Behind the wheel with… Beverley Knight

Words: Danny Scott

Where has been your favourite road trip destination?
A couple of summers back, my husband James and I took his Audi R8 to France, visiting some friends near Nantes. We went through the tunnel on Le Shuttle – something I’d never done before – and popped up on the other side in France. I’m not a big fan of driving in French cities, but on those non-city roads that took us down the coast... it was magical. Pottering along at 30mph in the R8. Yeah, right!

Where’s the number one place on your bucket list?
I have this real desire to go to Japan and experience a culture that is so far removed from what we know in the UK. Different alphabet, different customs... different everything. And I’d definitely want to go as a tourist. If I went for work, I’d get looked after, but if it was just me and James, we’d have to use a bit of nous and street smarts to get around. I like the idea of having to make an effort to fully understand and enjoy a country. Like we did in the old days! 

What’s your ultimate travel song?
When I’m doing a long drive, it has to be soulful house... something with that unrelenting beat. Keeps you focused, keeps you happy. Let’s go with ‘Bad Habit’ by Lisa Millett. Will I be singing along? Hell, yeah!

What is your most dramatic road trip story?
I think it was my very first trip to the US, early in my career. Driving from New York to Philly in my producer’s huge Mercedes. We got pulled over and there happened to be a problem with his licence. I had to get behind the wheel and I’d never driven in the US before, or driven anything as big as this Merc. It was two hours of me shaking like leaf, mumbling, “Don’t crash, don’t crash, don’t crash.” 

What are your three packing essentials and why?
The first two are very normal: headphones and sunscreen. Number three is mouth tape. I know what you’re thinking... what the hell is mouth tape? When you’re asleep, you’re supposed to be relaxing, but breathing through your mouth can upregulate you. Mouth tape forces you to breathe through your nose, which can help with better relaxation and better sleep. Sounds crazy, I know, but it works for me!

Do you have any clever travel hacks?
I have done a lot of travelling and still do. Most years, I spend more time on the road than I do at home. My one tip is to remember the Scouts’ motto: Be prepared. Plan, plan and plan again. Double check and double check again. By the time I’m driving to the airport, I’m in a state of Zen-like bliss because I know that everything is sorted. Worry free... that’s the way to travel.

What’s your dream car? And where in the world would you most want to drive it?
An Aston Martin DB5. And not just because of the James Bond connection. The DB5 is the most beautiful car ever produced. My family’s roots are in Saint Elizabeth Parish in Jamaica, so I would start there and do a complete circuit of the island, stopping off at all the little places to buy my mangos and June plums – listening to some classic reggae with a very big bassline. 

Do you think you’re a good traveller?
I always have been, even as a kid. If I was in the car with my parents, I’d have my head out of the window, wanting to see as much of the world as I could. On the plane, I still make sure I get a window seat. Why would you not want to see what’s happening out there? That’s my favourite bit of any journey. You start here, you finish here... Don’t miss all those bits in between. 

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be, and why?
I live in London, but I was born in Wolverhampton and there is still a bit of my heart that longs for the West Midlands. If James hears me say that he’ll go mad. He loves being outdoors in the warm weather, so I’d better say Austin, Texas. I was there this year and I loved it. It’s a city, but there’s beautiful hills and lakes nearby, plus an incredible music scene.  

What’s the first thing you do in an airport lounge?
Exhale.

What’s your favourite thing about the British Airways airport lounge?
I go straight to the tea machine. You get a very decent brew in a British Airways lounge.

Beverley Knight’s Born to Perform UK tour begins in Ipswich on 2 June 2026.

Book car hire with Avis