The Rurbanist: Beverley Knight

Beverley Knight on Jamaican saltfish, serenity and standing in the way of her own success.

Q&A: Beverley Knight

What’s bringing you joy at the moment? 

A full and joyful calendar. I feel blessed. I’m particularly excited about going to the jazz festival in St Lucia, which I’ve never been to before.

What’s annoying you? 

How polarised we have all become. People see things in black and white and the world doesn’t work like that. I like harmony.

Advice you’d give to your 15-year-old self? 

You are a beautiful woman. And you are blossoming. Don’t ever think otherwise, just because you can’t see it.

What keeps you awake at night? 

Hot flushes.

What could you have been arrested for?

Crimes against make up. Some of the looks I tried to pull off were awful.

Best life hack? 

Look after your health. Get outside in the morning; my husband taught me that one. Grab that light.

A conversation that changed everything? 

‘Can I have your number.’ It came from a young gay man who bounced up to me in a club and demanded my number because he was the talent booker at a festival called Big Gay Out. That man was Tyrone and he became my best friend. I lost him in 2003 to an Aids related illness. He changed my life.

Where do you go to escape? 

Wolverhampton. I’m just ‘Bev’ in Wolverhampton. It may not be the most beautiful place on earth but it’s a wonderful break from the noise. I’ll go to Mum’s house and Bantock Park, which was the ‘big park’ I’d play in when I was little. I find serenity there. 

Best way to put a smile on your face? 

Bring me great food. Jamaican ackee and saltfish. My husband makes it best. I taught him and now he makes it better than me.

You wouldn’t know it but… 

I’m a massive history buff. I’m obsessed by the Victorians. I love Dickens, Victoria and Albert’s relationship, Brunel, how the working class lived. If I’d been around in that era I have been in serious trouble; I got nothin’. 

What does sustainability mean to you? 

Recycling fashion. The joy of things that other people have discarded, and clearing out my cupboards and knowing my things will have another life. It is so much better than buying new. 

Your greatest failure? 

Getting in the way of my own success by not believing. I am loyal to a fault, which means I have hung onto things that have held me back.

Your greatest triumph? 

Learning to listen and letting things go.

Your epitaph would read… 

Above all, she loved to sing and share joy. 

What book inspires you most? 

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela. I read it again and again and marvel at how someone goes from prison to the presidency with so much grace and humility. He was a flawed human being who gave the world so much light.

The podcast that challenges you? 

American History Tellers. There is so much to unpack. 

The drink you order repeatedly? 

Dirtea Matcha Latte. I make it myself with Plenish oat milk. I don’t drink alcohol.

What is your comfort dish? 

Seafood linguine in Sicily, specifically at San Domenico Palace in Taormina.

What is your greatest treasure? 

My voice.

Who do you pray to? 

I’ll often involve the Universe. For me, she’s a she.

By my bed, I keep… 

My blue-light blocking glasses by Swanick, and mouth tape. It forces you to breathe through your nose. It’s a bio hack for better sleep.

If you could change one thing? 

For us to see the beauty in each other’s differences. That would change the world completely.

What has been your most embarrassing moment? 

I still cringe when I think about opening the show as the narrator in Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat when I was at school. I tripped over my trousers at the top of the stairs and I fell the entire length of the steps and landed flat on the stage. I had to get up and sing ‘Way, way back many centuries ago…’ The show must go on.

I’d like to come back as… 

A dog. I used to be terrified of them, but once I unlocked my fear after meeting a wonderful one, I realised just how beautiful they are. A mixed rescue mutt. 

Best way to spend a weekend in Britain? 

Somewhere with nature all around you,  like South Lodge in West Sussex, where there’s water, woods, a simple cabin. So you can peel back the layers. I used to love a luxurious hotel. Now it’s fire pit outside, long walks, being in nature, zoning out. Me, James my husband and Zane the dog. And great food. 

What do you love best about Britain? 

Humour. We are the rulers of quick wit.

What should we bring back to Britain? 

Four distinct seasons. 

We’re in 2050: what does it look like? 

We’ve got self-tying laces; highways in the sky; we’re using the air around us and the waterways; there’s no pollution. We’re using technology to live the way people used to.

Best British brand? 

Stephen Webster. I love the toughness of his design. He seems to exemplify that British rock ’n’ roll in his jewellery. 

Favourite place in Britain? 

Spitalfields Market. I like the artisan approach and there are still people there who take time to make things and put their love and their heart and soul into things. I appreciate that.

Best present? 

My engagement ring. It shocked the life out of me when he gave it to me at Halloween in 2010. He worked on it for months and I had not a clue, which blows my mind. It’s a diamond solitaire on a platinum band made in Hatton Garden. 

Quick Fire Favourites

• Scent: Sorell at Christmas 
• Box set: The Wire
• Chocolate: Booja Booja
• Song: A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke
• Gadget: My in-ear monitors for when I’m on stage
• Restaurant: Chai Wu in Harrods
• Holiday: Rio