Kim Wilde Biography

Kim Wilde was born in Chiswick, West London, on 18 November 1960. Daughter of rock'n'roll star Marty Wilde and Joyce Baker, former member of the female group The Vernon Girls.
At the age of 9 she moved with her family to Hertfordshire, where she was educated at Presdales School, Ware, before completing a foundation course at St. Albans College of Art & Design in 1980.
While studying at college, she started singing on several demo recordings made by her young record producer brother Ricki and these came to the attention of record producer Mickie Most.
Kim was signed to Mickie Most's RAK Records in 1980 and released her first single Kids In America -written by father Marty and Ricki- in January 1981. The record reached number 2 in the UK charts and sold over 2 million copies world-wide.
The debut album Kim Wilde followed later that year and spawned a further 3 hits, Chequered Love, Water On Glass and Cambodia. Kim recorded a total of 3 albums for RAK Records before signing to MCA Records in the summer 1984.
Seven subsequent albums for MCA Records have included international hits such as Another Step (Closer To You), You Came, Never Trust A Stranger, Four Letter Word, If I Can't Have You, and a remake of The Supremes classic You Keep Me Hanging On - which gave Kim her first USA Number 1 single in 1986 - all of which have contributed to total world-wide album and single sales in excess of 7 million and 12 million respectively. This same period corresponded with Kim's development as a songwriter having written or co-written the majority of the MCA LP's including many of the above hit singles.
Kim received the Best Female Vocalist Award from the British Phonographic industry in 1983 and has subsequently received two further nominations in this category. Kim has performed concerts all over the world, including a support slot on Michael Jackson's European BAD tour in 1988 and in David Bowie's 1990 tour.
In February 1996 Kim debuted in London's West End production of The Who's Tommy adding a further dimension to an already hugely successful career.