Kim Wilde - The Amp

Born Kim Smith, the daughter of the Vernons Girls’ Reginald Smith or Marty Wilde, Kim Wilde completed a foundation course at St Albans College of Art & Design before signing with RAK Records in 1980.

The singer’s debut single “Kids in America” arrived a year later in 1981 and earned Wilde instant success. “Kids in America” debuted at No. Two on the UK’s Singles Chart and reached the Top Five in a host of other countries including France, Germany and Australia. The single paved the way for Wilde’s eponymous debut album, which peaked in the Top Three of the UK Albums Chart and spawned the further singles “Chequered Love” and “Water on Glass”. Wilde’s 1982 album “Select” was another successful album, aided by the singles “Cambodia” and “View from a Bridge”, which both became chart-topping singles in France.

The singer’s third album “Catch as Catch Can” was a comparative failure and Wilde subsequently left RAK Records and inked a deal with MCA in 1984. The singer-songwriter’s debut for MCA arrived in 1984 entitled “Teases & Dares” and whilst it didn’t perform well in the UK, it earned a positive response and chart listing throughout the rest of Europe. Led by the single “Schoolgirl”, “Another Step” was issued in 1986, which spawned the surprise hit “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”.