Act of the Year | Nominated | ||
| "Kandy Krush" | Single of the Year | Nominated |
Smash Hits Poll Winners Party
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981[74] | Herself | Best Female Singer | Nominated |
| Most Fanciable Female | Nominated | ||
| 1982[75] | Won | ||
| Best Female Singer | Nominated | ||
| 1983[76] | Nominated | ||
| Most Fanciable Female | Nominated | ||
| 1984[77] | Won | ||
| Best Female Singer | Nominated | ||
| 1985[78] | Nominated | ||
| Most Fanciable Female | Nominated | ||
| 1986[79] | Nominated | ||
| 1987[80] | Nominated | ||
| Worst Female Singer | Nominated | ||
| Best Female Solo Singer | Nominated | ||
| 1988[81] | Nominated | ||
| Most Fanciable Female | Nominated | ||
| 1989[82] | Nominated | ||
| Best Female Solo Singer | Nominated |
[Ricky Wilde:] [OMD's] Andy [McCluskey] appeared from nowhere and sat next to me, and I finally thanked him for all the inspiration. Who knows where Kim and I would be now.
