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| Birth Name(s) : Beverley Anne Smith |
Date of Birth: N/A |
| Status:
Single
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Partner:
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| Profession:
Singer, songwriter, record producer, philanthropist |
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Full Beverley Knight Biography
Beverley Knight MBE (born March 22, 1973) is a critically-acclaimed English soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight is signed to Parlophone Records and has released five studio albums to date. Widely labelled as one of Britain's greatest soul singers, Knight is best known for her hit singles "Greatest Day", "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" and "Come As You Are".
The critical response to Who I Am was largely positive, with The Guardian stating "every song bubbles with the kind of expensive, polished confidence that often eludes British contenders, and she sings with the poise of an artist at the height of her powers" whilst the BBC remarked "Who I Am marks a significant change in direction for this tenacious 28-year-old singer, signifying her own personal growth as a true artist and developing songwriter....on this her most personal work to date, she takes us on an intimate journey where she bares her soul with such raw honesty that you get the distinct impression a healing process is taking place". Although the album failed to match the widespread and unanimous acclaim of Beverley’s first two albums, it still earned her two BRIT Award nominations ("Best Female", "Best Urban Act") and the album was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize in 2002.
The themes running throughout the album, which were influenced by the events she had witnessed over the previous two years, marked a milestone in Knight’s career as a lyricist. The main essence of the project was centred on Beverley’s relationship with Tyrone Jamison – a gay man whom she described as her "soul mate" and who died of an AIDS related disease in 2003. Throughout the album, lyrics on tracks such as "Remember Me" ("One day we will be reunited, least I hope that is our destiny, so while you chill in the arms of angels, remember me, remember me") and "No One Ever Loves In Vain" clearly point to Beverley’s close relationship with Tyrone and rank as her most personal work to date.
Compared to the praise of her previous albums, the critical response to Affirmation was mixed. The mainstream press such as The Guardian praised her for branching out, whilst the black music press such as The Voice and Blues and Soul accused Knight of selling out and being manipulated away from urban music by her record label, a claim she flatly denies: "Everything I’ve done musically has been completely me. I write my own songs so I’m not just a vocalist who can easily be dictated to."
In October 2006, Knight recorded her fifth studio album, Music City Soul, in Nashville. Completed in less than five days, the album was released on 7 May 2007 and features collaborations with musicians such as Ronnie Wood and Scotty Moore. It has spawned three singles thus far, "No Man's Land", released on 16 April 2007, "After You", released on 2 July 2007 and "The Queen of Starting Over", released on 15 October 2007.
In addition to the pioneering soul and gospel artists of the mid-twentieth century, modern artists such as Mary J. Blige and D'Angelo have also played a role in shaping Knight’s musical outlook. The most significant of her contemporary peers comes in the form of Prince, a man she describes as one of her hero’s: "Prince goes back to me listening to preachers when I was a child, who tell a story to illustrate a point...the first song I heard by him was "Little Red Corvette", when I was nine. Of course, I didn't have a clue about what he was singing about; the sexuality is implicit and I love that." The influence of Prince, whom Knight even mentions on her Prodigal Sista and Who I Am album sleeves, can be seen throughout her back catalogue with songs such as "Get Up!", "Hurricane Jane" and "Supersonic" being compared to Prince due to their mix of funk and soul.
In 2006 it was announced that Knight was to be awarded an MBE in acknowledgement for her services to music and the work she does on behalf of several charities. She was presented with the accolade by Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in February 2007. After the ceremony Knight remarked that the recognition "reflects not only on my whole career but the work I do for charities which is immensely important to me. I do not do that to be awarded for it, I just do it because it's in my heart, but to be recognised for it, hopefully will put the magnifying glass on to them as well".
In September 2005 Knight was presented with an honorary degree from the University of Wolverhampton. After being made a Doctor of Music, she stated: “I am proud to say I am Black, female and British but it is still all me, I have not forgotten my roots. I am enormously proud to be receiving this award, it is a great honour and also very humbling.”. Professor Craig Mahoney from the University announced “we are delighted to bestow on Beverley the award of an honorary degree of doctor of music in recognition of her outstanding contribution to music and the local community, and in recognition of her extensive charity work.”
In depth article written by Knight detailing her close relationship with friend Tyrone Jamison, who died of an AIDS related illness in 2003. The article, featured in The Independent newspaper, was published on June 20, 2004.
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