2019-07-01_HelloMagazine_UK

production technician James

O’Keefe,in 2012 andthepairhave

recentlybeenjoinedbytwo-year-

oldrescuedogZainfromSpain.

“I’veonlyeverneededtobe

responsibleformyself,sonow

I’m responsibleforthistinylittle

four-leggedboy,”shesaysofthe

Frenchbulldog-boxercross.

Shehasneverwantedtohave

children, which James is

“completelycoolwith”.Although

otherpeople,shesays,lookather

with:“Eithersuspicionorpity,

never:‘Oh,okay.’ButI knewallmy

childrenwouldbesongs.”

Shelikesfosteringyoungtalent.

“It’sinmynaturetobea mentor,to

bethatAuntyBevwiththearm

aroundyou– that’sjustthewayI

am.MynieceSophiehasjustcome

back from LA whereshe was

singingat a gig.I’malwaysadvising

her.She’sa damngoodsinger.”

DAYSOFWONDER

Beverley’s anniversary year is

provingtobebusy.HerSongsof

StevieWondertour,whichcame

aboutaftersheperformedhis

hitsforBBCRadio 2’sFridayNight

is Music Night last year, runs

throughoutOctober.

“Steviehasinfluencedjustabout

everysinglemusician– R&B,soul,

funkornot.Hehasbeena huge

forceinmusicandcontinuestobe

onetothisday.”

Does she feel a sense of

responsibilitytodohissongsjustice?

“Well,I’msingingsongsthat

werewrittenandsungbya man,so

there’salreadya twist.There’sno

fearofmimicryorkaraoke.You

have to give an honestvocal

rendition,andthat’sa goodthing.”

ShewillbeperformingwithBilly

Oceanat theKewtheMusicconcert

inLondoninJulyandinOctober

shewillmakea guestappearance

singing at an Andrea Bocelli

concertinBirmingham.There’s

alsoanotherrunina WestEnd

stageshowinthepipeline.

“It’sexhaustingbutbrilliant,”

shesaysofthemusicaltheatre

experience.“Youwakeupinthe

morningandthink:‘Ahh,I’vegot

noenergy,I can’tdoit.’Thenyou

goandwarmupandthink:‘I’vegot

a headache,I feelterrible.’Then

thelightscomeonandit’s:‘Ta-da!’

I’vegotallthattocome.”

Foranother 25 years?

“Ofcourse.There’llbeas

manyyearsasI havebreath.”

woman,anda Britishblackwoman

makingsoul.”

Thesedays Beverley, 46,oozes

confidencefromeverypore,butshe

remembers the insecurities that

doggedherasa youngartist.She

recordedherfirstsingleaged 21 in

1994,whenBritpopwasatitsheight

andthemusicalfashionwas,shesays,

“youngwhiteladsplayingguitars,

lookingat theirshoes”.

Therewasalso,shefeels,implicit

racisminthewaythemusicindustry

consideredher“maybetoodark”.

“It was easier to market someone

whowasmuchlighter,withmore

Europeanfeatures,”shesays.Shefelt

like“asquarepegina roundhole”.

“I’vealwaysbeenanoptimistic,

happyanddrivenperson,andI was

verysecureaboutmyselfinmymusic,

butI wasa boffin.AndI wasinsecure

abouthowI looked.I feltI hadallthe

things thatwereneeded – strong

musicandvocals– exceptwhata star

wasmeanttolooklike.ThenI started

toputonweightinmymid-20s,which

made mefeel sluggish.I justfelt

terribleaboutmyappearance.”

It wasn’t until her friend Tyrone

cameintoherlife– “likea comet”–

andtoldherthatshehadan“inner

fabulousness”thatsheslowlybeganto

believeinherself.

“Hesetmeonmyjourneyto looking

andfeelingmorelikeme.It tookyears

andyearsbutnow,inmylater40s,I’m

secure.If peopletrytotellyouwhat

youshouldbedoing,atthisage,you

canslapthem downveryquickly.

There’sa respect that’snaturally

affordedtoyou.”

TheWolverhampton-bornstaris

justashappyinherpersonallife.She

married her long-term partner,

‘If people try to tell

you what you should

be doing, at this

age, you can slap

them down quickly’

INTERVIEW:ROSALINDPOWELL

PHOTOS:DAVIDVENNI

STYLING:ALEXANDRIAREID

HAIR:NATASHAJOHN-LEWIS

MAKE-UP:YASMINABENTAIEB

Beverley’sSongsof StevieWondertourruns

throughoutOctober. For tickets, visit

livenation.co.uk.

H

ADDITIONAL PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES. (LEFT) JUMPSUIT: AMANDA WAKELEY. EARRINGS: SORU AT FENWICK. SHOES: KURT GEIGER. (RIGHT) SUIT: DEBORAH LYONS. SHOES: TERRY DE HAVILLAND. EARRINGS: BAUBLEBAR AT FENWICK

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