Review: Beverley Knight - Born To Perform (Eventim Apollo / UK Tour)

Review by Daz Gale

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There are two great loves I have in my life - theatre, and music. Both co-exist harmoniously, occasionally crossing over for a jukebox musical of an artist I love, or a favourite singer starring in the West End. However, one lady who has been a huge fixture in both of those loves is the incredible Beverley Knight. She has had two very distinct careers, both as an acclaimed singer-songwriter, scoring multiple hits and gold albums, and she has treaded the boards in an increasing number of musicals since her West End debut in The Bodyguard in 2013, winning an Olivier Award for her trouble. Both aspects of her career are crossing over once more in her latest tour, Born To Perform. While Beverley hitting the road to deliver her incredible songbook is a regular occurrence, this tour aims to do something different, with a stronger emphasis on the storytelling side of things, and bringing theatre into her music. Would this new chapter in her story effortlessly manage to keep the fire burning?

I want to start by recapping when I first fell in love with the wonderful woman by the name of Beverley Knight. I am going to show my age here, but it was the summer of 1999. Knight’s first album The B Funk had somehow passed me by, but I would soon discover what a powerhouse she was with that iconic opening note of ‘Made It Back’, immediately rushing to Woolworths (remember that?) to buy the CD. Beverley was rarely off my stereo in the 90s and early 2000s with her classic albums Who I Am and Affirmation, the latter of which gave me the opportunity to see her live for the first time in 2005, fittingly at the very same venue I attended for Born To Perform.

As my discovery of theatre and love for it grew, I never missed the chance to see Beverley in every musical she starred in, with many multiple trips to The Bodyguard and Memphis, I have also been lucky enough to have many personal interactions with Beverley over the years, with one interaction even planting the seed for the birth of what would eventually become All That Dazzles (so you can all thank/blame her for that) and count her as one of the most remarkable people I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. Throughout it all, I have always been a fan of her as a singer, an actress and, most importantly, a person, and Born To Perform showcased all of these strengths in a way like never before.

Truth be told, I hadn’t intended to review this concert. In what is an exceptionally busy week for theatre openings, this was my one chance to sit back and enjoy a show without worrying what I was going to write about. However, I found myself so inspired by Beverley’s artistry and the incredible show she has created with Born To Perform that I found myself compelled to write about why it was so good, and why Beverley Knight deserves all the plaudits she has got so far, and will undoubtedly receive in the future.

If you have been to a Beverley Knight concert, you usually know what to expect. Often, that iconic ‘Made It Back’ opening is the first thing you hear, with Knight’s unmistakable vocals wowing with their effortless quality. However, Born To Perform rips up the rulebook to start with the first song she ever performed, a cover of Sam Cooke’s ‘Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)’. What followed was an introduction to the theme of the show, which had a story before every song. This was Beverley’s story - almost as a one-woman musical, only with an honest narrative that managed to break away from any scripted perceptions to feel raw and authentic. With Beverley’s increased presence in theatre over the last decade, she brought a sense of that to this show, merging the two worlds she frequents effortlessly to create a beautiful and rather distinct blend, like nothing I had seen before - certainly not from her, at least.

Due to the nature of the show, many of Beverley’s biggest hits that would usually be reserved for the end of the show are blitzed through in the first half an hour - quite audacious but fitting for the story, and a great showcase for Beverley’s talents and intuition in a show that never wavers through its eclectic mix of numbers from across her sensational career and catalogue. Beginning with how she signed her first record contract, she told of the highs and lows, achievements and challenges that came from her first three albums, The B Funk, Prodigal Sista and Who I Am with ‘Shoulda Woulda Coulda’ from the latter leading to an early singalong. That album is also home to my personal favourite Beverley Knight song, ‘Gold’, made all the more resonant with her explaining the reasoning behind it. While she has done this in previous concerts, the context of the show and the story told made it all the more emotional. It is an absolute anthem of a song, and one that has always managed to uplift me when I’m doubting or questioning myself - something Beverley confirmed on stage is true for many people through the stories she has heard over the years. It may not necessarily have been one of her biggest hit singles, but I’d thoroughly recommend giving it a listen if you’re not already familiar.

It was the story of her fourth album Affirmation that proved to be the most compelling on the night. While ‘Come As You Are’ remains one of her biggest hits and a staple of her live shows (just make sure you’re ready for the soul clap), the trouble behind the scenes led to a bit of a backlash for Beverley, which was fascinating to listen to, and inspirational given how she came out of the other side. There was a rare outing for follow-up single ‘Not Too Late For Love’ as Beverley explained she had written it about the atrocities that took place on 9/11, The message of the song is just as relevant and powerful in 2026 as it was when it was released in a world full of conflict, hatred and bigotry. The story of Beverley’s late best friend, Tyrone, proved a particularly emotional moment as she explained why she is an ambassador for the Terrence Higgins Trust, fighting the stigma of HIV and why she will always be a fierce ally for the LGBTQIA+ community, a sentiment appreciated by myself and many others, and something some of her fellow artists could do well to follow. A rare outing for the song she wrote for Tyrone, ‘No One Ever Loves In Vain’ had me welling up, and showcased Beverley’s abilities as a singer, songwriter and storyteller - a theme that recurred throughout Born To Perform.

Paying tribute to her musical heroes, Beverley treated us to covers of Chaka Khan and Prince classics, with her stories about her experiences with them as well as David Bowie a joy to listen to. Another welcome cover came in Act Two when Beverley talked about one of the biggest platforms she ever performed on and a highlight of her career when she performed ‘I Am What I Am’ for the 2012 Paralympics. A reprise of that performance was a highlight of the night, bringing a whole new light to the anthem and raising the roof off of the Eventim Apollo.

Act Two focused more on Beverley’s pivot into musical theatre, telling the story of what inspired her to change lanes to make her debut in The Bodyguard before a performance of ‘Queen Of The Night’ (without a swan dive this time. If you know, you know). Beverley also performed a spine-tingling ‘Memory’ from Cats, a joyful ‘Take Me To Heaven’ from Sister Act, a show she led on the very same stage as this concert, and a rendition of ‘Love Will Stand When All Else Falls’ from my personal favourite, Memphis, a show that truly cemented Beverley’s ability as a musical theatre performer and her staying power in an industry she was fairly new to, despite her theatre experience prior to her success in musicv. The past and future collided with a rendition of ‘March, Women, March’ from Sylvia, a role Beverley won an Olivier Award for, and will soon be reprising on a UK tour, including dates at the historic Royal Albert Hall. I had longed for a concert from Beverley that combined musical theatre and her own music, and aside from one or two numbers in a music heavy setlist, this marked the first time both got an equal share. The result was Beverley at her best.

Getting to hear more about Beverley’s story proved inspiring. Knowing how she had suffered some awful losses and been through some tough times gave anyone in that audience facing their own struggles the confidence needed to persevere and come out through the other side, as Beverley has managed to. Closing on anthems ‘Soul Survivor’ and the uplifting ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Alright’, the message was clear - we all have our lows, but the highs are there to be found and certainly worth chasing. Weaving the narrative together seamlessly, Beverley crafted a deeply personal and captivating evening of song and stories that played up to every strength she has - and those strengths certainly are many.

I have seen Beverley Knight many times over the last twenty years, both in her own shows and the musicals she has starred in. I can honestly say I have never seen her like this before. The effortlessly huge vocals were there as ever, as was her winning personality that lights up any stage that is lucky enough to feature her. However, what Born To Perform added was an extra level of storytelling and theatre that merged the differing aspects of her career so seamlessly, it painted a fabulous picture of the person she is. With this show, Beverley has created a masterpiece and the perfect reminder of why she is so well-regarded in everything she accomplishes. One of the greatest talents both in music and theatre, The title of this tour may be bold, but by the time the show finished with the audience descending into the streets of Hammersmith still singing ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Alright’, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that Beverley Knight truly was born to perform.

Beverley Knight continues her Born To Perform tour until June 30th.

Dates and tickets at https://www.beverleyknight.com/live-events