50-741: Kim Wilde (born Kim Smith , 18 November 1960) 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 the Brit Award for Best British Female solo artist. In 1986, she had a UK No. 2 hit with a reworked version of the Supremes ' song " You Keep Me Hangin' On ", which also topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1987. Between 1981 and 1996, she had 25 singles that charted within
100-447: A WASP synthesizer owned by Ricky. He has said that its main synth line was influenced by that of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 's " Messages ". Kim has stated that her brother "kind of nicked" the line. The eighth note synth bassline , which forms the intro, was inspired by Gary Numan (as was the vocal melody in the opening lines). They went into the studio with everything except
150-508: A 18 metres (58 ft) London plane was moved from Belgium to a development site in Warrington . After standing in its new location for six years, however, the tree was toppled by a storm in January 2007. 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. Translations of the book were released at
200-559: A Gold award for her courtyard garden at the Royal Horticultural Society 's Chelsea Flower Show . 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
250-614: 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 . 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 "
300-507: 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 for David Bowie . 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
350-481: 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 in the summer of 1984. Wilde's first album for MCA Teases & Dares (1984)
400-563: 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. 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
450-667: A cameo appearance by Justin Hayward , guitarist and frontman of the Moody Blues ) 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 , 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
500-404: A child singer in the style of Donny Osmond in the early 1970s. Most liked Kim's voice and looks and expressed an interest in working with her. Eager to grab the opportunity, Ricky went home and wrote "Kids in America" that same day with his father Marty. Marty Wilde , also a former singer, had been a teen idol and actor in the UK in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They wrote the song using
550-597: 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 for Marji. Marji pins the poster on her bedroom's wall and practises emulating Wilde. During her first pregnancy , an old interest in gardening resurfaced and she attended Capel Manor College to learn about horticulture , so as to create
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#1733085515077600-535: A garden for her children. As a celebrity, she was asked by Channel 4 to act as a designer for their programme Better Gardens . A year later, she started a two-year commitment with the BBC , 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
650-566: A horticultural setting. Wilde presented Secret Songs on Magic 105.4 every Sunday between 10 am and 1 pm. It later became The Request Show . In 2021, Wilde joined Ireland's Classic Hits Radio , presenting The Kim Wilde 80's Show which airs in the evenings, four days a week. On 1 September 1996, Wilde married her co-star in Tommy , 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
700-454: A landscape gardener, which has included presenting gardening shows on the BBC and Channel 4 . In 2005, she won a Gold award for her courtyard garden at the Royal Horticultural Society 's Chelsea Flower Show . She was born as Kim Smith in the West London suburb of Chiswick , the eldest child of 1950s rock and roller Marty Wilde (birth name Reginald Smith) and Joyce Baker, who had been
750-569: A limited period only, this also has become a collectable item. It was finally re-released on 18 May 2009 as a remastered special edition following Kim Wilde and Select in April. Catch as Catch Can received mixed reviews from contemporary critics. Jessi McGuire of Record Mirror found that the album contained "something for everyone" and praised Ricky Wilde for "showing a constantly changing style" in his songwriting, while comparing Kim's "young and snotty" voice to Michael Jackson 's on songs such as
800-589: A member of the singing and dancing group the Vernons Girls . She attended Oakfield Preparatory School , in the Southeast London area of Dulwich . When she was nine, the family moved to Hertfordshire , where she was educated at Tewin and later Presdales School . 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 . Wilde's first professional singing credit
850-447: A month and ranked as the 91st-most-successful song of 1982 on the Hot 100 year-end chart . Though it only hit No. 25, it received heavy airplay on radio stations and MTV . Elsewhere, the record peaked atop the charts of Finland and South Africa. In Europe and Australia, the song was also a major top-10 hit. After "Kids in America", Wilde's father and brother continued to write songs for her (with
900-504: A new recording 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. 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
950-451: A new version of the song for her 2006 comeback album Never Say Never , featuring English singer Charlotte Hatherley . This version, like the rest of the album, was produced by German producer Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen , with whom she had previously worked in 2002 for German singer Nena 's 20th-anniversary album Nena feat. Nena on the track " Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime ", a new version of her 1984 hit single. "Kids in America" signalled
1000-595: A version of " Kids in America " in an Arlington County, Virginia basement studio. 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 the Seattle, Washington episode of Grohl's Sonic Highways 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 act Cascada , recorded
1050-636: A version of "Kids in America", on their Everytime We Touch album in 2007. Wilde has provided inspiration for other artists, including Charlotte Hatherley , who wrote a song about her entitled "Kim Wilde", and included it on her debut album, Grey Will Fade . East German punk rock band Feeling B 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 paid tribute to Wilde in his song " Les Nuits Sans Kim Wilde " ("The Nights without Kim Wilde"). In her graphic novel Persepolis , Iranian cartoonist Marjane Satrapi has
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#17330855150771100-460: Is sung after the song's title lyrics, was originally meant to be a guitar lick or a brass stab, but sounded much better sung by the male backing vocals, according to Marty. After hearing the track for the first time, Most declared it would be a smash hit; but it needed remixing, which he did together with Marty at RAK Studios. The song was shelved for a year before being released as Kim Wilde's first single in January 1981. " Kids in America 1994 "
1150-515: Is the third studio album by Kim Wilde , released in autumn 1983. The album was not released in North America, neither were any of the singles. Having toured the UK and Europe in November and December 1982, there was a silence of six months. Kim Wilde returned with the single " Love Blonde ", a jazz/swing-inspired track that lyrically mocked the blonde bombshell image that some media had dealt Kim in
1200-547: 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. 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. In 2006, Wilde signed
1250-649: The Top 50 of the UK Singles Chart . Her other hits include " Chequered Love " (1981), " You Came " (1988), and " Never Trust a Stranger " (1988). In 2003, she collaborated with Nena on the song " Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime ", which topped the Dutch and Austrian 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
1300-535: 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 " (Top 5 in the UK, France, Australia and Germany) and
1350-567: 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 " 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
1400-530: The United States in spring 1982, later appearing on her self-titled debut studio album . Largely inspired by the synth-pop style of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) and Gary Numan , the song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks and number one in Finland and South Africa, and charted in the top 10 of many European charts as well as Australia and New Zealand. In North America, it became
1450-504: The album in Germany in March 2012. In November 2012, Wilde was featured as the lead vocalist on Reflekt 's "A Beautiful House". Wilde released her next studio album, Wilde Winter Songbook in November 2013. On 18 December 2017, Wilde released a Christmas single with Lawnmower Deth titled " F U Kristmas! " . Wilde released her fourteenth studio album Here Come the Aliens on 16 March 2018. It
1500-519: The album's second single, a Hi-NRG remake of the Supremes classic " You Keep Me Hangin' On ". 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 , Lulu , Sheena Easton , and Bonnie Tyler . Her popularity, especially in her native UK,
1550-531: 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. 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. Since 2003, Wilde has appeared on numerous festival bills and concerts all over Europe with her own band. In early September 2009,
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1600-428: The decline in sales. At the time of release, the new compact disc format was introduced. In Japan, the album was released on this new format. In later years, this release became a much sought-after item among Kim Wilde fans, who often paid more than $ 100 to get their hands on a copy. Elsewhere in the world, the album has been released on CD only once, as part of a 3-CD box set named The Originals (1995). Available for
1650-462: 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,
1700-571: The first top 40 hit, reaching the top 40 in Canada and the United States. It was certified gold in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia and Sweden; and has sold over three million copies worldwide. The song has been covered by many artists from different genres. RAK Records boss Mickie Most heard Wilde singing on a backing track to another song recorded by her brother Ricky Wilde , an aspiring young songwriter and producer who had some fame as
1750-679: The idea for her new album. In May 2021, Wilde confirmed she would celebrate 40 years of music with the release of a box set greatest hits album titled, Pop Don't Stop: Greatest Hits . The album was released in August 2021. 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 versions. On 16 February 1991, then Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl recorded
1800-525: The latter also given production credits). In later years, she chiefly co-wrote with her brother. UK / Europe / Australia / Japan 7" single [1981] Germany 12" single [1981] US/Canada 7" single [1982] Europe CD single / Australia cassette single [1994] Europe CD single / Australia CD single [1994] Europe 12" single [1994] Japan CD single [1994] UK promo 12" single [1994] Shipments figures based on certification alone. Catch as Catch Can (album) Catch as Catch Can
1850-420: The previous years. But the sound was unique to the single; the rest of the album continued the electronic theme that was introduced on Select . Most of the songs were again written by Marty and Ricky Wilde, except the second single "Dancing in the Dark", which was written by Nicky Chinn and Paul Gurvitz. Ricky Wilde produced the album. Some of the songs seemed to be telling a story (" House of Salome ", which
1900-774: 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. Wilde broadened her eco-friendly 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 . She wrote infomercials for Bold and Timotei , and in 2008, she started advertising 'green kitchens' for Magnet . In 2019, Cadbury featured Wilde in one of their 30 second TV commercials for their Darkmilk chocolate bar campaign, set in
1950-424: The start of Wilde's career. It sold so well in its first week, foul play was suspected and it was not included in that week's chart. In its first eight weeks of release, the single sold more than half a million copies in the UK alone. The song peaked at number two in the UK in 1981 and became the 23rd-best-selling single that year. The following year in 1982, it reached No. 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for over
2000-440: The words to the chorus, which Marty Wilde, who was responsible for writing the lyrics to the song, came up with at the last minute. Marty had recently seen a television programme featuring American teenagers and took inspiration from their single-minded and hard attitudes, leading him to the song's story of a tough girl looking out of the window and thinking, "What the damn hell am I doing sitting here." The line "Whoah-oh!", which
2050-591: Was a minor hit, and the follow-up, " This I Swear ", was also a minor hit in Europe. She released the single " Shame " in 1996, an Evelyn "Champagne" King cover. From February 1996 to February 1997, Wilde appeared in London 's West End production of the rock musical , Tommy . 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 ,
Kim Wilde - Misplaced Pages Continue
2100-479: 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 , 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
2150-439: 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. The second single, " The Touch ", was not a commercial success, but the third single, the rockabilly " Rage to Love " (the video for which features
2200-621: Was as a backup singer to her brother Ricky 's 1972 song "I Am an Astronaut." 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 included Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Ultravox , John Foxx , Gary Numan , Skids , Sex Pistols , the Clash , Kraftwerk and the Stranglers . Wilde released her debut single " Kids in America " in January 1981. An instant success, it reached No. 2 in
2250-417: Was born. They announced their separation and subsequent divorce via a statement on Twitter on 21 December 2022. Billboard Music Awards Brit Awards Classic Pop Reader Awards Smash Hits Poll Winners Party 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
2300-450: 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
2350-439: Was inspired by an encounter with a UFO she had in 2009. While sitting in her garden 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
2400-401: Was released as a single in selected countries, and "Sing It Out for Love") whereas "Dream Sequence" was one of Marty's more imaginative lyrics, describing what seems to be a random sequence of images. The cool blue cover image was provided by photographer Sheila Rock. The album suffered from mixed reviews in the press and the lack of successful singles. Even a second European tour could not help
2450-445: Was released in May 1994 in order to help promote Wilde's compilation album The Remix Collection (1993). Although it was intended to be released in the UK, for unknown reasons these plans were cancelled at the last minute. However, the track was released in other countries in several remixed forms using Wilde's original vocals from 1981. Among some of her other classic hits, Wilde recorded
2500-544: 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
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