Kim Wilde: no panic and no tears

Almost a full year and no word from Kim Wilde. The fans waited with tension when the singer would surprise them with another great album. That record is here now, but the question remains: where was Kim all that time?

‘Everyone is talking about me being away for so long’, answers Kim to the question why it took nine months to have the new single released. ‘I am not aware of it. Save for a few weeks of skiing I haven’t had a day off. I spent Christmas with the family. After that my brother Ricky, my dad and me worked hard to make a new album. It took us a long time, which I think is logical. My previous album wasn’t a big success and we were under pressure to make a product that would do better. That’s how it works in this business. Usually records are being made in great haste. Someone makes a hit single and it creates a direct demand for an album. We took some more time, but it is still not possible to say whether an album will sell or not. The audience decides. Fortunately ‘Love blonde’ was a good success. The reactions are great. We felt the song had hit potential.’
Didn’t you think it was similar to the music of the Stray Cats? ‘I concede that. It’s rockabilly, isn’t it? My father wrote it and he lived through the fifties in which that style was created.’
A new hit for Kim. But what would you do when a record of yours would flop entirely?
‘Well’, answers Kim, ‘That happened with ‘Child Come Away’ really. I noticed it pretty late because I was preparing the live shows. It’s not fun of course, but I didn’t panic or end up in tears. No, I think it’s good when a record fails, because it makes you even more fanatic. We have full confidence in what we’re doing. I am very satisfied with the way my career is going and I make sure my music doesn’t become too predictable. So all the talk about me being changed is nonsense! I feel it’s important to try new things and find new directions. I am someone who works really hard for her career. When I’m doing something I do it completely. I can’t sit still. I can’t! I just hope to have a little more time to decorate the flat I bought a year ago. When all goes well I can move in two months. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s good to have a place of your own where you can be yourself and I have loads of friends, so don’t worry about me…’