Merry Christmas: 80s star Kim Wilde turns 60 today and is releasing a Christmas album.
Hamburg. “Kids in America”, “Cambodia”, “You Came” – Kim Wilde wrote music history in the 80s with the hits penned by her brother Ricky. Today she is 60 years old. On her special day, her festive album “Wild Winter Songbook” will be released in a deluxe edition with new songs and duets with Rick Astley and Nik Kershaw. Today she brings music, family and garden under one roof – and is still wild, as she reveals in an interview.
How does it feel to turn 60?
Crazy! Me and 60? I can not believe it. It’s so surreal to me. But at the same time I know that it’s been a really long journey to get here. I have no problem with the process of getting older.
Did you change anything in your lifestyle when you were 60?
I renounced alcohol completely three years ago. I feel a lot healthier, better all round and clearer in my head. As a nice side effect, I also lost a few pounds. I have a lot more energy, use the days more intensely, and it’s good for my mental health too. Quitting alcohol was one of the best decisions of my life.
Do you have a bucket list?
I made one with my daughter Rose. There are a few things that we have to do together. We’ve already done some of that: we got tattoos together! A mystical Avalon tattoo is now emblazoned on each of our left arms.
You are always associated with the 80s. Do you have a favorite decade yourself?
The 80s were wonderful. But in the 90s I got married and had kids. My life changed, there was suddenly a life away from the limelight. Back then I traveled to Thailand a lot, and I have fond memories of that. So for me it was my thirties in the 90s that I see as the best time of my life.
What advice would you give 20-year-old Kim Wilde?
Not that much time to spend worrying! I used to always find a reason for it. What might or might not happen – I’ve wasted far too much time on such questions. I was very hard on myself. So I would tell my young self, “Don’t be so strict with yourself. Don’t worry so much. Have fun with the trip. Don’t worry about what you can’t see! “
Next year, it will be 40 years since Kids In America was released. Will you be celebrating your breakthrough hit?
Sure! I’ll be releasing my greatest hits album in spring. There will be some great surprises for that. I’ll tell you one thing already: a duet with Boy George! There is another unreleased album that I recorded in the 90s just before I got pregnant with my first child. We want to get that out too. And of course I hope that our concerts can take place in October 2021 and then we can all live our lives again. There is much to pray for this Christmas.
How have you fared in the Corona year 2020?
It was a challenging time for us as a family. My father had a heart attack at the beginning of the lockdown and collapsed. The health service saved his life. It was scary. Fortunately, my dad is emotionally, mentally and physically strong – he got a pacemaker and is in good spirits again. He inspired me once more. In the end, we got out of lockdown more than we got into it.
So it wasn’t all bad?
With all the terrible things that happened during that time, I will have positive memories of last summer. It was wonderful to spend so much time with my dad unexpectedly. Because actually it would have been a stressful year for me with many festivals and concerts. And if I’ve learned anything from 2020, it’s that I worked too much before and should spend more time at home.
Your Christmas album sounds peaceful, not too kitschy and rather minimalistic. Do you want to set yourself apart from other Christmas records?
Yes, because Christmas can also be a difficult and isolated time for many people. So I wanted to reflect on Christmas in different ways and not just work on the Christmas tree, the lights and family happiness. There are joyful and funny things like “Rockin ‘Around The Christmas Tree”, romantic things with “Winter Wonderland”, philosophical things like “Hope”, which gets another meaning in the course of Corona. Christmas can also be lonely and cold, like with “Song For Beryl”. I didn’t want to brush that under the table.