From glamour in the garden and back

Kim Wilde (46) is here again, since Nena hauled the British woman back to the microphone for “Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime”. Until then the popstar from the eighties (“Kids in America”) studied horticulture – and even had her own television show.

You are doing concerts in Germany again…
Germany was one of the first contries I came to, when “Kids in America” was released in 1981. It was one of the first countries where my album was bought and that was gripped by the Kim Wilde wave. I appeared on the cover of “Bravo”, was invited to “Musikladen” every week. In the early days of my success as a singer I was in Germany a lot and I have really good memories of that time. That’s why it is so great for me to come back here again. And I have to thank Nena most of all, that I’m back as a singer.

How was working with her?
It was great. She inspired me to do a new album and to work with her producer. I was more or less in standby mode up until then.

Then the title of your album “Never say never” is very well chosen.
I thought I would never make another album. When I turned my back on the music business ten years ago, I was really pleased about the decision, because I had the opportunity to take care of my children. My life had turned into a new direction. That’s why it was such a big surprise for me to have a big success with Nena.

When someone has a famous father like you do, does it help to cope with success but also with failure?
Yes. He is very down to earth about fame, he has a good attitude towards it. He describes success as a tool, which you can put in a box and stow away. And you can take it out again when you need it. You can put it away again, but only to the place where you have put it in the first place. Success is nothing to live with every day and every hour.

Does your second career feel differently than the one in the eighties?
I feel more self assured, more relaxed and I enjoy it more. Having people judge me, doesn’t put me under pressure anymore. I don’t have a constant feeling of having to prove myself anymore.

The eighties are back not only in music, but also in fashion. Are you wearing your leather trousers again too?
Yeah. I do wear the same things. Many things have barely changed.

But something in your life has changed, when you decided to do gardening instead of singing.
Gardening for me was a therapy after a period of travelling and being famous for a long time. I was under pressure for many years. I pulled out, and connected myself to more natural things like flowers and trees. That’s how I found balance in my life again. The gardening fever took hold of me, when my children were born. I went back to college and studied horticulture. And from there on everything just developed.

How do you get in shape for the tour? Is gardening enough of a workout?
I do a lot in our garden, because it’s very hard physical work. It’s more then just touching flowerheads. But I do more than that: my personal trainer comes three times a week, and in the house I spend 20 minutes on the crosstrainer every day. Then I take a cold shower. It gives me stamina.