Now & Forever is the ninth studio album

Studio album

A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

 by Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...

, released in autumn 1995 via MCA Records

MCA Records

MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...

.

Background

After three albums featuring a consistent pop sound, Wilde decided it was time for another change and chose to make an album with a decided soul/R&B feel to it. Ricky Wilde still produced, but joined forces with CJ Mackintosh for four of the album's tracks and co-produced with the Serious Rope team for seven others.

Opening with "Breakin' Away", an obvious dance track, and including R&B tracks like "C'mon Love Me", "You're All I Wanna Do" and "Where Do You Go From Here", the album was a departure from the familiar Wilde sound and didn't please fans and audience. It was her first album not to chart in the UK, and Radio One

BBC Radio 1

BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...

 refused to add "Breakin' Away" to its airplay lists. The album was a daring move for Wilde, who wanted to make something to please herself first and foremost. Her interest in music by artists such as Chaka Khan

Chaka Khan

Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...

 and Pebbles

Pebbles

Pebbles may refer to:* Pebbles, small rocks* Pebbles , Boston-area radio DJ* Pebbles , British-trained thoroughbred racehorse of the 1980s* Pebbles Flintstone, a character in The Flintstones animated television show...

 heavily influenced the album.

Lyrically, the songs were either very happy ("Sweet Inspiration", "Heaven", "High on You") or bordering on depression ("Now & Forever", "Hold On"). Two singles were released in the UK, the second being "This I Swear

This I Swear (Kim Wilde song)

"This I Swear" is the second single from the album Now & Forever released by Kim Wilde in 1996.The single was issued in 1996 in a slightly different form to that found on the album. Several extended remixes were also found on the 12" and CD-single formats. Another track from the same album,...

", a dubious choice given the array of more radio-friendly songs on the album. The flip-side, "Heaven", was remixed twice (once mix by Matt Darey) and helped sales, but "This I Swear" stalled at No. 46 in early 1996.

Now & Forever was Wilde's last album before she started working in the musical Tommy and wound down her pop career. During the twelve month run of the play, she remixed and released a version of the disco track "Shame

Shame (Evelyn King song)

"Shame" is a 1978 hit single recorded by American singer Evelyn "Champagne" King. It reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, number eight on the U.S. Disco Chart, and number seven on the U.S. R&B Chart, earning a Gold certification by the RIAA that same year...

", which had been recorded in the Now & Forever sessions but not included on the album.

Track listing

1. "Breakin' Away"
2. "High on You"
3. "This I Swear
   This I Swear (Kim Wilde song)
   "This I Swear" is the second single from the album Now & Forever released by Kim Wilde in 1996.The single was issued in 1996 in a slightly different form to that found on the album. Several extended remixes were also found on the 12" and CD-single formats. Another track from the same album,...
   
   "
4. "C'mon Love Me"
5. "True to You"
6. "Hypnotise"
7. "Heaven"
8. "Sweet Inspiration"
9. "Where Do You Go from Here"
10. "Hold On"
11. "You're All I Wanna Do"
12. "Life & Soul"
13. "Now & Forever"
14. "Back to Heaven"

Japanese bonus track:
15."Staying with My Baby"