Date: 1 October 1988
Originally published in: Krugozor (USSR)
Written by:
[Translated for Wilde Life by James]
Children follow in the footsteps of their famous parents, music including. It’s rare when the name of the children sounds higher and more popular, but such is the story of Kim Wilde.
Kim Smith, born November 18, 1960 in London. Her father was one of the pioneers in British Rock & Roll, his stage last name Wilde means “Wild” goes well for stage. Marty Wilde was very popular in Britain between 1958 and 1962. Only after the Beatles came out Marty’s popularity got overshadowed. Around 20 years later Marty got famous again. Marty started touring and Kim was doing some backing vocals. Kim went to school, she loved painting and poetry and she went to Art School where she discovered also her love for music.
One day she sang a popular song under the shower with her own improvisation, Her improvisation was noticed by her father. Father and family took her to Micky Most’s studio where she recorded a demo. Around 1980 Kim decided to give it a go and record songs. Fame and popularity came to her very quickly and in about four years she outsold her famous father, with hits such as Kids in America, Cambodia, View from a bridge, Dancing in the dark, The Touch… Four albums later they noticed that she can sing and has a good musical taste, Kim’s unique songs you can memorize after the first time you hear them and you don’t want to forget or confuse them.
Kim knew how to play piano but also she got a synthesizer and even started to operate them. Fans started to enjoy her series of rock and roll shows.
Around 1985 she had had so many hits that they released ‘The best of’. Around 1986 Kim made a change and made an important decision in her career, to break away from her family, to be more independant.She started to work with New producers and mostly write her own material. That’s how songs like Say you really want me and Schoolgirl came up, and they were successful, The name ‘Schoolgirl’ is ironic even though she almost conquered the music world she still thinks she is a schoolgirl in music yet. Years have passed since Kids in America to Another step, she takes it as her beginning to understand music world. Today she wants to transfer from beginners school of music to the highest class of music, make it her own to show her own image and music. Just like the image of a real artist.
