Beverley Knight facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Beverley Knight MBE
Knight at the WhatsOnStage Awards 2015
Born	Beverley Anne Smith (1973-03-22) 22 March 1973 (age 52) Wolverhampton, England
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress radio personality
Years active	1994–present
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	James O'Keefe ​ (m. 2012)​
Musical career
Genres	British soul neo soul R&B
Instruments	Vocals
Associated acts	Leading Ladies

Beverley Knight MBE (born Beverley Anne Smith, 22 March 1973) is a talented English singer, songwriter, actress, and radio host. She released her first album, The B-Funk, in 1995. Beverley is greatly inspired by American soul music legends like Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin. She has released nine studio albums and is known as one of Britain's best soul singers.

Some of her most famous songs include "Greatest Day", "Get Up!", "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", "Come as You Are", and "Keep This Fire Burning". In 2006, she became even more famous by appearing on the BBC TV show Just the Two of Us. She also toured the UK with the popular band Take That.

Beverley has hosted a BBC Radio 2 show called Beverley's Gospel Nights. This show explored the history and influence of gospel music. It ran for six seasons until 2009 and featured interviews with stars like Michelle Williams and Shirley Caesar.

Knight is a supporter of many charities, including Christian Aid. She has traveled to places affected by poverty and illness to help raise awareness. She also actively supports groups that fight against serious illnesses, such as the Stop AIDS Campaign and The Terrence Higgins Trust. In 2009, she performed at the UK Black Pride event. She also sang at 10 Downing Street to support the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood Million Mums charity.

In 2006, Beverley Knight was given the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This award recognized her important contributions to British music. In 2005, she received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the University of Wolverhampton. She has won many awards, including three MOBO Awards. In 2004, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Urban Music Awards in London. She even supported the legendary musician Prince on his "The Earth Tour" in London.

In 2008, Prince invited her to perform at his special post-Oscars party in Los Angeles. She sang in front of famous stars like Stevie Wonder and received a standing ovation.

Beverley Knight sang at the London 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony. Her performance was highly praised. In 2016, she released her eighth album, Soulsville. In 2019, she celebrated 25 years in music with a live album called BK25. Her ninth album, The Fifth Chapter, came out in October 2023.

Knight has been nominated for several Laurence Olivier Awards, which are very important awards for theatre. She won the Best Supporting Actress in a Musical award in 2023 for her role in Sylvia. She started acting in musicals in 2013, playing Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard. In 2017, she also performed in her first pantomime show, Cinderella, as the Fairy Godmother.

Beverley Knight's Life Story

Early Life and Music

Beverley Knight grew up in Wolverhampton, England. She went to Woodfield Infant and Junior Schools and Highfields School. Her parents were from Jamaica, and she grew up in a strict Pentecostal home. Church was a very important part of her family's life. This is where she first started singing.

She remembers, "The first time I heard music would have been in church. My mum was often called upon: 'Come on sister Dolores. Lead us in song!' Singing was the most natural thing in the world." Beverley sang in her local church throughout her childhood. At home, she listened to a lot of gospel music. Even though her parents were very religious, artists like Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin were a big part of her early musical learning.

Beverley started writing her own songs when she was 13. However, she didn't take it seriously until she was 17. She began performing her songs in local clubs. When she was 19, she sang on demo songs for a songwriter named Westley Jones. A music company director, Peter Robinson, was impressed by her voice. He and Jones helped her get a record deal and gave her the stage name Beverley Knight. She also studied theology and philosophy at college, wanting to have a good education.

Rising to Stardom

In late 1994, Beverley Knight signed with Dome Records, a small music label. She quickly went into the studio to record her first album, The B-Funk, which came out in November 1995. This album won her two Black Music Awards in 1996. Even though the album didn't sell a huge number of copies, her single "Flavour of the Old School" reached number 33 on the UK charts.

In 1997, Knight signed a new deal with EMI's Parlophone. She released her second album, Prodigal Sista, in August 1998. This album was much more successful, selling 150,000 copies in Britain. It included five top-40 hits, like "Greatest Day" (number 14) and "Made It Back" (number 21), which featured US rap star Redman. Critics loved Prodigal Sista, and it won three MOBO Awards.

In 2001, Knight worked on her third album, Who I Am, which was released in March 2002. It featured the hit single "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", which reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. This success helped the album reach number seven on the album chart, making it her most successful album at the time. Who I Am earned her two Brit Award nominations and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.

Her fourth album, Affirmation, came out in June 2004. The first single, "Come as You Are", became her biggest hit, reaching number nine. This album was very personal for Knight. It was influenced by her close friend, Tyrone Jamison, who passed away from a serious illness in 2003. Songs like "Remember Me" show her deep feelings about their friendship.

Knight performing in 2005

Continuing Success and New Paths

In 2006, Beverley Knight appeared on the BBC show Just the Two of Us, which helped her reach an even wider audience. She also joined Take That on their big reunion tour, "Take That – The Ultimate Tour 06".

In March 2006, she released her greatest hits album, Voice – The Best of Beverley Knight. This album became her second highest-charting album, reaching number nine. It included the popular cover song "Piece of My Heart".

In October 2006, Knight recorded her fifth studio album, Music City Soul, in Nashville. This album was released in May 2007 and featured collaborations with famous musicians like Ronnie Wood.

Between August and September 2007, Knight supported Prince during his concerts at the O2 Arena in London. She also performed at his after-parties. Because of this, Prince invited her to sing at his Oscars party in front of many A-list celebrities. She received a standing ovation from stars like Quincy Jones.

In 2009, Knight decided to start her own record label, Hurricane Records. She released her sixth album, 100%, in September 2009. The album's lead single was "Beautiful Night".

In 2011, Knight released her seventh album, Soul UK. This album was a collection of covers of classic British soul songs. It reached number 13 on the UK albums chart. She covered songs by artists like Junior Giscombe, George Michael, and Jamiroquai.

Theatre and Recent Work

In 2013, Beverley Knight began a new chapter in her career by joining musical theatre. She took over the role of Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard musical in London's West End. She was nominated for an award for her performance.

In 2014, she starred in another West End production, Memphis, at the Shaftesbury Theatre. She continued to perform in Memphis until July 2015. In 2015, she also played Grizabella in the revival of Cats at the London Palladium.

Beverley Knight in 2016

In 2017, Knight performed at a BBC Prom concert celebrating the soul music of Stax Records. She sang alongside Jools Holland, Sir Tom Jones, and original Stax artists. Also in 2017, she formed a musical theatre supergroup called the "Leading Ladies" with Cassidy Janson and Amber Riley. Their album, Songs from the Stage, featured covers from famous musicals.

In 2019, Knight was cast as Faye Treadwell in the musical The Drifters Girl. The show opened in November 2021. She received another Olivier Award nomination for this role. In November 2019, she released a live album, BK25, celebrating her 25 years in music.

In 2022, Knight became a judge on the ITV show Starstruck. In October 2022, she returned to the West End to star as Emmeline Pankhurst in the musical Sylvia, which is inspired by the Suffragette movement. In June 2023, she announced her new studio album, The Fifth Chapter, which was released in September 2023. In 2024, Knight starred in the UK West End stage version of Sister Act.

Her Musical Inspirations

Beverley Knight grew up surrounded by music, especially gospel music, because of her Jamaican heritage and Pentecostal upbringing. She joined her church's gospel choir at age four and later became its musical director. Her family often sang around the piano and listened to gospel and soul artists like Sam Cooke.

In 2005, Knight hosted Beverley's Gospel Nights on BBC Radio 2. This series explored gospel music and featured interviews with artists like Shirley Caesar and Destiny's Child stars Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. The show was very popular, and a second series was made. People praised Knight's interviewing skills and her passion for music.

Sam Cooke was one of the first artists to truly inspire Knight. She has often performed and recorded his songs, including "A Change Is Gonna Come", which became an important song for the civil rights movement.

Aretha Franklin was another major influence. Knight has performed tributes to Franklin and recorded several of her songs, like "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" and "Think". She also admires artists like Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Nina Simone, Chaka Khan, and Billie Holiday, often performing their songs in her live shows.

One of her biggest heroes is Prince. Knight says he reminds her of preachers who tell stories. She mentions him on her album covers and has songs like "Get Up!" that are compared to Prince's style because of their mix of funk and soul.

Growing up in the Midlands meant she was exposed to many different types of music, not just soul or R&B. This wide range of influences is clear in her album Affirmation, which had a more mainstream pop sound. Even though some urban radio stations criticized her for this, Knight believes it showed her determination not to be limited to one type of music.

Discography

Solo albums

• The B-Funk (1995)
• Prodigal Sista (1998)
• Who I Am (2002)
• Affirmation (2004)
• Music City Soul (2007)
• 100% (2009)
• Soul UK (2011)
• Soulsville (2016)
• The Fifth Chapter (2023)

Tours

• 2002 – Who I Am Tour
• 2002 – Beverley Knight Tour
• 2005 – Affirmation Tour
• 2006 – Voice – The Best of Tour
• 2007 – Music City Soul Tour
• 2009–10 – 100% Tour
• 2011 – Soul UK Tour
• 2016 – Soulsville Tour
• 2019 – Friday Night is Music Night presents: The Songs of Stevie Wonder starring Beverley Knight
• 2023 – 50 Tour

Stage Performances

Achievements and Awards

Special Honours

In 2006, Beverley Knight was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to music. Queen Elizabeth II presented the award to her in February 2007. Knight said this award recognized her career and her important charity work.

In September 2005, the University of Wolverhampton gave Knight an honorary degree. This was to celebrate her amazing contributions to music, her local community, and her charity work. When she became a Doctor of Music, she proudly stated she was happy to be black, female, and British, and that she never forgot where she came from.

On 7 January 2010, Knight won the BBC TV quiz show Celebrity Mastermind. She answered questions about "The Life and Times of Prince". She played for the Terrence Higgins Trust charity.

On 29 August 2012, during the 2012 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony, Knight performed "I Am What I Am" with deaf performer Caroline Parker and Lizzie Emeh. They all used sign language during the song.

On 16 May 2018, Knight received the Freedom of the City of Wolverhampton, her hometown. This is a very high honor. Knight said she was thrilled to share this award with her city, where she was born and raised. The Mayor of Wolverhampton praised her for her success, her positive attitude, and how she always remembers her roots.

Awards and Nominations

Personal Life

Knight with husband James O'Keefe, 2013

Beverley Knight is a big fan of her hometown football club, Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.. She married her husband, James O'Keefe, on 8 September 2012.

She supports the Labour Party.

See also

In Spanish: Beverley Knight para niños