Kim Wilde supported Michael Jackson on the European leg of his 1988 Bad Tour, and has shared her memories of the late King of Pop when she was on the road with him.
Kim Wilde found Michael Jackson “incredibly inspiring” when she supported him on the Bad Tour.
The ’80s pop icon was in awe of the King of Pop’s set during the four-month, 33-date tour across Europe in 1988 and Kim learned so much from watching him each night and it made her raise her “own personal game as a performer”.
Kim, 65, recalled to Contactmusic.com: “It was just incredible. He was at the top of his game at the time, and I did about 33 shows with him all over Europe and the UK. We did seven nights at Wembley on the trot.
“It completely raised my own personal game as a performer. To watch him at that stage when he was really at his peak was incredibly inspiring.”
Jackson’s music has been back in the charts and he has been back at the forefront of popular culture thanks to Antoine Fuqua’s biopic Michael, which documents his ascent to become the biggest pop star in the world from his days as a child performer with the Jackson 5 and ending with his triumphant Bad Tour concert at Wembley Stadium in London.
The Kids in America hitmaker’s Bad Tour set lasted 40 minutes and featured hits including Never Trust a Stranger, Cambodia and You Keep Me Hangin’ On and she will always be grateful for being given the opportunity to open for the Thriller singer.
Kim said: “The way he owned the stage and owned his own presence and was 1,000 per cent who he was in any moment on that stage.
“I certainly learned a huge amount from watching Michael Jackson, especially since I got to stand side stage often with his manager, Frank DiLeo at the time, and had a really close-up performer’s experience of what was going on.”
The You Came artist only got to meet “charming” Michael – who died from acute Propofol intoxication in June 2009 at the age of 50 – when they took a publicity shot together for the tour.
Not seeing the 13-time Grammy winner much on the Bad Tour came as no surprise to Kim.
She explained: “Anyone of that calibre of fame, whether it was Madonna or Beyoncé or anyone like that, would also have a very isolated existence on tour. It’s not like they would come down at the end of the night and have a beer.
“I didn’t think it was that unusual for him to be as elusive as he was.”
But it is not just Michael who has inspired Kim over the course of her illustrious career, which spans over four decades.
She said: “I’ve learned a lot from many performers in my life, not least of all my own father, Marty Wilde. I watch every performer, and I learn something from every performer.”
In March 2027, Kim is travelling across England and Scotland with her 13-date The Singles Tour, where she will perform her iconic tracks, as well as new songs.
Tickets can be purchased at kimwilde.com.
Tour dates:
March 2027:
12th – Bristol Beacon
13th – Liverpool Philharmonic
14th – Gateshead Glasshouse
16th – Edinburgh Usher Hall
17th – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
19th – Manchester Bridgewater Hall
20th – Birmingham Symphony Hall
21st – London Palladium
23rd – Brighton Dome
24th – Bournemouth Pavillion
26th – Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
27th – Sheffield City Hall
28th – York Barbican
Kim Wilde reveals what Michael Jackson was really like on the Bad Tour in 1988
