Beverley Knight

Beverley Knight MBE was born in Wolverhampton in 1973. Throughout her teens, she sang in a church choir, whilst being raised listening to gospel music. She was also inspired by Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, who mixed elements of both gospel and secular music. In 1994, she signed to her first label, releasing her debut LP, The B-Funk, which won critical acclaim.

She is perhaps best known for a number of smash hits, including "Get Up!" and "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", both from her third LP, Who I Am, which led to a Mercury Music Prize nomination. In 2004 she went onto release her biggest-selling album yet, *Affirmation*, which included hits such as “Keep This Fire Burning” and “Not Too Late for Love.” Subsequently, she won a lifetime achievement award at the Urban Music Awards.

In 2006, Knight released a platinum-selling compilation album. Following this, she started hosting Beverley’s Gospel Nights on BBC Radio 2, talking about gospel music, with interviews with celebrities including Michelle Williams and Shirley Caesar. Knight was one of the many performers in the London 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony, a performance which was highly praised. 

In 2013, Knight made her West End debut playing Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard at the Adelphi Theatre. In 2014 she starred in West End production Memphis The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre, and in 2015, she played Grizabella in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats at the London Palladium. Knight led the cast as Faye Treadwell in the world premiere of The Drifters Girl.

In 2023, Knight played Emmeline Pankhurst in Sylvia at the Old Vic. She won her first Olivier for Sylvia, winning the Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical category. She then reprised the role of Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act at the Dominion Theatre in 2024. She starred in Marie and Rosetta at @sohoplace alongside Ntombizodwa Ndlovu earlier this year. She returns to a short run of Sylvia at the Royal Albert Hall in November 2026.