“A little obsessed with this topic”

“We’ll be really loud”. Kim Wilde is coming to Bremen in October with her new album “Here come the Aliens”. We talked to the singer about her German fans, the upcoming gig – and of course: Aliens.

You have been in business for a long time, are you still nervous before you go on stage?
No, I’ve been working with the band for years. I have a great team and I know that we can put on a great show. That gives me confidence.

Are you looking forward to Bremen?
I know Bremen pretty well, I was often there when Musikladen was filmed. When I was on tour with Alice Cooper, we went to a lot of Christmas markets too. The one in Bremen was cute, had a great atmosphere, and had great food. We decided that this is clearly the best German Christmas market.

What makes the German fans special for you?
I have a more intense history with the German audience than with the British. That has to do with the fact that my career began here in many ways and that I have worked with many German artists such as DJ Bobo or Nena. And Bremen has a lot of character. I always really look forward to going back there.

Are the Germans as inhibited as they generally say?
No, the audience is great and they love live music. And you have great performance opportunities, probably better than in the UK. Many of our venues have simply been closed. We can always count on a tour in Germany to be good.

You can still hear the 80s from the new songs, even if they have become a bit rockier. How has your music changed since the beginning?
I love guitar sounds and grew up with them as the daughter of a rock ‘n’ roller. It’s in my blood and I’m more comfortable with it than pop. But I like all kinds of music and somehow we’ve already done everything. I guess that’s one reason why I have such a long career.

Family members also work with you …
Yes, my niece designed the cover. She was bored on the tour, so she started drawing. In doing so, she discovered that she has great talent. I suggested that she do the album cover and she did a great job also co-writing a lot of the songs. On stage she takes a lot of the pressure off me because she’s also a great performer. It’s not just about me anymore and I’m much more free on stage.

Her album is called “Here come the Aliens”. What’s up with the aliens?
In 2009, I saw lights in my garden shining through the clouds and moving back and forth very quickly. I felt like there was something huge up there. Others saw it, so I knew I wasn’t going crazy. Now I read a lot about planets and extraterrestrial life and I am a bit obsessed with this subject. The experience changed my life enormously – in a very inspiring way.

What would happen if aliens suddenly appeared in your garden?
From the way I felt when I had the experience, I believe it was a benevolent force. They must know that what is going to happen on this planet is not good. But as long as we are here and the beautiful sphere shines brightly in the cosmos, there is hope. And besides, we’ll all be sent to Mars at some point anyway. I am sure: humans will survive, but with the help of extraterrestrial life.

What can fans expect from the show?
I have two drummers with me and we will be really loud on stage. We play a lot of songs from the album, but of course also the biggest hits from back then. We have a lot of fun playing the old stuff, but of course the new stuff is very exciting for me. The Germany tour is like a reward for all the work we did with the album.