Latest news with #BeverleyKnight
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Beverley Knight recording again after return to Wolverhampton
Beverley Knight has said she is planning to record more music after performing in her hometown the first time in 40 years, the artist is treading the boards in Wolverhampton this week for a production of Marie & work features music celebrating the legacy of gospel and blues singer Rosetta Tharpe in the development of rock 'n' said "expect to hear some really bluesy vocals going down, some really earthy sounding stuff" in the music she would record. The singer told BBC Radio WM this would take place "in the short period" after finishing in Wolverhampton and before doing her first show with Take That's Gary Barlow. Asked what kind of material would be recorded, she said for her "it's always a hybrid" before mentioning the "blues and that kind of sound" in her current show and the film Sinners "and that proper fusion of modern blues and that"."I've just been living for it," added Knight, who said she did not know when it would be last performed on stage at the Grand four decades ago in a theatrical production of West Side Story, the singer previously stated. Knight, widely regarded as one of Britain's greatest soul singers, has said to be cast as Sister Rosetta in this week's production was a "great honour".Marie & Rosetta tells the story of Tharpe and her protege, Marie Knight, played by Ntombizodwa Ndlovu. It is on at the Grand Theatre until Saturday. It is set in 1946 in Mississippi and Beverley Knight said it was "right up my street... the gospel, of course, I was born into that whole tradition myself".She added: "I'm so happy I'm home. I'm gonna be in my old bedroom."More or less it looks the same as it was. [The] bed's in the same place... [the] fitted wardrobe's in the same place."Knight said her favourite place in the city "just to zone out and just chill out" was Bantock Park."I love Bantock Park. You've got the lovely cafe there and they do a really good tea and cake and... I go for lovely runs around there in the morning." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Woman's Hour Beverley Knight, ADHD and menopause, Barrister Robin Moira White
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was known as the 'godmother of rock and roll' and influenced countless musicians from Elvis to Johnny Cash. Now Olivier Award-winning performer Beverley Knight is playing Sister Rosetta in a new production, Marie and Rosetta, which has just opened at the Rose Theatre in London. It tells the story of Rosetta and her singing partner, Marie Knight, described as one of the most remarkable and revolutionary duos in music history. Beverley joins Nuala McGovern in the Woman's Hour studio to discuss how the show hopes to restore these forgotten musical heroines to the spotlight. A new programme, Inside our ADHD Minds, is exploring the link between ADHD and the menopause. It's thought that around 3 to 4% of people in the UK, that's 1 in 20, have ADHD - Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However many women still remain undiagnosed for decades of their lives, with those in their 40s, 50s and 60s only now discovering they have it for the first time. Jo Beazley was diagnosed with ADHD just two years ago at the age of 49, after her symptoms worsened during the menopause. She joins Nuala along with Amanda Kirby, the former chair of the ADHD Foundation and a professor in the field of neurodiversity. This week we'll be hearing different perspectives on the recent Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman under the Equality Act, and how it could and should be interpreted on the ground. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has issued interim guidance that, in places open to the public, trans women shouldn't use women's facilities such as toilets. Today Nuala speaks to Robin Moira White, a barrister who specialises in taking discrimination cases, and who is also a trans woman. Robin transitioned in 2011 and is co-author of A Practical Guide to Transgender Law. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Sarah Jane Griffiths
Times
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Marie and Rosetta review — a tribute to the godmother of rock'n'roll
If talent alone were all that mattered, everyone would be familiar with the name of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the raucous gospel singer and guitarist who laid the groundwork for rock'n'roll long before anyone thought of putting Elvis Presley in a recording studio. George Brant's play, first staged by the Atlantic Theater Company in New York in 2016 and now receiving its UK premiere at the Rose Theatre in London, creaks in places, but Monique Touko's production — a collaboration with Chichester Festival Theatre and English Touring Theatre — is lifted by incandescent vocals from the R'n'B singer Beverley Knight. As in that curious bio-musical The Drifters Girl — which asked us to admire a manager who was quite the martinet — Knight again portrays a
The Guardian
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Marie and Rosetta review – Beverley Knight's mighty vocal soars as the godmother of rock'n'roll
With her coffee table-size electric guitar and a voice capable of belting out gospel melodies over reverberating distortion, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, AKA the godmother of rock'n'roll, carries a formidable legacy. One of the first gospel singers to find mainstream success in the 1930s, as well as an early musical influence for rockers such as Little Richard and Elvis, Tharpe was a trailblazing celebrity who has since faded in the public consciousness. Set over a single night in 1946, George Brant's two-hander finds Tharpe at a crossroads. Massively popular but facing increasing competition from singer Mahalia Jackson and controversy for taking faith-based music into nightclubs, 31-year-old Tharpe is rethinking her status. Enter the quivering, starstruck young singer Marie Knight, who Tharpe has plucked from obscurity and decided to take on tour with her across the segregated Southern US. Over the course of a rehearsal, Tharpe must persuade Knight to come on the road and revitalise her career in the process. West End musical stalwart Beverley Knight plays Tharpe with aplomb, casting her as a fun-loving elder facing racist America and conservative Christians with an unshakeable sense of song. Stage newcomer Ntombizodwa Ndlovu, meanwhile, is endearing as Marie, fawning over her hero while reassessing her morals. The music is immediate and brilliant, with Knight and Ndlovu reaching a soaring harmony on the swaggering Rock Me, rumbling into a sultry groove on Tharpe's nightclub favourite I Want a Tall Skinny Papa and highlighting Knight's mighty solo vocal on Didn't It Rain. With guitarist Shirley Tetteh and pianist Liam Godwin channelling Tharpe's bluesy feel, decades-old songs are reinvigorated. The script, however, is a disappointment. Overly didactic, with swathes of dialogue telling the audience about Tharpe's life story or the realities of racism but showing little, Brant misses an opportunity to meaningfully examine the difficulties of being a boundary-breaking woman of colour in the 1940s. What might it mean to believe in God when your civil rights are taken away? What motivated Tharpe to tirelessly pursue larger audiences and threaten her church-going audience? The answers won't be found in Marie and Rosetta. Yet, in Knight and Ndlovu's voices we can at least find engaging emotion, bringing Tharpe's powerful music to life once more. At Rose Theatre, Kingston, London, until 24 May. Then at Wolverhampton Grand, 27–31 May and Chichester Festival Theatre 25 June to 26 July
The Herald Scotland
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Stars shine the spotlight on our need for women's rights
Last month, against the backdrop of a world grappling with crises, the Royal Albert Hall was transformed into a stage of unity, power, and hope. Sisters: Annie Lennox & Friends, the first-ever concert of its kind, brought together an extraordinary line-up of artists, including Beverley Knight, Hozier, and Paloma Faith, to raise funds for The Circle, a global feminist organisation founded 17 years ago by Lennox and other leading women. More than just a charity, The Circle is a movement – a force for change rooted in the belief that women's rights are human rights. Since 2008, it has worked tirelessly to support women and girls facing gender-based violence and economic inequality across the world. From the moment the first note was played, the atmosphere was electric. The concert felt like a beacon of light, igniting hope and strength in a time of darkness. Legends of music stood side by side with rising stars, amplifying a single, unshakable message: women supporting women can change the world. The night was filled with performances that stirred the soul, including a breath taking rendition of Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves by Lennox – an anthem that has defined feminist movements for decades. Reflecting on the event, Livia Firth, founding member and ambassador for The Circle, described it as: 'So inspiring and uplifting – just what we all needed.' And indeed, as voices united in song, there was an overwhelming feeling that collective action is not just powerful – it's unstoppable. The urgency of this initiative cannot be overstated. More than 300 million women and girls live in extreme poverty, and one in three women will experience violence in their lifetime. Despite global efforts, progress on gender equality has stalled – one in three countries has made no advancements since 2015, while in 18 nations including Venezuela, Afghanistan and South Africa, conditions for women have worsened. At the current pace, achieving global gender equality will take another 131 years, according to World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023. This is unacceptable. The latest UN Women report published last month, Women's Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing, also presents a sobering reality. While gains have been made – such as increased female political representation and reductions in maternal mortality – women's and girls' rights are facing unprecedented threats. Nearly a quarter of governments report a backlash against gender equality. (Image: Photographer Misan Harriman) Digital platforms are amplifying harmful stereotypes, the digital gender gap continues to limit opportunities for women, and women's rights defenders face harassment, violence, and even death. Global crises, including Covid-19, climate change, and surging food and fuel prices, only exacerbated these challenges. 'When women and girls can rise, we all thrive, yet globally, women's human rights are under attack. Instead of mainstreaming equal rights, we're seeing the mainstreaming of misogyny,' warned UN secretary-general António Guterres. UN Women executive director Sima Bahous reinforced this urgency, stating: 'Complex challenges stand in the way of gender equality and women's empowerment, but we remain steadfast, pushing forward with ambition and resolve. Women and girls are demanding change – and they deserve nothing less.' Next year marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most ambitious global roadmap for gender equality. In response, the UN's new Beijing+30 Action Agenda outlines six key priorities for transformative change: ensuring equal access to digital technology, eradicating poverty, ending violence against women, increasing women's decision-making power, prioritising women's roles in peace and security, and achieving climate justice. Across all these areas, one truth is undeniable: centring women and girls in decision-making is the only path to meaningful progress. Compounding these challenges is the fact that many countries are rolling back on international aid, leaving women's rights organisations with even fewer resources. As government support dwindles, the role of NGOs like The Circle becomes even more critical. These organisations are often the only lifeline for women facing violence, discrimination, and economic hardship. Without sustained funding, progress on gender equality risks being reversed. Raakhi Shah, CEO of The Circle, reinforced the critical need for immediate action: 'The rollback of women's rights is a huge deal. Funding is vital and critical right now.' The shocking reality is that less than 1% of global development funding goes to women's rights organisations – the very groups working on the frontlines to dismantle inequality. The Circle is committed to changing this, directly funding grass-roots, women-led initiatives in some of the world's most vulnerable regions, including Afghanistan, South Sudan, and conflict zones where gender-based violence is rampant. Over the past 17 years, The Circle has directly supported more than 1.4 million people on women's rights and empowered over 700,000 women and girls facing violence, discrimination, and fear. These numbers are staggering, but they represent only the beginning of what needs to be done. This concert was not only to raise awareness but to raise funds to help women most impacted. Annie Lennox said: 'It was truly amazing to bring women and allies together, to find inspiration and community in each other, as well as raising much-needed funds to support our outstanding female-led organisations around the world.' Strengthening the power of women's rights organisations through long-term financial support is essential to advancing gender equality and building a safer, fairer future for all. Nadine Shah, another performer at the event, echoed this sentiment: 'I fully support The Circle's mission statement to persevere to ensure a future where there is equality and safety for all women and girls. If Annie asks you to do something … you do it.' As we reflect on the impact of Sisters: Annie Lennox & Friends, one thing is clear: this is not just about policy change or government intervention – it's about all of us. Whether through activism, advocacy, donating, or simply standing in solidarity, every single person has a role to play. As The Circle has proven time and again, when women stand together, change is not just possible – it is inevitable. For me, and for women across the globe, sweet dreams are made of this: a world where equality is not just a dream, but a destiny within our reach. Now is the time to act, to amplify, and to stand in solidarity with Annie all our sisters – because gender equality cannot wait another 131 years. n Dr Antoinette Fionda-Douglas is co-founder of Beira, and assistant professor at Heriot-Watt University
