FIFTY AND FABULOUS 'Prince singlehandedly saved my career'

As she releases her new album, singer Beverley Knight reflects on the highs and lows of her life in music

- TONY COWELL 

Hailed as The Queen of British Soul, Beverley Knight has been a star of the country's music scene for more than 25 years.

The singer, who turned 50 in March, has not only sold more than two million albums, she is also an Olivier Award-winning star of the West End stage, as well as a judge on ITV1 talent show Starstruck.

But despite her impressive CV, Beverley once hit an all-time low that left her wondering if her career would ever recover. Just five years after a run of chart successes including her 2002 Top 10 hit, Shoulda Woulda Coulda, she was dropped by her record company.

Shell shocked, she felt lost and let down by the music industry despite having several high-profile fans including Gary Barlow, Jools Holland and the late Terry Wogan, who once described her as his "favourite artist of all time".

But, just when she felt unsure of where to turn, Beverley received a call from US superstar Prince asking her to perform at his London residency at the 02.

"It was incredible. It was like one door closed and a new door opened," says Beverley. "Prince held out his hand when I needed it the most. I cannot overstate the importance of having Prince in my life. He was such a musical hero of mine. So, to open for him at the O2 and then perform at the after shows - I still can't believe to this day that it actually happened. It left a profound mark on me.

Prince single-handedly saved my career. He was one special person who genuinely believed in me." Prince, who died in 2016, wasn't the only megastar who backed Beverley. It was David Bowie who first told her she would be a major star, comparing her to Aretha Franklin.