2019-07-01_HelloMagazine_UK

SOUL S NGER WITH SO MUC TO CEL BRATE

ON HER RISE TO THE TOP AND A SPECIAL

HOMAGE TO H R MUSICAL HERO

BEVERLEY KNIGHT

T

he first and only time Beverley Knight met Stevie

Wonderwasona memorablenightinHollywood.

She’dreceiveda surpriseinvitationfromUSsinger-

songwriterPrincetocometoLosAngelesandhad

dutifullyflownout.

“I didn’tknowwhatI wasdoingthere– he’sPrince,he

doesn’tneedtotellyouanything,”Beverleysaysofthe

laterocklegend,as shetalkstohello!betweenthrowing

shapesforour1970s soul-inspiredphotoshoot.

It turnedoutthatthePurpleRainstarwantedherto

singwithhimata partyhewasgivingovertheOscars

weekendinFebruary2008. Itwaswhiletheywereon

stagethatStevieWonderwasledthroughthecrowdand

joinedthemtosinga setofhissongs.

“I lookbacknowandthink:‘Didthatactuallyhappen?’

It wasa crazynight,insane,andsucha greatmemory.”

Elevenyearslater,Beverleyis backperformingStevie

Wonder hits, this time on a ten-date UK tour. She says the

legendarymusician“couldnotfailtohavehada serious

impressiononmylifeandmymusic”.

ONWARDSANDUPWARDS

Celebrating 25 yearsinthemusicindustrythisyear,the

soulsingerandstagestaris ina reflectivemoodasshe

looksbackona careerinwhichshehasaccruedTop 10

hitsincludingShouldaWouldaCouldaandComeas YouAre,

a platinum-sellingcompilationalbumandthreeMobo

awards.In 2013 shewoncriticalacclaimaftermakingher

WestEnddebutplayingtheleadinTheBodyguard. She

hassincestarredinMemphisandCats.

Whatisshemostproudof?Shedoesn’thesitate:

“ThatI’mstillhere, 25 yearslater.Mycareerhasn’t

flatlinedorplateaued.Thetrajectoryis stillupward

andthat’sveryunusual,beinga woman,anda black

V

DRESS: HOUSE OF CB. RING: GIOVANNI RASPINI. EARRINGS: SORU AT FENWICK

72