Beverley Knight says music bosses held a meeting about her weight and they ‘only cared about the aesthetic’

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Singer Beverley Knight has shared that when she was most famous, record label executives discussed her weight while she was also personally struggling at home.

The 51-year-old singer, often called the Queen of British Soul, has worked as a singer, songwriter, and performer in musical theatre for more than 30 years.

Beverley launched her music career with the album The B-Funk in 1995, quickly becoming a popular figure in the UK soul music world. She followed this with several songs that reached the Top 40, albums that went platinum, and hugely successful concert tours.

She later achieved success as a theatre actress, performing in popular West End shows such as The Bodyguard and Memphis.

Honestly, after watching that BBC documentary, ‘Girlbands Forever,’ it just confirmed everything I always suspected! So many of the women in those groups talked about how unbelievably brutal the music industry was back in the 90s and 2000s. It was seriously shocking to hear them describe it, and it really opened my eyes to what they went through.

Beverley recently told the Daily Mail that during a difficult time in her personal life, when her body changed, her employers focused solely on her looks and ignored her emotional well-being.

She recalled to the Daily Mail that a meeting about her weight had taken place, which she found odd. She wasn’t included in the discussion, but someone told her about it afterward.

‘It’s interesting, because I’m a healthy woman, and I was a healthy woman back then.

I felt overwhelmed by everything happening, but people only seemed to focus on how things looked, not the real problems beneath the surface – and that’s what bothered me.

We have a serious issue when we prioritize how someone looks or presents themselves over their well-being and mental health.

When asked if her employers were secretly planning to put her on a diet, she replied that, thankfully, she hadn’t heard anything about it. She added that she would have strongly objected, and wasn’t the type of person to passively accept such a request.

Even today, people often face criticism and judgment based on their body size, whether they’re considered too thin, too heavy, or anything in between.

Beverley performed at the European Diversity Awards in the InterContinental London Park Lane. 

At 52, Beverly looks and feels decades younger, and she credits her lifestyle for her vitality. Her secret? A healthy, happy life, avoiding alcohol completely, and having a loving partner.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe what I just read! Our angel, the incredible singer who got her MBE back in 2007 for everything she does with her music and all her amazing charity work, actually shared what Queen Elizabeth said to her when she received it at Buckingham Palace! I’m seriously living for this!

She asked me that day if I loved music and if it had allowed me to travel. I replied that it absolutely had – it had taken me all over the world and brought me immense joy. Then, she gave me a strong handshake, signaling that I was free to go.

Beverly sadly shared that the award had been stolen from her home in 2021, saying, ‘That’s just life, but I’m hoping to recover it someday.’

When asked about her theatrical ambitions, she explained that her ideal role doesn’t exist yet. She’s hoping someone will adapt Aretha Franklin’s life story for the stage, calling it a dream project. Although she never met Franklin, she was deeply moved by her incredible voice and considered her the true ‘Queen of Soul’.

Okay, so I have to tell you about this documentary, ‘Girlbands Forever’! It’s basically like that ‘Boybands Forever’ show everyone loved last year, but this time it focuses on the real stories of singers in groups like All Saints, Little Mix, and Atomic Kitten. It’s heartbreaking, honestly, seeing how they were treated. It’s a must-watch if you’re a fan – it really gets into the struggles these amazing women faced. I’m obsessed!

One of the most shocking stories from the docuseries comes from All Saints’ Melanie Blatt, who was pressured to have an abortion when she became pregnant at the height of the group’s success.

Oh my gosh, 1998 was the year! Just after All Saints absolutely dominated the world with ‘Never Ever’ – seriously, I still have the CD single! – she announced she was pregnant with Stuart Zender’s baby! Stuart, from Jamiroquai! It was everywhere, and I clipped every article I could find. I was completely obsessed, of course.

Interestingly, around the same time, Nicole Appleton, a member of the same band, discovered she was expecting a baby with her partner, Robbie Williams.

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2025-12-20 20:34