In January 1981, Kim Smith, then 20, released her first hit single, Kids in America, under the stage name Kim Wilde. The daughter of British rock ‘n’ roll singer Marty Wilde has become an icon of the 1980s. On Sunday 16 October she will take the stage of the Carlswerk Victoria in Cologne and present her greatest songs by her.
On your The Greatest Hits tour sing your biggest hits, what’s your favorite song?
Kim Wilde: It’s really hard to tell. Sometimes it’s You Came, a song I wrote with my brother. Other times it’s Cambodia because it’s so beautiful to sing. Sometimes it’s Kids in America, the song is like a storm, even after 40 years.
You are considered one of the pop icons of the 80s. How do you look back to that time?
It was great being a young woman in the early 80s and being able to make great pop music that I could share with the world. But producing music videos and traveling a lot was also great. Germany was the country I was in the most and I have so many incredibly beautiful memories of that time and the beginning of my career.
Singer Kim Wilde and her band at a concert on their The Gratest Hits UK tour.
What is the best memory of Germany?
Are so many. I love your Christmas markets. I remember the tour with Alice Cooper, we went to 15 different Christmas markets. There is no such beautiful tradition in Britain. Also, at the beginning of my career, Germany was the country where I had a lot of success and I will never forget that.
What is special about your German fans?
They were among the first I’ve ever had. Many of the fans I met back then have become friends over time, I know their names, and they still come to all of my shows.
On October 16th you will play your concert in Cologne. What can your fans expect from the show?
We have a great show and it will be very loud. The atmosphere during the show will be a bit ’80s and a bit contemporary. Obviously a lot of my hits are from the 80s, but we also have a lot of new songs and some surprises. It’s a very strong balance between Kim Wilde of 2022 and Kim Wilde of 1981.
Numerous German artists have had to cancel concerts in recent months. The reason for this is Corona, but also the uncertainty due to rising prices. How are you experiencing this moment of crisis?
I think music is one of the strongest things to have in this period. Politics and religion tear people apart, music unites them. We have noticed that more and more people come to live concerts and many of them are also willing to take the risk.
As a British musician, how does Brexit affect you?
In reality very little. We can still do what we want to do and tour Europe. Thankfully, Brexit didn’t have much of an impact on this. Brexit was a democratic decision, although at times you may not have taken it personally.
The queen died on 8 September. How did you live that day?
I was really very sad, I grew up with Queen. I lit a candle for her and bought some flowers. I sent her my prayers and thanked her for being one of the greatest champions for the UK and the world. She was a really strong woman who had to adapt to the times – and she did it with a lot of grace.
What is your best memory of the queen?
My best memory of her is going to Buckingham Palace with my father. The Queen gave my father an MBE, an achievement award. She took it for her music of hers. This was only a few years ago.
Now Charles III. the new king. What do you think will change in the UK?
He has a great passion for the environment and I think he will be very influential because he is very attentive to the environment. He will open the minds of many across the country and bring the question of the environment to the table. He has a very powerful voice.
Kim Wilde will play in Cologne on Sunday 16th October at 8pm. Due to slow pre-sales, the concert was moved from E-Werk to Carlswerk Victoria,
Schanzenstraße 6-20 Building 3.12, 51063 Cologne.
