Today I'm going on a style journey with the English
singer-songwriter, actress and radio personality, the undoubted
Queen of British Soul, the extraordinarily talented Beverly
Knight MBE. Hello and welcome Beverly.
Hello, how are you? I am so good God, I was trying
to work out as I was preparing for this, how it's probably 20
years since we saw each other must be, and I was trying to
remember what event it was at. But we sat together, had a
blast. A.
Lovely time. I'm trying to think myself now,
but a long time. It was a long time ago.
But you haven't changed neither a bit.
Time. Flies.
Time flies. My God, where does it go?
But congratulations on your new album.
Thank you so much I. Loved the title of 5th chapter
and I love listening to it while while preparing for this because
it sort of really got me into the spirit of you right now.
Yes, and I just it feels like this album is sort of the
culmination of your 50 years of life and music to date.
Is that a sort of Fair analysis? I wanted to make an album that
was joyful and a celebration of me becoming 50, because as we
know, women at this age often are encouraged to kind of fade
into the background and everything plateaus, if not
falls. Off.
And I wanted to say no. Contrary to that popular
narrative, things actually get better and more exciting.
So I wanted to celebrate it. And we were coming out of
lockdown, so I wanted to celebrate that too.
Great. And So what was the creative
process that you went through to to put this album together?
For the first time in my career, I decided to involve lots of
different songwriters and songwriting partners.
Usually I've done the lion's share of the writing myself.
Yeah, but I wanted to not only a different kind of attitude, I
wanted a a specifically, I wanted a different sound.
And often these days songwriters are producers.
So in order to achieve that sound, I thought that's where I
need to start. So.
And so do you go to a specific producer for a different almost
genre and then and then sort of move it around?
Yeah, sort of. I I I, for example, worked with
Serben Kazan, who is a new up and coming producer who's who's
now beginning to have huge success, and he kind of
specialises in that new disco sound.
I wanted an album that had disco on it because to me, when I
think of celebration and energy, I think a disco.
But I wanted it to sound modern. So I I turned to him and he gave
me that kind of sound and then I kind of did my little editorial
thing on there and and, you know, shifted it into my world
vocally at least. But then I turned to Diane
Warren, because she's one of the world's great songwriters and
writes fantastic ballads, and I knew I wanted a really strong
ballad. So I turned to her and she gave
me a ballad which is just fantastic.
And then in and amongst all of that, other songwriters have
given me different colours, but all with this positive, hopeful
sound. And then when it goes through,
if you like, the machine of my voice, that's what ties the
sound together, and that that was the process I went through.
Do you Did you find yourself dressing differently for the
different collaborators? Were you conscious of that?
That's really interesting because I think I did a lot of
recording here and it was fairly sunny.
And then when I went to Los Angeles, where I did the other
kind of collabs, you know, it was very sunny, very, very
sunny, very warm. And I think I did.
I'm not sure I was conscious of doing that.
But somewhere in the back of my mind, I wanted to show strength
but also a playfulness. So when I went to see Diane for
example, I knew I'd be in the studio with her and with a
couple of her producers. I wanted to show that I wasn't
scared of the space. Even though she is this
powerful, I mean really powerful multi award-winning songwriter I
wanted to show. Yeah, you know, I've, I've got
my my skills too. So I came in with bold T-shirts,
little shorts, like I am not scared of who I am and and I
went and also when I went to to meet Mitch Allen, who is another
songwriter who I worked with, I had it was a bit cooler.
So I had on, you know, strong, clean jacket, the jeans, but
again with a slogan T-shirt, just to kind of show a bit of of
of my personality, yeah. I mean thank you for squeezing
this interview in because you have so much on at the moment
performing with Adam Lambert presenting your gospel show on
radio two real variety performance not to mention
rehearsing for sister act which returns to the West End in 2024
and and and is it fair to say what project are you most
excited about at the moment. Well, I'm really looking forward
to sister act. Yeah, which will be so much fun.
Yeah, And so much joy. Yeah, it's a comedy.
It's a comedy where I get to sing.
I had to dress up as a nun and a gangster's mole and I I get to
embrace the side of myself that I hadn't done before.
I've I've played this role, you know, previously and it went
brilliantly. But I'd never done comedy prior
to doing sister act. So I'm looking forward to
putting the comedic hat on and learning from someone who is
very naturally funny. Ruth Jones, who's playing
opposite me as Mother Superior of course, from Gavin and Stacey
fame. I had the most incredible
teacher the first time I did sister act in Jennifer Saunders.
Oh. My God.
I'll be taking some of those skills.
I learnt timing from her. I'll be taking some of those.
She's brilliant, isn't she? Oh my.
God, it is the timing, though. It's the timing.
It's those pauses. That's.
Right, knowing when to land the line.
So I'll be taking what I've learned and applying it again,
but with Ruth Jones and a host of other brilliant people.
So I'm. I can't wait to come into that,
yes. Absolutely.
Today we're going on a style journey.
We are. So how did you decide what you
were going to wear here today? Well, because of course I was
going to be speaking to you and you have such a wonderful, long
and established career in fashion.
I thought I'm, I'm going to make a better make an effort.
But also it's it's, you know we're in, we're in, we're in
winter now, autumn, winter, that kind of season where it's not
quite freezing but it's definitely not warm at all.
So I thought, you know, something which is kind of a
cashmere blend, Warm, creamy colours, tonal, which looks
sleek but hopefully not to try hard.
That was what I had in. My no, gorgeous.
And so, for those who are listening, not watching, you're
wearing a gorgeous camel camel Y coloured jersey dress.
Yes. Big old leopard scarf around
your neck and your boots. And my and my boots are, you
know, the kind of similar tone to to the dress, so it's all
very tonal. Cowboy style.
Very chic, very chic.
Thank you. We know that you grew up in
Wolverhampton. I did.
And I want to know if you were very aware of your parents style
when you were growing up. I was.
I really was. My dad dressed smartly apart
from when he was at work. He was a builder so of course he
was in his builders wear, but outside of that you would never
see my dad without a hat. Oh, how lovely.
And he always, always had some kind of suit, whether it was
more relaxed for day-to-day or whether he was going to church.
And I grew up in a very, very kind of religious, evangelical,
you know, background, you know, gospel, church, etcetera.
And my dad would dress to the nines as as did my mum.
I was going to say did your did your mother?
Because I know that they, they're very keen churchgoers
and I wondered how that impacted on their style and actually what
you were wearing as a child as a result of being in the church,
so much so. And and I'm glad you asked it
like that. That's such a brilliant
question, because having to go to church not just on a Sunday,
not just twice on a Sunday, but going to church a lot through
the. Week.
Because of the various different services meant that I had to
dress quite conservatively and I would do my best to kick against
it in my little Wolverhampton E way.
And So what did that look like when you were, I would imagine,
a teenager and sort of slightly kicking against that, that whole
system, absolutely not necessarily the system, but but
just the the conservativeness of that.
How? How did that play out in terms
of your clothes? So in my teenage years, I would,
you know, absolutely voraciously consume all the the magazines
that were available and look at a lot of the adverts and see
what I could get away with. So if it's going to be a pencil
skirt, you know, how short can I go?
You know, how tight can I go? I'm a teenager.
I'm trying. Often I would where there were
the the there was a look, you know, you're thinking the 80s,
so a blouse, which was expected because, you know, cover the
arms, cover the but tucked in, I'm like, if I can wear a
blouse, but tucked into the skirt, a pencil skirt, that will
at least give me a nice clean silhouette, you know?
I think that's how I was thinking.
A little cute courtier. How much make up could I get
away with? And was it your father or your
mother that policed your look more?
My mom would police the look, but my dad dressed really well.
So yeah, my mom would have me dressing quite from police.
She could have got away with it to be honest, she just didn't
when she was younger she she, she went the whole 9.
She was flares and the Afro and the, you know, and then as she
got older, that kind of disappeared and she dressed well
for church. But it was too conservative for
my taste. My dad actually had much more of
a handle on what would look good and what would suit me and my
body type. Did he ever go shopping with
you? He never went shopping with me,
but he would go for me. Oh, Christmas.
Dad's presents and and and I have kind of adopted the same
thing. He'd buy clothes for us at
Christmas. That was always his gift, not
things. It was always clothes.
So he would turn up with a dress and the dress would look
fabulous and I'd love it if Mom bought me a dress.
I'd always be like, it's not quite, it's a bit baggy, it's a
bit dad, no, always on the money, always form fitting, you
know, clean like. How lovely.
I think that relationship between a father and a daughter
in in sort of those years can be really, really special.
That sort of was guiding this young woman.
Yeah. Do you have siblings?
I mean, I know you have a sister A.
Sister and a brother. But was there any sort of
sibling rivalry with your sister in terms of getting dressed or
did you help each other? Or did you compete against each
other? I would.
I would kick against kind of clothing and try and follow
trends and and and beg my mom for what was, you know in
fashion way more than my sister would.
My sister was tall. Really tall, still is 510.
Lucky girl so exactly and statuesque with it and pretty.
So me I was. I didn't grow any further than
55 S average height. Pretty, skinny.
She was. Amazonian like I was not, and I
would envy her more than compete with her because to me there was
no competition. I had my thick glasses and I
looked as nerdy as I I was, as I was.
I was a real bookish person. She to me was just beautiful,
but we couldn't share clothes or anything like that.
Nothing would fit me so much longer, arms and everything, so
I just would look at her and she always looked great and I was
always trying to look great. That was in my in my opinion,
that was, that was what I I I saw.
But do you remember the very first time that clothes had that
you put something on and you thought, wow, I love the feel of
this, this is empowering. And this is for people of, of,
of, of, of, of generation. They'd get this.
I badgered mom for a rah rah. It was a dress but had the rah
rah ruffles, you know? And I remember it was pink but
the IT was piped at the edge of each ruffle a different color
and it was the top half was like a a short sleeve like a slash
sleeve like this boat neck and then sort of fitted and then the
rah rah you know the the ruffles and quite sure I was quite
surprised mum would buy it for me but she did and I will be.
I was about 13 round there and I put it on and I felt like I
could conquer the world. I just felt fabulous and I I
wore it to bits. I wore it all the time.
Couldn't wear it to church though.
It's a picture of the church, but anywhere that I could wear
it, I was in it. I just loved it.
And if that was probably the first time I I thought, clothes
can really do wonders for your mood and for how you feel about
yourself. Yeah, and how you feel the world
is looking at you. So it's so true.
It's so true. Did you wear a school uniform?
Had to wear school uniform. How did you feel about that?
Or did you? I when I was very young it
didn't really bother me and school uniform kind of followed
the trends a little bit. I've there's a picture of me as
a very young child with huge like dagger collars because it
was the late 70s going into the 80s.
So these huge dagger collars. Thick tie, thick school tie.
Short, short. Short.
And did you tie it every morning?
And I had to tie everyone and learn to do my tie and you know,
and felt very fabulous. Thank you very much.
As I got older I started to like most people.
How can I adapt this uniform to look vaguely decent and at the
same time get through the front door without my mum ringing my
neck? Answer was I couldn't.
So I the thing that I resented the most about my school uniform
was what I had to put on my feet.
My mom insisted on sensible shoes that would last.
Now those sensible shoes are everywhere, you know, with the
the cleated sole and and you know, that kind of look.
But then I hated it because everything was the little.
I forget what they call them, but you know the very pointed
shoe at which a lot of my friends would wear?
And there was me clumping around in these shoes.
And you've got the good feet now and.
As a result, I'm the one with decent.
Feet. Thank you, Mummy.
So. There you go.
Absolutely. And you first performed on Top
of the Pops in 1999. Oh my life.
Such an ironic and really important show.
Yes, it. Was How do you remember going
about choosing your look for that performance I?
Had a stylist back then called Faye and she would you know,
help me to to to put the look together now at that age in in
the year 1999, I was not as confident as I am now.
It's quite funny. When I was a teenager I would
kick against, you know, looking too conservative when I was a
young woman and at that age in my kind of coming into my my mid
20s. I was very self-conscious.
I was bigger than I was, you know, at school and that and so
I felt like I needed to cover up.
I felt, if I'm honest with you, quite ashamed of how I looked
bodily and. So do you think you compensated
for that? So I did your clothing choices.
Choices. Right.
I did. So I was less.
That's a really, that was a really awkward period of my life
where I didn't feel confident. I'd gone from being this
confident child, very confident in my voice and and that and had
kind of descended into someone who wasn't confident.
Did do you think during that time you used clothes as your
armor in any way? Did it?
Did they give you if you got the clothing right, it gave you
power. It did, but I never really felt
powerful. I I gave the illusion of feeling
powerful and because I was so confident in my abilities, my
talent. But I I went through a stage
where I wasn't confident in anything aesthetically.
And did you have much help in terms of stylists to help you
sort of find who Beverly Knight is or was sartorially?
I did, but you weren't really finding.
It wasn't finding it because ultimately I wasn't happy with
me and my body. I I felt I was carrying far too
much weight for what I had carried my entire life.
I was always athletic. I was always, you know, didn't
have to make too much of an effort.
But I loved sport. And then you know what it's
like? You, you, you think you can get
away with eating what you like. You hit your mid 20s, you can't
get away. Suddenly you can't.
And I let me slide. So no matter what I put on, even
when the the the photos looked pretty decent, I didn't feel
great. So I didn't exude that
confidence and that what the kids call swagger, I didn't
exude that. And when, When do you feel that
you've found that when your power?
I came out the other end in around 2003, and I'm specific
with that because in the year 1999 I met a man, a gay man,
Tyrone, who very quickly became the closest friend I had.
And he was instrumental in helping me to find me again.
And you know. Was he a stylist or just a mate
who? Just a fabulous friend who was
fabulously himself and did not care.
And that taught me a lesson. He was so instrumental in
finding the woman that was hiding away in me.
And then how did that manifest itself in your clothing?
Choices. Oh, I I started to find the real
power in wearing things that made me feel sassy and
confident. I wouldn't.
It's funny, when I was a kid begged my mum for for this
little short rah rah dress as I as I'd said.
And then as an adult I started to cover up.
Oh I started to uncover again. I I I I felt physically.
I started to work on myself physically and that gave me the
confidence to put on a a a little skirt and not feel like
the whole world's looking and laughing.
And he would tell me how wonderful I looked.
So you felt better in your body? So I felt better in my body
which meant I've started to make better choices for myself and
and he really was at the helm of that.
I lost Tyrone in in 2003. Oh no, yes, sadly, really tough,
really tough. He was only 31 but you know AIDS
took him away. But but he really started to.
He planted that seed in me and from that point onwards I
started to really dress the best I'd ever dressed.
Have you ever made a clothing choice with him in mind, in sort
of in his memory, sort of thought put something on and
thought Tyrone would really, really get this?
All the time. That's lovely.
So he's still with. You.
He's still. Tyrone has never left me.
He's never left me. I wear him in my heart.
He's always there, his spirit is always there and the amount of
times I've put on something and thought he would lose his mind
for this. Oh, I love that.
I mean I performed at Mighty Hoopla and did my own set and
came out with a an all in one like a Unitard Patiri Moodler.
It was amazing and had it stoned covered in crystals from head to
foot and then had little bit like feathers added to it and
chained. So I I dramatic absolutely
extrovert. And I bounced onto that stage
and thought, you know, I'm here kids, here we go, you know, this
is me. And the crowd roared their
approval and all I could think of was Tyron, I wish you could
see this. You'd absolutely love this.
And then you'd want to borrow it.
Do you remember what you wore to his funeral?
I do. Did you get dressed up for him?
I did, I did. I wore a black suit, but I wore
a waistcoat and and and the like a three piece suit with a really
high heel and I had a brooch on the on the on the lapel just to
give a little bit of something. So I had this really like
structured power suit, power suit and I knew he would
approve. I knew he'd he'd love that with
a little polo underneath. And I knew he'd he'd he'd be
like, Oh yeah, that that looks good, babe.
You look good. I'm, I'm a big believer and we
should dress for the people that we're sending off.
Yeah, I I absolutely agree. It's not just, oh, I'll just
pull on whatever. I wanted him to know that I was
looking the best I could for him.
Beautiful, beautiful. Now I have to ask you about
this. Prince invited you to play at
his post Oscars party and I always think of Prince as a
complete style icon and I just wondered how you went about
choosing what you were going to wear for that performance.
This is what? Another great question.
Oh my God. So when I turned up in LA, I
didn't actually know why Prince wanted me there.
He never told me. He just said I want you to come
to LA this weekend. It was a Tuesday.
He wanted me on on the flight on the Saturday.
So I just turned up not having a clue.
I certainly wasn't dressed for a Oscars party, so I arrive
eventually. I discover because he phoned me
when I arrived in the hotel and told me he wanted me to get
dressed up because we're going to be going to a party tomorrow.
Had you Twitch? Have you put two and two
together? I.
Hadn't not until I woke up in the morning, the Sunday morning,
and saw the great and good of Hollywood.
And I thought, why, Why are all these a listers here?
You know, this is bit unusual. Turned on the TV and they were
like and we'll be transmitting live from the red carpet, blah
blah. It's the Oscars.
I wonder if I'm here for the Oscars.
Right. Great.
OK, can't be the actual Oscars. Maybe it's a party.
Went shopping. Straight to the Grove.
Went shopping. What did you find?
So found a gorgeous, gorgeous teal dress.
I thought colour. I love colour.
And he loved colour and he loved colour he.
Dressed in colour a lot. So I found this gorgeous teal
dress which was a really like a low V not not dissimilar to this
shape here which was kind of loose at the top but form
fitting at the bottom and teamed it with a a a high heel like
with a a a any crew kind of coloured high heel and bold
jewellery. I thought you know they're going
to see me coming, they are going to see me coming.
And luckily my friend DeAndre who is a fabulous makeup artist
of the stars was there to do my face and did my hair so and did
it in a in a ponytail. So I I felt really good, but I'm
so glad that, you know, I actually had the chance to go
shopping. So did you feel like Prince
approved? Yes, he definitely did.
He liked because he commented on what I was wearing.
So. Your new album, The 5th chapter,
Yes. Do you think of your life in
clothes through chapters? I do because I can identify the,
for a start, everything. I think my my, the way I dress
has gotten better as I've gotten older.
So I can identify certain periods of my life, certain
chapters with this is the the the me that was less confident.
This is the me where I found my confidence and you can see it in
the choices of clothes I made. This is the me where I really
came into my own. And I would say that happened in
the past decade. I just I I started to feel my
most confident, my most powerful from my 40s onward.
Well, welcome to the club. No, but I, I it's I'm seeing so
many women in their 50s and 60s who are talking about finding
their power. Yes.
And it's just lovely. It's fantastic.
This is the best I've ever felt about myself.
And I I'm so glad about it because I I because of that.
It's so interesting how the minute you, you know who you
are, you know your strength, you know your challenges.
You know what suits you. You know what really doesn't.
But more than that, I'm willing to try.
That's what's great. Before I would dismiss things
out of hand without even trying them on.
Now I'll try it all and then say actually that's best, that's not
quite working, This looks great and and and making much better
choices. 50th birthday outfit, that.
Was that was another that was this.
I've I've been doing a lot of kind of unitard things.
I I threw a party on my 50th but it was a gig, so it was a a gig
come party and. Oh, it's the happy space.
Isn't it? That's right that that's where
I'm most happy. So I I had another unitard, but
it was a silver look. Masses of hair and.
But it was a very brave. I mean, it's beautiful.
Yes, very brave and sexy. Yes, Sorry, we're on the flight
path today. Yet another helicopter goes
overhead. Going, they keep, they keep.
Going around, they know you're here, they know you're here,
they're spying. But no, just tell me the because
it was quite it had quite a lot of sheer panels.
Sheer panels form unitards are form fitting, completely form
fitting. Lots of sheer panels and very
daring. Very daring.
Yes. Fabulous.
I I wanted to make a statement on that day specifically to say
OK this is what 50 look like, this is what 50 looks like guys
you know? Just getting started I am.
The, the, the, the, the Ferrari is getting into those fast
gears, you know, get ready and silver with mesh panelling all
the way through. And there were gasps when I
walked out. Oh.
Great. And shoes.
And the shoes I wore let me think.
I think it was a boot. I actually, I think it was boots
because when I perform, I like to make sure that, you know, I'm
pretty sturdy. It's.
Nothing better than a boot for holding your foot in place.
Yeah, absolutely. And I think it was a a a black
boot. I'm pretty sure it was,
actually. I'd have to remind myself, but
I'll always remember the the, the, the, the silver and looking
at myself thinking, yeah, this is, this is good.
Did you choose a high heel? Did you?
Choose it with James. I didn't choose it with James.
I chose it with my stylist Carl. But I chose it with James in
mind. I won't even pretend I wanted
James to go. Oh my God, that's my.
Wife and I I am sure he did. He did.
Now I've noticed a bit of latex creeping in.
You totally smashed it when you collected your Olivier Award.
Congratulations. How did the latex dress come
about? That was just an incredible look
on you. Thank you so much.
The the Olivier Awards are, you know, the the the pinnacle of
British theatre and people will dress but have their best red
carpet glam. But it's often quite what I
would call a traditional red carpet look.
A lot of younger people go for the sequin glitzy thing and I
thought, I want to buck against all of that.
I want to wear something which is really edgy, something which
might be more at home at, I don't know, the L style awards
or something like that. Something that was very, very
fashion forward and that would make the the your typical Oscars
kind of regular go. Oh again with 50 in mind.
So Latex was the order of the day.
I thought they'll give him something to talk about.
And the other thing I thought was this is my third time being
nominated for an Olivier Award, of which I was so, you know,
honoured to be. Did you have any?
Any feeling in your gut that it might be you?
I felt it might be me. I really did feel that way.
And I thought, well, if it's me, I want to give him a look to
remember. If it's not me, I want to give
him a hook to remember. I thought, I'm going to win that
red carpet if I'm not taking home a Winnie, a a a little Mini
Larry. Luckily for me.
You you did both. You won the won the red carpet.
You've got to talk me through the process of getting into a
latex dress, though. There were two things I 'cause I
I had two different looks. I had the red part.
I noticed there was one with sleeves.
With the sleeves, so it was a a top and bottom.
The top, which was the long sleeve right up to the neck.
I had to be, quite frankly, lots of Lube, Lube.
But aren't you frozen with all of that Lube on you?
And then the latex? Isn't it freezing?
Cold. First it was cold, but it was a
a warm day in the sun, so I warmed up pretty quickly.
And then you're baking. And then I was hot and somebody
asked me on the red carpet, one of the journals, oh, you're not
hot in that. And I was like, oh, I'm not too
bad gluing. Yeah.
So yes, that was lots of Lube. But the skirt which I stepped
into and then they pulled it up. Talc.
So there was talc at the bottom, Lube at the top.
Oh my God, how hysterical. I I mean just comedy.
So. And the reason that there was
Lube at the top is that I was changing into my kind of, you
know, just the the the what I was going to wear for the rest
of the ceremony. I had the red carpet look
specifically and then the rest of the ceremony and that was
short sleeve. So we didn't want me to have any
residue at all of talc, which would have.
That would have been quite a look, wouldn't it?
Exactly. Lube.
Not so much. I did, just looked quite shiny.
So the the look I had was a a, a shorter, a sleeve like a muscle
sleeve and then our very high neck.
Yeah, and an amazing piece of jewelry.
And and jewelry. Yeah.
So. And then I I, you know, put my
arms in and then just sit me up at the back.
Kept the skirt. Wow.
And and then they went around literally buffing it.
So it was really shiny. Really.
Shiny Who was it?
By Who? Who made it?
I want to get the name right, so Aksuto Kudo, Japanese designer
and. The silhouette was brilliant.
Thank you. I mean, you know, amazing
silhouette underneath it. Can I just say that?
Thank you so much. In all the different shows
you've performed in, was that one particular character or set
of costumes that you felt most you in?
Certainly the look that I I loved the most of the character
that I played and I just love the look, was playing Faye
Treadwell where I had to wear a lot of 50s and then evolving
into the 60s and then the 70s. That kind of 50s, sixties, 70s
look where fashion for me really kind of exploded in its bold
choices from quite neat and conservative and lines to, you
know, all the way through the 70s floating.
I loved that look, but everything I've worn so far has
very much been a costume. Playing Rachel Marron in The
Bodyguard, There were a lot of kind of Rachel Marron in her
casual clothes, but they weren't really casual clothes that I
would wear. And certainly playing Grizabella
with a cat outfit? Definitely not.
Oh. My God and all that makeup and
all. That makeup also playing Felicia
Farrell in Memphis that was very much set in the 50s with, you
know, form fitting dresses and you know, that kind of starlet
silhouette that that was gorgeous.
Again, not necessarily what I would wear, but I appreciated
those those looks. I thought, you know, back in the
day, I'd have loved to dress. Like this?
How do you go about choosing what you know when you're doing
Royal Variety or your own shows? How do you go about choosing
your costumes for that? Part of me has the event in
mind, so I will think so for, for example, Royal Variety.
The Royals are going to be there.
So no red latex. So I won't be wearing red latex,
but you know, I still want to give them a look, you know.
So my go to is give them colour because colour can say so much
no matter what the cut of the, the, the, the outfit is.
If you're giving them colour, especially a strong colour, you
know it. It says so much about your own
personality and how you're feeling.
So that is always my go to. I start with color, whatever it
is, make sure I've got color and and and go from there.
Really. I also think you do amazing
things with your hair. That performance that you gave
on strictly when you had the little plaits in the front and
then that mass of hair. It was so beautiful, Beautiful.
Thank you. Loved that that look.
Was I? I I wanted to almost give a nod
to a warrior queen. That.
Was what I wanted. It was.
So powerful. And yet you were sitting and
that was just doubly powerful. You weren't all out there.
Do you know what I mean? I just love the the
contradiction really. Yes, I I wanted a very powerful
look. But because the reason I was
sitting was because I'd injured my foot, I I read it.
Yeah, but actually I thought it worked so.
Well, so I thought. Well, I'm going to give a whole
look. I've got this powerful look.
You were in your throne. I'm on a throne, I'm going to
sit just sideways, so you just get the the, the, the just leg
and cross legged and draped across this, this, this thing
singing the song. And I thought that's that is a
very powerful look in and of itself, you know?
It really was. Strength.
That's what I want you to show. Now I'm curious about Jamaica.
Yes, your parents are from. Yes, they are.
And you, I I've read bits about you going to Jamaica for the
first time and I just wondered, did the island, indeed the
Islanders or your heritage have any sort of impact on your style
when you were on the island? Did your style of Volvo tour
when you were on the island for the first time?
Oh, that's. Absolutely brilliant.
My look became you. It is it's it's a it's a
brilliant question. And you're right, because my
look became more fun, interesting.
I I introduced more patterns and local patterns.
Yeah, yeah, a lot more. Kind of.
I I I did a little bit of of kind of look at how people in
general dress and people in Jamaica, they go hell for
leather on colour, on fabric, on loud.
I would say Jamaicans tend to be quite young.
Jamaicans are very loud in the way they dress.
If you've ever seen any of the athletics teams, the the they've
got all kinds of colours in their hair, which I embraced for
a little while and. The nails.
The nails and the you know, my generation will remember Flo Jo.
It's Flo Jo. Do you know to the NTH?
Degree on steroids, Yeah, absolutely.
So that is the, that is the the, the, the look of of young
Jamaica and I think it encouraged me to just go for it
a bit more. So I wore fabrics which were
more to do with Jamaica, rootsy Jamaica.
So I had my hair went into head wraps and you know, colourful
head wraps with like a kente cloth.
Did you buy much when you were there that first trip?
A lot of those head wraps were bought there, yeah.
Loads and loads and loads of colour and little, little tops,
You know, very bright colors. Just because I I could The sun
shining always. It's always hot.
Never ever, ever cold. Cold to a Jamaican is maybe
2223° and then moaning about it's cold.
It might be cooler, it's not cold.
So I embraced that side that that fun.
And the freedom. The.
Freedom that temperature gives you.
Absolutely. You can wear, you know, clothes
which are a bit more sheer, you know and and feel completely
confident in that and it just had so much more fun.
Who would you say you dress for? I dress for me.
When I was younger, I I I would say I dressed so that people
wouldn't. Judge you.
Judge me they did because people could see that the clothes were
wearing me. I weren't wearing the clothes.
The clothes were wearing me. And that was where I made my
biggest fashion. I was going to say worst
fashion, worst fashion moment. Do you remember one in
particular? I remember getting really camed
for it in the in the the, the, the glossies.
I wore a Missoni dress which just was ill fitting, didn't
look good. Stripes were going across me and
it it just looked awful. I looked horrendous.
How did the dress come about? I I thought, oh, Missoni
Missoni's a wonderful label and speaks to, you know, in my head
I'm thinking kind of chic Italian, you know that?
Can't get it wrong because it's a designer label.
Designer label and well you can and I did and the actual fit
just didn't didn't work for me at.
All what, what lesson did you take out of that, that sort of
horrible experience of being criticized?
Yeah, at first. I realized eventually that the
clothes would be wearing me and. But because it it was a lesson
that I was slow to learn, I kept making that error, that same
error going to labels to somehow validate my fashion, you know
know how or fashion look. But it wasn't who I was.
So it I would look awkward and again, the magazines would be
like, what's she wearing? Not that there was something
inherently wrong with the clothing.
What was wrong was me in it. Interesting.
And I and I eventually learned that lesson.
And again, that was where Tyrone came in and learned to dress for
me and what would work with me as opposed to working trying to
fight to square peg round hole. I finally thank you Lord, I
found I I got there in the end. When do you think the Sony thing
was? That was yeah.
I mean I got brutalized for that.
So how do you? Think you really found your
fashion mojo? So found your style DNA.
Definitely. It was definitely in my 40s when
actually it coincided with me doing theatre and so, so late on
really, I think I I I moved towards it.
I started on that journey in my 30s.
I'd lost Tyrone by then, but I I started in that journey.
But by the time I hit my 40s I definitely was much more
comfortable. I think it was the contrast
between wearing a a a a a a a a costume and seeing myself in the
mirror look like someone who wasn't me, and knowing once I'd
taken off that costume, looking in the mirror and saying, ah,
there I am. Interesting, if that makes
sense. Makes complete sense, yeah.
If someone were to describe your style DNA in three words, how
would you want them to describe you?
Colorful because I do love color.
Even when the color is a bit more neutral like it is today,
it's still colorful. Thank you.
Colorful. I would say structured.
I tend to like lines because I'm not so tall and I'm pretty slim
I don't like things to to I I I'm not I I I wouldn't get away
with like when I see models wearing something that's really
Vol volumous you know that would right where you can see just leg
for days but there's lots of material you just see leg.
I'd love to do that. I can't get away with that.
I know what works for me. Structured things with clean
lines work for me. So I'd say structured.
And the third thing I would say is I want to say eclectic,
because some days I I dress like today is quite a chic look.
Other days I might look more rock'n'roll.
You know, I want to wear a little like a leather jacket
with a little slogan, rock T-shirt and a skinny Jean or a
flared Jean with a, you know, and have that kind of rock look.
And in other days, I might come in my completely unitard with
stones and feathers and my, what I would call a diva look.
So yeah, I'd say eclectic. So we have got colourful,
structured and eclectic. Eclectic, yeah, boom, boom,
boom. I think that's really good.
Do you think you've got a style icon?
There are two women that I admire greatly.
One is a woman who I loved but far too terrified to look like
Nice Skin lead singer, Skunk and Nancy.
She's got great style, hasn't she?
She looks incredible all the time AT shirt with a Jean
incredible. You know I saw her lately the
the the the last time I saw her was she was I think she was
performing for Chanel and she had on a a leather it's like a
dungaree. Chanel, hopefully.
Yeah, I think it was a Chanel dungaree with the quite bold
buttons and and and like a thick thick straps form fitting, but
the leg was quite straight and and then cropped.
I wonder if she was involved in the design of that with the
design. Team, It wouldn't surprise me if
she would. And then a signature bald head
and the makeup, really strong eyes and just the defiant way
she was looking at the camera. And I thought, I am in love with
you. I've loved her forever.
I've told her I know her really well.
I've told her over and over again she is a style queen.
I there are aspects of what she might wear that I've I've I've
taken like she had on these amazing McQueen boots once and I
found them and had to buy them, but I couldn't look like her
because she is so singularly her, you know, and she's just
beautiful. I love her so much.
Yeah, I think you've got a good one there.
You said you said 2. The other person who I've taken
aspects of as I've gotten older, definitely I've taken aspects of
her look and probably wouldn't be surprising, is Tina Turner.
Good look for you. Absolutely good look for you.
She she my height. As she got older she shrank.
But I've I another woman I've met about my height and and a
similar build to me, quite athletic.
So someone who I could look at and say that would suit me.
It looks good on her. I'm pretty sure that would suit
me. When I did a Tina Turner tribute
on Strictly, I knew I wanted to wear a chainmail dress that was
tiny, tiny, tiny. And it was based on something
she had worn in the past. And I just knew instinctively it
would it would work. And it really did.
And I thought Tina was so much about her leg.
Yeah. Legs.
Plural. So.
And so I thought, that's how I'm gonna honor her short dress.
Love it. Short and legs.
Love it. I would.
I mean, I just have those memories of of Tina Turner and
all of that fantastic ALYA leather.
Like in the 80s. Oh my God, in the 90s she just
rocked it. She really, really did.
And she's. A vintage liar for you.
Oh. Absolutely would love that.
Do you archive all your important looks?
You know, ones that you've collected your mobos or your
oliviers in, or your MBE in? Do you archive those I've got?
Some pieces I've had sadly had to hand back because because
they were borrowed, but the ones that I could keep, I absolutely
have. I remember wearing like a very
long this was the first time I felt I felt really good in an
outfit, a blanket. It was a it was a coat, but it
was like wool and it like a like a blanket.
That's the best way I can describe it.
The arms were fitted to me but the the the body of it looked
like a almost like a shawl like a blanket and it and and it
fitted in and then it flared all the way out and I'm and I'm in
the videos for the video made it back.
My hair is very short and I'm walking with purpose down the
street and it's raining and it's windy and then so the the, the,
the, the coat kind of blows back and it looks really powerful.
And I kept that as a moment where I felt strong and powerful
and that was coincided with my career really taking on a a, a
trajectory that just was upward. And so that was an important
look for me. When I got my MB, EI had on a
whole cream ensemble by Jasper Conran, which I still have, and
this huge platform shoes which would cry towered over the
Queen. It was ridiculous, yes.
So I I I had to hand back the the, the, the hat.
But I kept that look. And you keep them all
immaculately. Oh, they're in.
They're in their the, the covers, the cover bag, you know.
Yeah. There's certain things I just, I
keep. I think they're, I can look back
and say that was a moment in my life.
Yeah, you know and and and it's like.
A diary, isn't it? It is like a.
Diary and when I think of these great exhibitions, now that you
see at the VNA the artists are often doing, I think Kylie was
probably the latest one. I think it's important to have
these looks, you know, to archive them because they point
to such important points in my life.
Some are because I won an award and some are because this
specific thing happened at that specific time, and it speaks to
the rest of how my career has gone.
But I think it's so important to to treasure those moments.
Women hang on to wedding dresses for the same reason.
You know, I've got my wedding dresses, I.
Was going to say I hope you're. Absolutely.
But these moments are so important.
My, my. One of the the the looks that
I've held onto that was such a proud moment in my career was
the Paralympics. When I opened, I sang in the the
the opening ceremony. I was the last act, so I closed
the opening ceremony and I sang I am what I am and did my own
arrangement on it. And what did you wear?
Had a custom made halter neck dress which was a color which
was close to my own skin color, but again stoned quite.
Form fitting. So I looked like AI was on this
vast stage, you know, at the Olympic Stadium.
And I knew that there was going to be loads and loads and loads
of lights. They were going to get the
audience to have lights on them. Not dissimilar to how Coldplay
if you've ever seen Coldplay in concert with the lights I I have
to where the audience become part of the light show.
Well I myself was going to be part of that so I would twinkle
and so the dress was completely kind of tonal but the the stones
were in tiny tiny stones in different colors.
So I I I not like a glitter ball because that's a little bit
weird, but more just kind of this beautiful twinkle of a soft
tone form fitted and then just kind of fell from the knee
outward and puddled around me. It was a gown and I just felt
really statuesque. It was so beautiful.
And I've got that and I look at
that sometimes. You ever worn it again?
Or. Wouldn't you?
Because was it just that moment? Was it almost like a wedding
dress? You.
It was. Like a wedding dress for me.
I did actually wear it one more time where I I was.
It was a Bond themed. Perfect.
Little bond Goddess A a, a party.
It was a private party and I kept thinking, what am I going
to wear? What am I?
I know what I'll wear that dress.
And I wore it and I actually sang Licensed to Kill for my.
Friends. Oh, I love it.
Is your wardrobe phenomenally well organized?
No, the answer is no. It's actually quite messy.
I do need to put it in some kind of an order.
But that takes time, doesn't it? Does.
Take time and I'm always running here, there and everywhere.
Everything is looked after. Yeah, but I know where things
are. But if someone had to find a
dress for me in my wardrobe, they'd just go.
We have a saying in our family, organized chaos.
Absolutely, absolutely. Talking about, let's talk about
travel for a moment. Yes, you're a well known face,
so are you particularly aware of what you're wearing through the
airport? Yes, yes I am.
And I know that people will go night.
They usually see my hair and my hair's a bit slicker today.
But usually they see my my big kind of curls and go, that's
definitely Beverly Knight. Oh, they'll hear me singing.
So I I'm aware of how I look and I will dress accordingly.
I want to be comfortable, but I still want to look good, you
know. So I I I will always be mindful
of of going through the airport and just being on the plane in
in general. Good Packer, bad Packer.
Really good. I've learned over the years I
will purposely look at my clothes and keep it as lean as
possible in case there's more shopping to be done.
So I will say OK, this I can wear with that and that and that
and that, right? Great.
This is a look I I I tend to shop in a pack in looks that
will all complement each other so that I can get the maximum
amount of wear but have quite a slim.
Room Room for the shopping. Always room for talking about
room for the shopping. What luggage do you use?
I don't have any kind of what I would call high end luggage, but
I I have good old faithful antler because it's reliable and
does the joint around. I'm always nervous of what the
baggage handlers are going to do and so if I'm wearing, if I'm
using antler, I know it's robust, it's sturdy, but colour,
it's like yeah, it's a Peach coloured, it's a set because I
have to have a set and it, you know, from the little to the the
the big tour and it's it's a set and it's a Peach kind of just
with a little bit of a metallic look like pearlescent that's
better, not metallic pearlescent look.
And so I can see it as it's going around the carousel.
I think we're giving way too much information away because I
have never seen a Peach set of antler, but now I know if I see
it coming round the carousel. Yeah, it's gorgeous.
It's ridged. It might make Beverly's on the
plate, yeah. Exactly.
I do look at those women who
have got Louis Vuitton, You know, the cases.
And I do think they look so gorgeous.
You know, the hard cases particularly.
I mean, I do have a soft kind of Louis bag, but but generally if
I'm going on a long trip, it's the hard shell.
Practical. Practical.
Let's talk about your approach to sustainable fashion.
Yes. What's your views on that?
How do you how do you approach it?
There was a time when if it looked good, I'm going to buy
it. No thought to anything else.
Now you know it it it's that old spider man saying with with you
know with the the the the the great knowledge the
responsibility comes to with the power you have to use it
responsibly and now I will not think anything of wearing and
wearing again and wearing again. Now I'm embracing the pre loved,
as they call it. Yeah, there's so many pre love
sites where you can and get a vintage something.
Are you a keen vintage shopper I love?
It. I love it.
So favorite little haunts or favorite sites for that could?
Be so I go to Vestiere, which is lovely, which is brilliant,
yeah. But there's one that I've just
discovered. Oh, shed.
It's called the Real, real. Oh, it's.
Fantastic, isn't it brilliant? Yeah, I mean, you got to pay
your import fees. I was going to say it because
it's American, isn't it? It's American.
Yeah. So there are the import fees.
However, some of the things you find because America, because
there's so much more to choose from.
You know it just find fabulous the finds.
Oh my God. And are you buying clothing as
well as accessories? All of it, All of it.
All of it. It's the the I find that
something like Chanel jewellery which you know the costume
jewellery and the fine jewellery, they they're, they're
such kind of specific pieces you can look at something and go,
ah, that was from, you know the mid 90s when Chanel was doing
this. You know there was a period
where the camellia kind of was everywhere.
You can go to those sites and just find them.
You can type it in and and. There they are.
And I think there's something quite reassuring about those
sites and the fact that they have authenticated all the
pieces. So that exactly yes, you you
feel that if you buy that piece of vintage Chanel it is going to
be the real thing you? Can shop with confidence.
Do you have a piece in your wardrobe that might be quite old
that means the most to you? So one piece.
I do. I have a little, and it's now
quite battered. Catherine Hamlet Leather Bomber.
Oh, I'm jealous. It's very very very thin, supple
fine, fine fine leather and there's a little tear in it
which I must get repaired on the on the sleeve.
But it's tiny like a little really like a shrunken bomber.
You know when I put my hands in the pockets my hands are kind of
appear almost by my my my bust kind of like a you know how
Gucci with the round collar and the the the the the like that
you. Know and did you buy it new or
did you buy that vintage? And I bought it new when?
In 1996. Great, That's.
Sustainability for you? Absolutely.
And I love it and I wear it to this day.
It, I mean it's one of those little finds that every time I
look at it, I think thank God, I bought that, thank God.
And didn't get rid of it. And I never got rid of it.
On that note, what do you do with your clothes when you've
had enough of them? Depending on what it is some I
will give away to like you know the crisis shops we've got one
right near me and and they do really well they they put
together, their window displays are amazing and then sometimes I
will sell because I and what. Platform will you use to sell?
So again, vestiere vestiere getting a lot of love.
Yeah, but also D Pop. Yeah, God, but I don't you love
the the circularity of what's going on now?
Exactly. Exactly.
You know who? Who really inspires me with all
of that is Olivia Firth, because she's so much about the
sustainer, the sustainability of clothing and and encouraging
people to wear and wear. Again, I love the idea that
something that I wore and loved and treasured and still has
value, you know, and people will still pay for.
I can put it on a site, you know, and then somebody else
down the line is going to get so much joy from that piece.
Vice versa. The same for me.
I totally agree. I think it's so rewarding to see
this gorgeous piece go on a whole new journey.
Yeah, yeah. And I know if there are certain
sites like Depop and like you know Vestia, the different ends
of the of the buying scale, but it's it's for people who really
do value the clothes that they're looking for and that
they buy the way that I would. No, it's lovely.
Now let's spin on some quick fire questions.
What fashion advice would you give your 20 year old self?
Be bolder. Stop hiding.
Don't be ashamed of who you are. Which fashion trend would you
most like to see make a comeback?
The 50s fitted suits. Fashion or beauty trend that you
would consign to room one O 1. Frosted pink lip No.
Your last impulse? Buy a.
Tom Ford dress Costa. Vestiere or full price?
Oh. Vestiere.
Your views on tattoos? I like them, Not for me.
Beauty treatment you couldn't give up.
Oh, a Hydrafacial? Everyone says that really, I've
got to get one high end or High Street.
High end. Don't shrink away from it, bling
or bear. Oh, bling.
Minimalism or maximalism? Maximalism.
Couture or charity shop? Couture.
Crocs. Cute or puke?
Puke sneakers or stilettos? Sneakers.
Red carpet or relax? Red carpet.
Trend or style? Style.
Experimental or uniform? Experimental.
Cashmere or cotton? Cashmere.
Hoarder or editor? Hoarder, shapewear or sexy
lingerie? Sexy lingerie.
Tights or stockings? Tights.
Bikini or One Piece? Bikini.
Beanie or Berry? Beret.
Finally, one last question. At the end of the day, what do
you or don't you wear in bed? I don't wear anything a smile.
A smile. I love that.
My goodness, Beverly, what a wonderful, wonderful
conversation. Thank you in your incredibly
hectic life for giving me this time.
It's an absolute pleasure. Thank you so much for having me.
What a pleasure, what a pleasure.