That's all for today!
Thanks everyone! Until next time. Remember, you can see Beverley on tour this spring in the UK.
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'Marriage has just made me more passionate about people being as happy as I am'
David Chick asks:
Do you think marriage has changed how you write music?
Guardian contributor I think that marriage has just made me more passionate about people being as happy as I am. I'm a very happy Bev!
'My favourite song of all time is Sam Cooke's A Change is Gonna Come'
ungainlyBLOBBER asks:
Hi there!
If I told you every piece of music in human history was about to get wiped from existence but you could save one recording. What would you save?
Guardian contributor That is the hardest question in the world, and it's also brilliant, and my brain is going to hurt for the rest of the day now. My favourite song of all time is Sam Cooke's A Change is Gonna Come. But it would be a travesty if the world never heard Bitches Brew by Miles Davis.
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KatieMB asks:
What do you prefer, touring your own songs and albums or appearing in West End shows? What is next for you after this tour?
Guardian contributor What is next? After I finish the tour, and the forthcoming album, I roll straight into rehearsals for The Bodyguard in July, but before any of that, look out for me singing a little number at the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations. I'm not very busy at all.
ungainlyBLOBBER asks:
Do you think you would have similar career success if you were starting out at 21 in 2016 rather than the mid 90’s?
Guardian contributor That is a really interesting question. And I think as challenging as it was, to be a black female R&B/soul singer, in a Britain that was celebrating all things Britpop - I came out in the middle of that! - at least back then I had a chance to develop my craft as an artist. New artists, to me, don't have the luxury of time to develop any more. You need to be a hit now. Oh, you're not? Bye! Prince only became the superstar that he is today at album number six, which was Purple Rain. Just my little nerd reference...
jcedwards asks:
Beverly, Brexit: are you in or out?
Guardian contributor The out brigade has some "interesting" characters, dare I say dubious. Having said that, the EU needs reform like yesterday.
David Hewitt asks:
Can’t wait to see you on tour in June!
How is the album shaping up? Do we have any idea of release dates and whether we will hear anything from it on the tour?!
Guardian contributor The album is sounding bloody brilliant, if I may say so myself. I am so proud of this record, and hold tight for a big announcement about release dates and titles... you will absolutely get a sneaky preview of songs when I'm on the road.
Amer Hussain asks:
Hi - I have a 13 year old daughter (dreamer) who loves to sing – should I encourage or discourage her? In my opinion she’s ok but not superstar material...
Guardian contributor Absolutely encourage her to sing. It's not everybody's dream to be up front, centre stage, but singing gives so much joy to yourself and if you're decent to everybody else! Let her do it because she loves it, and it makes her happy.
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Tanveer Bassan asks:
What would you have done differently in your career if you had the chance to go through your life again?
Guardian contributor I am happy at how my career has gone. When I look back, even the things that seemed tough at the time, I now realise just were a steep learning curve. A couple of deals, and business decisions I made were perhaps not the best, but that means now I pay attention to any kind of business proposal that's put in front of me.
ID1519791 asks:
What’s you perfect Sunday?
Guardian contributor I love when I have time to go home to Wolverhampton, all the family piles round Mum's house for a proper full-on West Indian Sunday dinner, and then Mum makes trifle at the end, but swaps out the cold custard for butterscotch Angel Delight. I love watching films on a Sunday - a good Sunday film would be something like Evan Almighty, because my Mum can watch too. Once Mum's gone to bed then the real film-watching can begin - something like Kill Bill or American Psycho. Fabulous!
GoodbyeEurope asks:
Marmite yay or nay?
Guardian contributor A massive yes. I love Marmite. I don't eat bread much at all, but I will smash to pieces a bit of toast with real butter and Marmite on top. That is a treat.
Kara Grimes asks:
Hi! Do you have any little rituals or superstitions you have to do before you go on stage??
Guardian contributor My band and I always gather in my room, the Courvoisier gets poured into shot glasses, and everybody downs a shot in one except me, because I always have a cup of tea!
philipphilip99 asks:
When bumping into Robert Plant at the Molineux have you ever thought of suggesting a duet?
Guardian contributor I love Planty - I've got a great picture of me with him on my phone. I've seen him at Molineux. You never know... one day that duet might just happen. And it would probably be something quite bluesy, that's where we've got common ground.
Terry Arnold asks:
Biggest musical influences? If you could choose any renowned songwriter to pen a song for you,who would it be? Love your voice, strong,sweet and soulful. Looking forward to seeing you live soon.
Guardian contributor Prince, Sam Cooke, Aretha, Chaka Khan. I grew up with these guys plus a whole army of others. My ear would always lend itself to anyone who had a great voice. And there are so many elements of varied vocalists who made their way into my own vocal style - for example, as a child, I always wanted to be able to sing high notes in full voice, and not falsetto voice, the way that Chaka Khan always does. So I practised and practised until I could do just that.
Songwriters, I'd love Carole King to write something just for me. She writes such powerful songs from a woman's point of view, but they always capture everyday experiences in everyday language.
texavery asks:
Your cover of Twist and Shout to celebrate 50 years of the release of Please Please Me was absolutely blistering! Did you have to do any special vocal exercises prior to the performance or was it just business as usual?
Guardian contributor I sang the song the way I heard it in my head. I wanted to take it back to its Isley Brothers roots - of course it's not widely known that Twist and Shout was actually a cover. I just wanted to take people to church.
Aaron Fuller asks:
Will there be any songs from the various musicals you’ve been involved with on the album or tour?
Guardian contributor I will be giving a nod to my adventures in theatre land on stage!
'I've had someone burst into tears and then stop and start singing my songs at me, and then burst into tears again'
Amy Avfc Lee asks:
What is the craziest thing a fan has ever done after meeting you?! I think my mum could be top of the list, she has your signature tattooed on her wrist!
Guardian contributor I've had someone burst into tears and then stop and start singing my songs at me, and then burst into tears again. They were not very good. All I could do was give her a hug - I didn't know what else to do!
Your mum's not alone with the tattooing, I've met a few fans that have done that...
montyburns56 asks:
I’ve got a 12” copy of your debut single Flavour Of The Old Skool, is it worth anything?
Guardian contributor
'From the earliest age I understood the value of looking after my first instrument, which is my voice'
tamsin8 asks:
Beverley your voice seems to just keep developing and gaining power. It’s great to see women growing in this way and an aspect of maturity being valued. How have you trained and adapted your voice over time? Any tips?
Guardian contributor From the earliest age I understood the value of looking after my first instrument, which is my voice. I would always make sure, before I stepped on a stage, and in general, that I was hydrated and had enough sleep. I practice and practice and practice, especially the correct form of breathing - that's where so many people go wrong. And keep myself fit - vocal stamina is absolutely part of having a strong voice that will stand the test of time. Ask Gladys Knight! Nothing has changed - she's singing in all the original keys, she's still crazy.
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'It's always interesting that a fantastic soul artist who happens to be white will garner more attention'
RaleighStClair asks:
Will the British music industry ever do right by a black British soul singer?
With singers from Omar, Incognito and Don-E, through you, Terri Walker, the late Lynden David Hall and so on, they seemed to get one shot at a successful album and then nothing.
You are all still making good music and still have the talent, yet don’t seem to get the long-term faith other artists get.
There also seems to be a powerful drive from the industry to water down the sounds in a way a Joss Stone or Amy Winehouse never seemed to endure. Is that so?
Many black British singers seem to get greater respect across the pond, too.
Is part of the problem with a local fanbase that, on a broader scale, would much prefer an American singer or group than a British one?
Guardian contributor There's a lot of truth in what you say. I would add that my career that my career has gone in a different direction to that of Don and Terri, because I understood that diversifying was the key to survival. But crucially I had a team of people, ie my management, who fought alongside me passionately to make sure that I stayed in the game. It's never been an easy road being a) a black artist and b) a female artist, in the British music industry, or indeed any music industry in the world.
America has way more numbers than we do, so artists can be successful and secure enough in their success that they can put out albums at a rate that is comfortable to them. America therefore is a lot more tribal in its music scenes because often people are successful within their own genre and don't have to have mass crossover appeal. In England, being so much smaller, crossover is so important because the numbers of dedicated soul fans are not enough for you to be able to have a, shall we say, relaxed work rate! It's always interesting that a fantastic soul artist who happens to be white will garner more attention, because the underlying marketing truth is that there is way more surprise in a white artist having a voice that would be associated with someone who is black. It was ever thus.
You can do two things with this information when you first start out. You can be mad, and increasingly get bitter about it. Or you can understand that this is how it is, and smash the beliefs to bits, jump over the obstacles that are put in your way, and just keep going. I chose to do the latter. The point is that, as a black female soul artist, you just have to be even more brilliant than everybody else!
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'I could go off on a whole tangent about biscuits...'
Blecca asks:
You can only eat one type of biscuit for the rest of your life...what biscuit do you go for?
Malted Milk, with the cow on it. It reminds me of my childhood. But it must be said that is it rare to find me eating a biscuit.
Oooh, and I quite like oaty ones as well. I could go off on a whole tangent about biscuits...
Sceptic101 asks:
Hi Beverley, saw you in the Bodyguard and Memphis (twice - and wish I could have seen it more), and will be seeing you in concert in June. Do you prefer acting or concerts and why?
Music will always be my first love. But I have and always have had a real love of acting. As a child I was never off the stage, performing in one musical or play after another, all the way through to my university years. That only ended when my music career began, back in 1994. I hope in the future I'll be able to have a duality in my career, where I have opportunities to act as much as I have to sing.
I love the fact that I'm part of an ensemble in musicals - it's a wonderful thing to share the stage with varied talents. There's a great feeling you get when you're part of a number which involves the full cast. It's not dissimilar to being in the audience at a really great concert, where you all have the same feeling at the same time.
David Christopher McKenna asks:
Beverley I always play your music at work and the younger people always ask who it is. Every generation lives your voice, but what I want to ask is: do you like Anita Baker? And have you ever wanted to cover any of her songs?
I love Anita Baker. I couldn't even begin to try and cover one of her songs because she has a very distinct style in her own singing - she has the same kind of swooping melodic interpretation that Billie Holiday had. You're either born with it or not. It's not how I sing, and I would much prefer to just listen to her interpret her own songs, rather than encroach on a style that is not mine. When I hear her, I hear her songs - her songs and her voice are inextricably linked, for me, which would always make it difficult to approach for a cover.
'As long as humans open their mouths, there will be duff notes!'
hokeycokeyfreedom33 asks:
Having a wonderful soulful voice like yours,at what age did you first realise most folk can’t sing, and I must add is there a cure for the following illness that follows the belief they can.
Please help and all the best on the new album.
I didn't realise until I went to school, as I grew up with a school where everybody sang, and well! I couldn't understand when people would literally only sing one note no matter where the melody went - my brain can't deal with it. I still can't.
As long as humans open their mouths, there will be duff notes! And as long as there is a shower, and a hairbrush to sing into, people will believe that they are the greatest singer on earth.
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ringolorenzo asks:
Greetings from a fellow Midlander Bev! You’ve always shown the gay community a lot of support, and we appreciate it. What draws you to the LGBT struggle, given that many straight celebrities ignore a lot of the issues surrounding homophobia and gay rights?
I don't like prejudice, of any kind. It's even more heinous when those who try to fight back are further ridiculed. So it takes someone from the majority to stand with the minority, to say: these are my friends, they're just like me, they have a different sexual orientation, and why should that matter in any way shape or form? On a personal level, I stood from the sidelines and watched my dear friend go through the everyday challenges of being a black gay man. There were certain things I couldn't do to help, but what I could do was stand by his side, and say I'm with you no matter what.
From the earliest age I was aware that I was not part of the majority. I was one of two black girls in my junior school. While I was not a victim of terrible systematic bullying, there were isolated incidents. And in my career, I don't know if it's direct racism so much as people expecting a certain stereotype from you, and that has been a hindrance in my career. I just believe people should be left to love who they love, and lead their own lives as they see fit.
Darrell Hooper asks:
Hi Beverley, I am a huge fan of all your music and have been for years (we have seen you in concert several times down South and up North and even in the Bodyguard - proper fantastic) - I should probably be on the payroll, as I am always telling everyone about your voice and that you should be properly recognised as a huge international star and that you are probably the best singer in the world (I’m not biased at all haha) - we have booked VIP tickets to meet you at Bridgewater Hall on the 28th of May (and can’t wait - we have centre front row tickets too - I booked very early haha) - can I ask you one very important question....I know its not your song, but will you be singing “One more try” (old George Michael song) at the show? - I absolutely love your version of this song (Porchester Hall recording) and is one of my personal favourites, I think George Michael would agree it is better than his too. Thanks in advance of your answer and really looking forward to seeing you in May
George Michael's version has a resonance which you just can't copy. But I'm glad you like mine, and see you on the 28th!
Liam Quane asks:
My Mum: Rita, is an incredibly huge fan of yours. You’re her favorite singer and an artist whom she personally thinks is underrated regardless of success; it would never be enough. Can you say Hi?
Also, Apparently you were in a film in 2005 called Premonition, is this true and if so what was it like acting on a film set?
I wasn't in the film Premonition, but your mum Rita sounds lovely and thank you so much for her kind words!
jcedwards asks:
If approached, would you do a collaboration with Stormzy?
Yeah I would! Why not? It's more what he represents than anything - he's got so much fun in his delivery, and I love how along with Krept & Konan, Skepta and people like that he's at the forefront of a wave of really great crossover urban acts.
jcedwards asks:
Apart from Prince, who would be your dream producer to work with?
I have several! If I was doing a straight up funk track, it would have to be Mark Ronson. If I was going in a more R&B soulful direction I'd like to pull Dallas Austin out of retirement, Waterfalls and all that... If I wanted to go leftfield and shock you all, I'd phone up Nigel Godrich. In your face!
'Black Lives Matter had a bearing on the material I've written, but not exclusively'
RGemmell asks:
I know you recorded the new album in Memphis and previously starred in the West End musical about the city. Given the nature of that story, were race relations on your mind when writing the new album?
Yes, absolutely. Memphis wears its musical history very proudly but also bears many of the scars of its past. You can see the evidence of what it must have been like to like under Jim Crow all around you - for example, most of south Memphis is desperately poor and overwhelmingly black, and seems to have been abandoned by any kind of regeneration. Of course in the heart of downtown sits the National Civil Rights Museum, the exterior of the building is the Lorraine Hotel where Dr Martin Luther King Jr was shot dead. There are lots of murals painted in and around the downtown area - the most popular depicts the march that the Memphian sanitation workers went on, when they held up placards that simply stated I Am A Man. God, when I just thought about that I got goosebumps...
It seemed to amplify the current racial tension that is all over the United States, with police shootings and deaths in custody, and the Black Lives Matter campaign. All those things had a bearing on the material I've written, but not exclusively. The songs are not so much political as they are social - I'm glass half full, so I try to write from a standpoint of hope.
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Paul Culshaw asks:
As this album was recorded in Memphis, is this a return to ‘Music City Soul’ in terms of album style?
Yes, it's just moving three hours down the road! To a completely different music city. It still has that real live earthy soul sound, but the roots are very different from the sound of Music City Soul, which was recorded in Nashville, which is the home of country. And the sound of that album reflected the heart of Nashville.
Being of West Indian origin, you couldn't escape country music - my parents' generation play country All. The. Time. I didn't get it as a child! I really appreciated the strength of the writing as an adult when I embarked on writing songs myself.
Paul Culshaw asks:
If you could pick ONE more single from your back catalogue that you think would have been an amazing single, what would it be and why?
For me its ‘Black Butta’ or ‘Breakout’ - both sure-fire no.1’s i felt! x
I was lucky enough to have the big bangers as singles. It's difficult when you're the artist and you're faced with a huge back catalogue, to think what else would have been a good single... I think my song Damn would have been a nice groove ballad. The simplicity of the chorus and the lyric would have made it a song that anyone could have got into. Everyone has that person that they know is rubbish for them but they just can't leave them alone - that's what the song's about. And Black Butta's the only other one.
And further:
as you are widely known for being ‘The Voice’ of female soul singers in the UK- is being a mentor or coach on a show such as ‘The Voice’ something that interests you or not?
Mentoring is a wonderful thing. Just not sure about doing it live in front of a bank of TV cameras. I don't think you can mentor someone adequately in the space of a few minutes. I'd prefer to do it over a long period of time and away from any camera.
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Let's get started
Here is Beverley in our office
Post your questions for Beverley Knight
Beverley Knight’s first wave of fame came with her music career, which took in edgy British R&B alongside mainstream pop, on hits like Shoulda Woulda Coulda and Greatest Day. Her prowess earned her an MBE, and even more impressively, a Mastermind trophy for her knowledge of Prince.
But there’s also her newfound theatre career, which began with the lead in The Bodyguard in 2013, a role she’s returning to in July. She’s since played Grizabella in Cats, and Felicia in Memphis, for which she was nominated for an Olivier award. The Guardian’s Michael Billington praised her “charisma and power” in a four-star review.
She’s touring in May ahead of a new album, and joins us on Thursday 21 April to answer your questions in a live webchat, from 1pm BST onwards. Post them in the comments below, and she’ll answer as many as possible.
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I've just finished my tea, so that means I need another one. I may even have a cheeky biscuit with it - Malted Milk of course. So thank you so much for having a lovely chat with me. And I'll see you all on the road soon. And look out for that album announcement...