Kim Wilde facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kim Wilde
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Wilde in 2021
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kim Smith |
| Born | 18 November 1960 Chiswick, Middlesex, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Labels |
|
| Parent(s) |
|
| Relatives | Ricky Wilde (brother) |
Kim Wilde (born Kim Smith, 18 November 1960) is a well-known English pop singer. She became famous in 1981 with her first song "Kids in America". This song reached number 2 in the UK music charts.
In 1983, she won a Brit Award for being the Best British Female solo artist. Later, in 1986, her version of the Supremes' song "You Keep Me Hangin' On" was a big hit. It reached number 2 in the UK and number 1 in the US in 1987. Between 1981 and 1996, Kim Wilde had 25 songs that made it into the Top 50 in the UK.
Some of her other popular songs include "Chequered Love" (1981), "You Came" (1988), and "Never Trust a Stranger" (1988). In 2003, she sang with Nena on the song "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime". This song was a number one hit in the Netherlands and Austria. Kim Wilde holds a record for having the most UK Top 40 hit singles by a British female solo artist in the 1980s. She had seventeen such hits.
Since 1998, Kim Wilde has also worked as a landscape gardener. She has presented gardening shows on the BBC and Channel 4. In 2005, she won a Gold award for her garden at the famous Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Kim Smith was born in Chiswick, West London. Her father, Marty Wilde, was a famous 1950s rock and roll singer. Her mother, Joyce Baker, was part of a singing group called the Vernons Girls.
Kim went to Oakfield Preparatory School in Southeast London. When she was nine, her family moved to Hertfordshire. She later studied at Presdales School. In 1980, at age 20, she finished a course at St Albans College of Art & Design. Soon after, she signed with RAK Records as Kim Wilde.
Her first professional singing job was as a backup singer. She sang on her brother Ricky's song "I Am an Astronaut" in 1972.
Music Career Highlights
Kim Wilde's father, Marty, and brother, Ricky, wrote most of her early songs. They were inspired by bands like Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) and Kraftwerk.
Early Success with RAK Records
Kim Wilde released her first song, "Kids in America", in January 1981. It was an instant hit, reaching number 2 in the UK. It also did very well in Germany, France, and Australia. Even though it only reached number 25 in the US, "Kids in America" is still seen as her most famous song.
Her first album, Kim Wilde (1981), was also very successful. It included other hits like "Chequered Love". Her next album, Select (1982), featured popular songs such as "Cambodia" and "View from a Bridge". These songs were number 1 hits in France.
At first, Kim Wilde was hesitant to perform live concerts. Her first shows were in Denmark in September 1982. She then went on a UK tour. Her third album, Catch as Catch Can (1983), did not sell as well. Because of this, she left RAK Records and joined MCA Records in 1984.
Global Hits with MCA Records
Kim Wilde's first album with MCA, Teases & Dares (1984), was more popular in Germany and France. The song "The Second Time" was a Top 10 hit in Germany. On this album, Kim Wilde started writing some of her own songs. She also toured Europe several times.
Her fifth album, Another Step (1986), included many songs she wrote or co-wrote. The album's second song, "You Keep Me Hangin' On", became a huge success. It topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and the US in 1987. It reached number 2 in the UK. With this hit, she became one of the few British female artists to reach number 1 in the US. Her popularity grew, and she had more Top 10 hits in the UK. These included "Another Step (Closer to You)" with Junior and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" with comedian Mel Smith.
In 1988, Wilde released Close, her best-selling album so far. It stayed on the UK album chart for almost eight months. This album produced four major European hits: "You Came", "Never Trust a Stranger", and "Four Letter Word". These three were Top 10 hits in the UK. She also toured Europe as the opening act for Michael Jackson's Bad World Tour.
Her next album, Love Moves (1990), did not sell as well in the UK. However, it was a Top 10 success in Scandinavian countries. She also toured as the opening act for David Bowie. In 1992, she released the album Love Is, which included the hit single "Love Is Holy".
In 1993, she released her first collection of hits, The Singles Collection 1981–1993. The song "If I Can't Have You" became her last UK Top 20 hit. It was also a number 3 hit in Australia. She toured Europe, Australia, and Japan in 1994. Her album Now & Forever (1995) was not a big success. From 1996 to 1997, Kim Wilde performed in the musical Tommy in London's West End.
Return to Pop Music
Since 2001, Kim Wilde has toured the UK and Australia as part of the "Here and Now Tour". This tour features many artists from the 1980s. She also started recording new music again. In 2003, she had a big hit with "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime". This was a duet with German pop star Nena. It was a Top 10 hit in several European countries.
In 2006, Wilde signed a new record deal. She released "You Came 2006", which became her biggest solo hit in Germany since 1988. Her album Never Say Never included new songs and re-worked old hits.
Since 2003, Kim Wilde has performed at many festivals and concerts across Europe. In 2009, she released a duet with the Swedish band Fibes, Oh Fibes! called "Run to You". In 2010, she signed with Sony Music Germany and released her album Come Out and Play. This album reached number 10 in Germany.
Her twelfth album, Snapshots (2011), featured cover versions of famous songs. In 2013, she released Wilde Winter Songbook. On 18 December 2017, Wilde released a Christmas song with Lawnmower Deth called "F U Kristmas!".
.jpg)
Kim Wilde's fourteenth album, Here Come the Aliens, came out on 16 March 2018. She said it was inspired by seeing a UFO in 2009. She saw a huge bright light moving quickly in the sky. This experience gave her the idea for the album. In May 2021, Kim Wilde announced a special collection of her greatest hits called Pop Don't Stop: Greatest Hits. This album was released in August 2021 to celebrate 40 years of her music.
Impact and Influence
Kim Wilde holds the record for being the British female solo artist with the most Top 40 hit singles in the 1980s. She had seventeen such hits.
Many artists have covered Kim Wilde's songs. These include pop, rock, and dance versions. In 1991, Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl recorded a version of "Kids in America". American pop star Tiffany also covered "Kids in America" in 2007. The German dance group Cascada recorded their own version of "Kids in America" in 2007.
Kim Wilde has also inspired other artists. Charlotte Hatherley wrote a song called "Kim Wilde" for her album Grey Will Fade. The East German punk rock band Feeling B also had a song called "Kim Wilde". In 1985, French singer Laurent Voulzy sang about her in his song "Les Nuits Sans Kim Wilde" ("The Nights without Kim Wilde").
In her graphic novel Persepolis, Iranian cartoonist Marjane Satrapi has a comic strip about Kim Wilde. In it, a young Iranian girl sings "Kids in America". Her parents even bring her a Kim Wilde poster from Turkey. The girl puts the poster on her wall and tries to be like Kim Wilde.
Gardening Career
During her first pregnancy, Kim Wilde became very interested in gardening again. She studied horticulture at Capel Manor College. She wanted to create a garden for her children.
Because she was a celebrity, Channel 4 asked her to design gardens for their show Better Gardens. Later, she worked with the BBC for two years on a show called Garden Invaders.
In 2001, she helped create the "All About Alice" garden for the Tatton Flower Show. It won the 'Best Show Garden' award. In 2005, she won a Gold award for her garden at the famous Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show. She has designed many gardens for TV shows and for other people. She has also created gardens for flower shows across the UK.
In 2001, she helped set a world record. A very large London plane tree, 58 feet (18 meters) tall, was moved from Belgium to Warrington. This was the largest tree transplantation ever. However, a storm in 2007 blew the tree over.
Gardening Books
Kim Wilde has written two books about gardening. Her first book, Gardening with Children, was released in 2005. It was also translated into Spanish, French, Danish, Dutch, and German. Her second book, The First-Time Gardener, came out in 2006. It is a guide for people new to gardening.
Radio and TV Appearances
Kim Wilde has also appeared in advertisements for environmentally friendly companies. For two years, she was in ads for the health food shop Holland & Barrett. She also advertised for Bold detergent and Timotei shampoo. In 2008, she started advertising 'green kitchens' for Magnet. In 2019, she was in a TV ad for Cadbury's Darkmilk chocolate bar.
Radio Shows
Kim Wilde used to host a radio show called Secret Songs on Magic 105.4. It later became The Request Show. In 2021, she joined Ireland's Classic Hits Radio. She now presents The Kim Wilde 80's Show several evenings a week.
Family Life
On 1 September 1996, Kim Wilde married Hal Fowler. He was her co-star in the musical Tommy. They had two children. Their son, Harry Tristan, was born on 3 January 1998. Their daughter, Rose Elisabeth, was born on 13 January 2000.
Music Albums
Studio Albums
|
Compilation Albums
|
Awards and Recognition
Kim Wilde has received many awards for her music.
- She won the Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist in 1983. She was also nominated for this award in 1985, 1987, and 1988.
- In 1981, she won the Golden Otto Best Singer award in Germany. She also won it again in 1984.
- She won the Rockbjörnen award for Best Female Singer in Sweden in 1981.
- In 1988, she received the European Platinum Award for selling the most records across Europe. She shared this award with singer Sandra.
- She won a Bambi Award in Germany in 1993 for her "Singles Collection" album.
See also
In Spanish: Kim Wilde para niños
