Kim Wilde’s brother and collaborator Ricky Wilde has looked back on 40 years of chart success with his sister.
In 1981, the pop icon shot into the global charts with her debut smash hit, Kids in America, which was co-written by Ricky and their dad Marty Wilde and marked the beginning of a four-decade-long career for one of Britain’s most celebrated female artists.
Following the release of her ‘Pop Don’t Stop – Greatest Hits’ (2021) collection, Kim hit the road for a run of celebratory shows across the UK and Europe and, looking to the future, Ricky predicts there’s more music to come.
In a chat published in the December 2022 issue of Retro Pop, he says: “It’s funny with albums – we do it when it feels right. It’s an organic thing. It suddenly comes to you one day and you think, ‘We’ve got four or five tracks here, and they sound like they could be a part of something.’
“That’s how ‘Here Come the Aliens’ (2018) happened, because she had obviously the experience in the garden and seeing these orbs, and it really, really affected her in a massive way. Everything just fell into place after that, because she had the idea for how the sleeve should be and, lyrically, how things were going to sound. They’re not all about aliens, but there is a definite cohesive sound and a vibe about it.
“We’ve got the greatest hits, but it will come to a point where Kim will say, ‘Let’s do it’.”
The star’s latest retrospective includes two new tracks – Shine On with Boy George, and the Tom Aspaul collaboration You’re My Karma – and Ricky admits an entire album of duets isn’t off the cards.
“It’s very possible,” he smiles. “We’ve got so many wonderful friends in the industry and I know there’s so many people that would love to work with Kim.
“I know there’s loads of people that Kim would love to work with as well. So that’s very much a possibility.”
Read the full Q&A in the December 2022 edition of Retro Pop, out now. Order yours or subscribe via our Online Store, use our Store Finder to locate your nearest stockist, or get Digital Copies delivered direct to your devices.
