Kim Wilde facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kim Wilde
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Wilde in 2021
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kim Smith |
| Born | 18 November 1960 Chiswick, Middlesex, England |
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| Years active | 1981–present |
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| Relatives | Ricky Wilde (brother) |
Kim Wilde (born Kim Smith on November 18, 1960) is a famous English pop singer. She became well-known in 1981 with her first song, "Kids in America". This song reached number 2 in the UK music charts.
In 1983, Kim Wilde won a Brit Award for being the Best British Female solo artist. She had a huge hit in 1986 with her version of the Supremes' song "You Keep Me Hangin' On". This song went to number 1 in the US in 1987. From 1981 to 1996, 25 of her songs made it into the Top 50 in the UK. Other popular songs include "Chequered Love" (1981) and "You Came" (1988).
Kim Wilde holds a record for being the British female solo artist with the most songs in the UK Top 40 during the 1980s. She had seventeen hits in that decade. Since 1998, she has also become a successful landscape gardener. She has even presented gardening shows on the BBC and Channel 4. In 2005, she won a Gold award for her garden design at the famous Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show.
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Kim Wilde's Early Life
Kim Smith was born in Chiswick, West London. Her father, Marty Wilde, was a rock and roll singer in the 1950s. Her mother, Joyce Baker, was part of a singing and dancing 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 St Albans College of Art & Design. At 20, she signed with RAK Records and became known as Kim Wilde.
Kim Wilde's Music Journey
Kim Wilde's first professional singing job was as a backup singer. She sang on her brother Ricky's song "I Am an Astronaut" in 1972.
Early Hits with RAK Records
Kim'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.
Her first song, "Kids in America", came out 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, it 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 like "Cambodia". These songs were number 1 hits in France and reached the top 10 in Germany and Australia. At first, Kim didn't do many live concerts. Her first shows were in Denmark in 1982, followed by a UK tour.
Kim's third album, Catch as Catch Can (1983), was not as successful. Because of this, she left RAK Records and signed with MCA Records in 1984.
Success with MCA Records
Kim's first album with MCA, Teases & Dares (1984), was more popular in Germany and France. The song "The Second Time" became a Top 10 hit in Germany. The music video for this song even appeared on the TV show Knight Rider.
On her fifth album, Another Step (1986), Kim helped write most of the songs. The album's second song, "You Keep Me Hangin' On", was a huge success. It reached number 1 in the US in 1987. This made her only the fifth British female solo artist to top the US charts. Her popularity grew, and she had more Top 10 hits in 1987. These included "Another Step (Closer to You)" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree".
In 1988, Kim released her best-selling album, Close. It stayed on the UK album chart for almost eight months. This album had four big European hits: "You Came", "Never Trust a Stranger", and "Four Letter Word". These last three were Top 10 hits in the UK. She also toured Europe, opening for Michael Jackson's Bad World Tour.
Her next album, Love Moves (1990), didn't do as well in the UK. However, it was a Top 10 success in some European countries. She also toured as the opening act for David Bowie.
In 1992, she released the album Love Is. The song "Love Is Holy" became another Top 20 hit in the UK. In 1993, her first collection of hits, The Singles Collection 1981–1993, was very popular. Her song "If I Can't Have You" became her last UK Top 20 hit and a number 3 hit in Australia.
Kim toured Europe, Australia, and Japan in 1994. Her album Now & Forever (1995) was not as successful. From 1996 to 1997, Kim Wilde performed in the London musical Tommy.
Returning 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. In 2003, she had a big hit with "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime". This was a duet with German pop star Nena. The song was a Top 10 hit in several European countries.
In 2006, Kim 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 with her band. In 2009, she released a new song, "Run to You", with the Swedish band Fibes, Oh Fibes!.
In 2010, Kim signed with Sony Music Germany. She released her album Come Out and Play on August 17. This album reached number 10 in Germany.
Kim Wilde released her album Wilde Winter Songbook in November 2013. On December 18, 2017, she released a Christmas song called "F U Kristmas!" with the band Lawnmower Deth.
Her fourteenth album, Here Come the Aliens, came out on March 16, 2018. This album was inspired by a UFO encounter she had in 2009. She saw a huge bright light moving strangely in the sky. This experience gave her the idea for her new music.
In May 2021, Kim Wilde announced a special album to celebrate 40 years of her music. This collection of her greatest hits, called Pop Don't Stop: Greatest Hits, was released in August 2021.
Kim Wilde's Impact and Awards
Kim Wilde is known for having the most UK Top 40 hit singles among British female solo artists in the 1980s. Many artists have covered her songs, from pop to rock. For example, Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl recorded a version of "Kids in America". American pop star Tiffany also covered "Kids in America" in 2007.
Kim Wilde has also inspired other artists. Charlotte Hatherley wrote a song called "Kim Wilde" for her album. In 1985, French singer Laurent Voulzy sang about her in his song "Les Nuits Sans Kim Wilde" ("The Nights without Kim Wilde"). The Iranian cartoonist Marjane Satrapi also featured Kim Wilde in her graphic novel Persepolis. In the story, a young Iranian girl sings "Kids in America" and has a poster of Kim Wilde.
Kim Wilde has received many awards throughout her career. She won a Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist in 1983. She also won several "Otto" awards in Germany for Best Singer in the early 1980s.
Kim Wilde's Gardening Career
When Kim Wilde was pregnant for the first time, she became very interested in gardening again. She went to Capel Manor College to study horticulture (gardening science). 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, making two series of Garden Invaders.
In 2001, she won the 'Best Show Garden' award at the Tatton Flower Show. 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 and groups. She also helped set a world record in 2001 for moving a very large tree from Belgium to England.
Books by Kim Wilde
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 who are new to gardening.
Kim Wilde on TV and Radio
Kim Wilde has also appeared in advertisements for environmentally friendly companies. 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 featured in a TV commercial for Cadbury's Darkmilk chocolate bar.
Radio Shows
Kim Wilde used to host a show called Secret Songs on Magic 105.4 radio. In 2021, she joined Ireland's Classic Hits Radio. She now presents The Kim Wilde 80's Show several evenings a week.
Kim Wilde's Personal Life
On September 1, 1996, Kim Wilde married Hal Fowler. He was her co-star in the musical Tommy. They wanted to have children soon after. Their son, Harry Tristan, was born on January 3, 1998. Harry is now a guitarist in the band Wunderhorse. Their daughter, Rose Elisabeth, was born on January 13, 2000. Kim and Hal announced their separation and divorce in December 2022.
Images for kids
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Wilde performing live at Let's Rock Bristol in 2014
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Wilde performing live at Let's Rock Liverpool, 31 July 2021
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Wilde performing in 2007
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See also
In Spanish: Kim Wilde para niños
