Now the kid’s in Australia

A dimly lit Kings Cross club, caviare and egg, bacon and prunes. A girl’s voice, overamplified makes conversation difficult. It’s a hard-sell Press conference to introduce Kim Wilde, a young British singer and recent discovery. It is her first hit Kids in America that fills the room. Photographers try for 10 minutes to coax her into a smile and succeed only once. Briefly. It must be against the public image. Here follows a profile:

Full name: Kim Wilde
Born: November 18, 1960 at Chiswick.
Star sign: Scorpio
Features: Lots of blonde hair, grey-blue eyes. Much more attractive than her deliberately harsh publicity stills.
Father: Marty Wilde, a British rock ‘n’ roll king of days gone past. Hits included Teenager in Love, Bad Boy, Donna.
Previous employment: Attended Hertfordshire College of Art and Design, but left to pursue musical career.
Singles: Kids in America, Chequered Love, both written by her brother, Ricky, 19.
Albums: Kim Wilde (No. 5 in Britain and the current Australian tour is to promote it here. Sales will start next week).
Producer: Mickie Most, previously involved with Donovan, The Animals, Herman’s Hermits and Suzi Quatro.
Future recording plans: “Probably much in the same vein. We will start recording soon.”
Concert experience: None. “Probably next year”. Has done promotional tours of Scotland, West Germany, Scandinavia and now Australia.
TV appearances: on UK Top of the Pops. Wore her favourite black Oxfam jacket and jeans. Mickie Most told: “You really ought to get her into a dress.” Was host of Countdown in Australia last week.
Critical acclaim: “I thought they wouldn’t like me. But they’ve understood what we’re into and that’s great.”
Parental influence: She says her father is an example of stability in a business full of flashiness and extravagance. “I have seen how happy he is without all that. And that’s good enough for me.”
Romance: No steady boyfriend. Choosy. “But I love boys and sex is as important to me as it is to anyone else. I like the thrill of the chase.”
Fashion tastes: Buys at the Oxfam shop in St. Albans, London. “I’m basically scruffy and have a sort of rough and ready look that’s pretty untogether but definitely uncontrived.”
Keeps: Goldfish. Built a pond for them.
Ambition: “To have dinner with Elvis Costello.”
Favourite singers: Elvis Costello, Joni MItchell, Carole King, Suzi and the Banshees, Connie Francis, Abba, Bowie, Lou Reed, Dave Edmunds, Hank Williams.
Self control: “No-one makes me do anything I don’t want to. We record the music we want to. I buy the clothes I want to buy.”
Likes: Spending time with her 18-month-old sister Roxanne, going out with friends: “I don’t think there’s anything mundane about that.” Going to concerts. “I go incognito. I grease my hair back.” but doesn’t wear dark glasses. “I haven’t as yet. I might have to. You have to be more ingenious the more famous you get.”
Dislikes: “I don’t like false living and being out of control of what you are doing. I don’t like hype.”
Conclusion: A nice girl with a really catchy single. Great to bop along to. A victim of hype?