Kim Wilde

Wilde released her debut single "Kids in America" in January 1981. An instant success, it reached number two in the UK Singles Chart and scaled the Top 5 in other countries such as Germany, France and Australia.[6] Although it achieved only moderate success in the US, peaking at number 25 when released in 1982, it is often regarded today as Wilde's signature song. Her debut album Kim Wilde 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 number 11).

Wilde's follow-up album was 1982's Select, led by the hit singles "Cambodia" and "View from a Bridge". Both were number 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.[7] Her first concerts in September 1982 took place in Denmark,[8] before embarking on a UK-wide tour in October.[9] Wilde's third album, Catch as Catch Can (1983) was a relative 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 in the summer of 1984.[10]

Wilde's first MCA album Teases & Dares 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" (which was Top 30 in the UK). The video for this song appeared in an episode of the 1980s TV hit Knight Rider in 1985.[11] The second single, "The Touch", was not a commercial success, but the third single, the rockabilly "Rage to Love", made the UK top 20 in 1985. All of Wilde's songs up to this point, including all her major hits, had been written by her father Marty and brother, Ricky. On Teases & Dares she penned two songs. Meanwhile, Wilde had embarked on three European concert tours (1983, 1985 and 1986).

On her fifth album, 1986's Another 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, a Hi-NRG remake of The Supremes classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On".[12] After topping the charts in Australia and Canada and peaking at number two in the UK, it became a US number one single in 1987. With that hit, she became the fifth UK female solo artist ever to top the US Hot 100, following Petula Clark, Lulu, Sheena Easton, and Bonnie Tyler.[13] 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 with Junior) and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (a Comic Relief charity single, recorded with comedian Mel Smith).

In 1988, Wilde released her biggest selling album to date, 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 for Michael Jackson's Bad World Tour.[14] Wilde released her next 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, this time opening for fellow Briton David Bowie.[14]

A collaboration with Rick Nowels, who had produced hits for Stevie Nicks and Belinda Carlisle, resulted in the guitar-driven pop of the single "Love Is Holy" 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,[15] and the second single ("Heart Over Mind") also made the top 40.[15] In 1993, she released her first official compilation album The 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 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 number 3 hit in Australia.[16]

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 album, Now & Forever (1995), was a commercial failure worldwide.[14] Her single "Breakin' Away", however, was a minor hit, and the follow-up, "This I Swear", was also a minor hit in Europe.[17] She released a single "Shame" in 1996.[18] From February 1996 to February 1997, Wilde appeared in London's West End production of the musical, Tommy.[19] After this, Wilde started recording a new album. However, there were problems with her record company – MCA Records had by that time become part of Universal Music – and legal problems concerning the songs. Subsequently, Wilde abandoned the album which remains unreleased.

Wilde on stage in 2007

Since November 2001, Wilde has toured the UK three times (and once in Australia during 2003) as part of the Here and Now Tour, an Eighties revival concert series, together with artists such as Paul Young, The Human League, Belinda Carlisle, Howard Jones and Five Star. New recordings also followed; in 2001, she recorded a new track, "Loved", for a compilation album which became a surprise hit in Belgium.[20] She recorded the single "Born to be Wild" in 2002, and in summer of 2003 she had a major hit with "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime", a duet with German pop star Nena. The single was a Top 10 hit in Germany, Belgium, Austria, Netherlands and Switzerland.[21]

In 2006, Wilde signed a new record deal 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.[17] 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", released in November 2006 and spent nine weeks on the German Top 100 singles chart.[17] 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.[22]

Since 2003, Wilde has appeared on numerous festival bills and concerts all over Europe with her own band.[23] In early September 2009, a brand new single, "Run to You", recorded as a duet with Swedish rock band Fibes, Oh Fibes!, was released in Sweden. The song reached the Swedish Top 30.[24]

In 2010, Wilde signed a new record deal with Sony Music Germany. The label released her eleventh studio album, Come Out and Play on 17 August,[25] with "Lights Down Low" preceding that as lead single.[26] The album reached number 10 in Germany[27] 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 features 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. Kim toured in support of the album in Germany in March 2012. In November 2012, Wilde was featured as the lead vocalist on Reflekt's "A Beautiful House," which can be found on Armada Music's "Antillas & Dankmann's Best Remix 2002–2012" compilation.

Wilde released her next studio album, Wilde Winter Songbook in November 2013.[28] On 18 December 2017, Wilde released a Christmas single with Lawnmower Deth titled "F U Kristmas!".[29] Wilde released her 14th studio album Here Come the Aliens on 16 March 2018.[30] It was inspired by an encounter with a UFO she had in 2009. While sitting in her garden she noticed something odd about the sky. As she beheld, there was a huge bright light behind a cloud. She curiously 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.[31]

On 25 June 2019 The New York Times Magazine listed Kim Wilde among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.[32]

• 1996 RSH-GOLD Female Classic of 1995 (Germany)
• 1993 Bambi Award 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 BRIT Awards - Best British Female Solo Artist (UK)[3]
• 1983 Silver Otto Second Best Singer (Germany)
• 1982 Silver Otto Second Best Singer (Germany)
• 1981 Golden Otto Best Singer (Germany)
• 1981 Rockbjörnen - Best female singer (Sweden)

Classic Pop Reader Awards

Smash Hits Poll Winners Party

Wilde has written two books as part of her gardening career. The first, Gardening with Children, was released on 4 April 2005 by Collins publishers.[55] Translations of the book were released at the same time in Spain, France, Denmark and the Netherlands, and later in Germany.[56] Her second book, The First-Time Gardener, was released on 3 April 2006 (again by Collins), and is a beginner's guide to gardening.[57]