The ā80s ushered in a golden era of female pop stars. Among them was Kim Wilde, who reached No. 2 in the UK with the 1981 synth-pop classic āKids In Americaā and topped the U.S. charts in 1987 with an electro-dance cover of The Supremesā āYou Keep Me Hangin On.ā Born in the London suburb of Chiswick in 1960, Wilde came from a musical family. Her dad, Marty Wilde, had been a ā50s rock ānā roll star; her brother Ricky flirted with teen idol-dom in the ā70s. The father-son duo penned most of Kimās 1981 self-titled debut album and the following yearās Select, although she started to take on part of the songwriting and production starting with 1984ās Teases & Dares. Wilde continued to experience success in the ā80s, highlighted by the 1988 European smash Close, and has maintained a busy touring and recording schedule throughout the 21st century. In 2021, she teamed up with fellow ā80s pop star Boy George for a sweeping ballad, āShine On.ā