Beverley Knight is a soul singer, song-writer, and producer. Her most famous singles are ‘Shoulda, Woulda Coulda’ and ‘Come As You Are’. She has just launched a make-up range, K, which is available at Selfridges.
LOOKING BACK
Tons of songs have poignancy for my childhood, I only ever write songs that I really feel. There was a song on my very very very first album that I wrote after a great friend confided in me that she was abused as a child. I was only 21, trying to deal with these big, big issues, and ‘Goodbye Innocence’ was written out of that. Music can be so cathartic, so therapeutic, so healing; that can’t be underestimated. ‘Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda’ was written as I was coming to the end of a relationship with a great, great bloke, but who just wasn’t right for me at the time, he went to Manchester University actually!
THE PRESENT
I used to listen to Sam Cook all the time, along with other gospel people like Aretha Franklin, but then Chaka Khan, Duran Duran and Bowie, God, Bowie was a revelation to me, gradually crept in whenever I could steal my parents’ stereo. The one I worship is Prince though.
LOOKING FORWARD
‘A Change Gonna Come’ by Sam Cook is the song I would give to the future generations. It’s about all the bad things coming, but the killer line is, ‘It’s been a long time coming, but I know, A change gonna come’. That song is the most motivational thing I could pass on to anybody.
In a film of my life, I would have to have someone short to play me! If Angela Bassett could go back in time and be young, It’d be her. I think she’s the most incredible actress. I mean, obviously Halle Berry resembles me closer, but you know. Prince would have to be the soundtrack, All. Day. Long.
