Award-winning soul singer Beverley Knight has shared stages with Prince, conquered the West End and become one of Britain’s most beloved performers. But behind all the accolades lies a grounded woman driven by faith, family and purpose. In this exclusive interview, she chats to Melissa Blease ahead of her Born to Perform tour. Image above: Photography by Julian Broad
Since she burst onto the UK music scene with her critically-acclaimed first album The B-Funk in 1995, Beverley Knight’s reputation as Britain’s undisputed Queen of Soul has continued to gain traction – and the heady pace doesn’t show any signs of letting up any time soon.
The multi award-winning singer, songwriter, musical theatre superstar, TV icon and radio luminary (phew!) has released nine studio albums, undertaken 11 major headline tours, supported Take That on their massive 2006 reunion stadium gigs… and was awarded an MBE for services to British Music and Charity in the same year. She was selected as the opening act for Prince’s historic Earth Tour during his record-breaking 21 Nights in London residency at the O2 Arena in 2007 … and, in 2008, his lordship flew her to Los Angeles to perform at his at-home post-Oscars party in front of (and with) fellow superstars including Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones.
This month, she embarks on a massive UK tour, pitstopping at the Bath Forum on Tuesday 9 June and the Bristol Beacon on Friday 19 June; this autumn, she’ll reprise her role as Emmeline Pankhurst in the Olivier Award-winning hip hop, funk and soul musical Sylvia at the Royal Albert Hall.
Taking that whistlestop tour of her CV into account – and there’s much, much more where that came from – Ms Knight would have every right to be a bit of a diva; right? Oh, so very wrong!
“I’m just a woman from a small city with a big dream and enough faith and stubbornness to keep going until that dream became reality!” she says, talking to me from her home in London (although she firmly acknowledges that her beloved Wolverhampton will always remain home in her heart). “My parents showed me the joy of living in spite of difficulties, and sharing that joy using the gift of music was the greatest thing I could give to the world. My current tour is called Born to Perform – and I’m totally convinced that I was!”
If you want to hear Beverley’s backstory in her own words, the tour offers that opportunity in full.
“Born to Perform is the story of how I came to be in the position I’m in today,” she says. “I’ve spent my life on stages, from school productions and the pulpit in church to music venues and West End theatres.
Nothing can shake my belief that I’m living my purpose, and I was lucky enough to discover that purpose as a tiny child. I grew up in a musical family and performance was in my blood and in my soul. As a result, I didn’t see myself as particularly special in being able to sing; to me it was just a part of my everyday reality.
“I was very fortunate that, as a child, I was encouraged to work on my abilities instead of having them ignored or, worse still, discouraged. Today, I’m inspired by what I see around me, whether they are circumstances that have happened to me directly, or things that I experience vicariously. If something moves me profoundly enough, sooner or later it ends up in a song, or as part of a character that I may build for a specific role on stage.”
I’ve spent my life on stages, from school productions and the pulpit in church to music venues and West End theatres. Nothing can shake my belief that I’m living my purpose”
The building of character is clearly embedded deep within Beverley’s DNA. When she performs live, she’s renowned for taking audiences on a personal journey that brings her songs to real life in real time, whether in character as Rachel in The Bodyguard, Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act, Emmeline Pankhurst in Sylvia, or – and perhaps even more so – when she’s ‘simply’ being herself; few people can listen to, for example, her powerful, gently uptempo 2002 soul ballad Shoulda Woulda Coulda and fail to be moved by the song’s frank, autobiographical revelations and soaring emotional depth.
Has Beverley ever viewed her work as a tool to help navigate the challenging or emotionally turbulent times that inevitably create a part of life’s rich tapestry?
“Losing my best friend Tyrone at the same time I was releasing and promoting my Affirmation album in 2004 was a very tough time for me,” she recalls. “Many of the dominant voices in the urban community disliked the first single As You Are and, as a result, didn’t engage with the rest of the album. I was fortunate that it still went on to be a big seller, but dealing with the mixed reviews and attempting to deal with Tyrone’s death at the same time came close to breaking me. In the three years that followed I felt lost at times, but the light of Prince’s Earth Tour shone in the distance as the affirmation that I personally needed at that time. The whole experience taught me that dark times don’t last forever.”
Indeed they don’t – and milestones that Beverley cites as jewels in the glittering crown of her career to date were yet to come. “Joining Prince at the O2 and on a makeshift stage at his home in Los Angeles were definite highlights,” she responds, when asked about her personal greatest hits moments. “I don’t think any accolade can touch the experience of having your hero respect your talent enough to have you join him on stage; okay, I don’t know that for sure, but I’m willing to put the work in to find out if I’m right! So, if I’m blessed enough to win a Grammy, a Tony, or any of those global accolades, come back and ask me that same question again!”
I’ve learned to appreciate that taking a break is as necessary to my own wellness as doing the work”
But away from the glamour of superstar collaborations, awards in the pipeline and future plans packed with promise (“I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to work on stage and in TV and film; trust me when I tell you that I intend to build on that!” she says), she puts as much – if not more – work into supporting vulnerable people to live their best lives than she puts into ‘being’ Beverley Knight.
Throughout her career, she’s actively supported and advocated for multiple key charities. Amongst a long line-up of philanthropic activities, she’s a long-standing patron of the UK’s leading HIV and AIDS charity the Terrence Higgins Trust. She’s an ambassador for Wolverhampton’s official football charity the Wolves Foundation, Christian Aid and The Paul Reid Foundation, named in honour of her close friend, guitarist and musical director of more than 25 years. But the woman who I’m quickly learning is a mistress of the art of clear-cut, resolute pragmatism defines the motivation behind her charitable support in the most beautifully simple, understated way. “There’s always a cause that needs a helping hand and I’m in a position to offer that help, so that is what I do,” she says, “I had great examples of this in both my parents, so I’m simply following the example they laid down for me.”
I put it to Beverley that, in doing so, she’s become an example – and, indeed, a role model – for many people? Again, an innate modesty prevails. “If that’s the case, then that’s a huge responsibility; very humbling but also quite scary. I’m trying my best to be the best example of whatever it is that people look up to me for, that I can be, and the only way I know how to do that is through consistent excellence.”
Blimey, Beverley! Do you have any time at all to just… chill? “I guess you can’t produce excellence without giving your mind and body enough time to recuperate!” she laughs. “As much as I enjoy keeping busy, there are of course days when I have to ease back. I’ve learned to appreciate that taking a break is as necessary to my own wellness as doing the work; my husband James has been instrumental in impressing the importance of taking those moments for myself upon me.”
But with the Born to Perform tour imminent, there won’t be much time for Beverley to snuggle up on the sofa to watch TV with her dog Zane (which is exactly how she spent last weekend) over the coming months.
“This is a different kind of tour for me as I’ll be singing all my hits but also, for the first time, hits from my musical theatre career too, including a track from Sylvia,” she reveals. “In short, expect nothing but energy and a huge helping of joy!”
It’s a closing statement that summarises this particular Knight’s tale in a nutshell.
Beverley Knight. Born to Perform.
The Bath Forum, Tuesday 9 June, 7:30 pm
For all event details and to book tickets, visit: bathforum.co.uk