Singer Beverley Knight has strongly criticised "successive government bodies" for the "abysmal" treatment of the Windrush generation. Her comments came as she presented a significant National Lottery Heritage fund grant to a community project in her home city of Wolverhampton.
The 52-year-old artist, known for hits such as “Shoulda Woulda Coulda”, awarded Diversity Music Community 1st a £244,452 grant for their initiative, Windrush: The Music, The Sound, The Legacy.
"I don’t think the Windrush generation have been treated well at all, I don’t think they have really been recognised traditionally, the music was sidelined on radio," Knight told the PA news agency.
"It’s only kind of in recent years you’re seeing the success of the kids really doing well around the world, globally,” she added.
"We all know about the Windrush scandal, which continues, and I try not to go too political, but just it’s hard to watch as someone who is the daughter of Windrush parents, to see people of my mum and dad’s generation be treated abysmally, because of errors made by successive government bodies," she continued.
She further condemned the slow and inadequate compensation process: "And then to have the compensation that they’re rightfully owed just be drip, drip, drip, kind of delivered to them, and in some cases, nothing at all, so people are dying before anything is done to rectify the wrongs, and it’s shameful."
Knight drew a parallel, adding: "And for me, it’s reflected in the response to Hurricane Melissa, sorry, Jamaica helped Britain in her time of need, and I would very much like to see Britain return the favour."
The Windrush scandal, which some victims now refer to as the Home Office scandal, first emerged in 2018. It involved British citizens being wrongly detained, deported, or threatened with deportation, despite possessing the legal right to reside in Britain.
The funded project, Windrush: The Music, The Sound, The Legacy, aims to delve into the profound impact of the Windrush generation on Wolverhampton’s music and culture from the 1950s to the 1980s. Diversity Music Community 1st intends to honour the contributions of Caribbean-born DJs, musicians, and community leaders who were instrumental in shaping the city’s cultural identity.
Knight passionately argued that British music would be unrecognisable without the influence of the Windrush generation. "From Massive Attack to The Specials, Beat, Selecter to Soul II Soul, Omar, me, and then later on, you look at the kids who are coming through now, so much of them are from the Windrush generation," she explained.
She highlighted the unique fusion that defines British sound: "It’s part and parcel of what is Britain, the integration, the meshing of different sounds, when punk met reggae, it was completely and utterly British."
Knight asserted the foundational role of this generation, stating: "You couldn’t have UK garage without the Windrush generation, that would not exist, because of the different blends of cultures that have come together to give you garage, it is quintessentially British, and directly a result of Windrush."
Emphasising the lasting legacy, she concluded: "So it’s these islands that were so far away, once colonies of Britain, and they’ve not just left a mark, but transformed the music landscape permanently, it’s so important to recognise these stories, and to tell these stories of British music and British music history."
Knight added: "Especially because British music history packs such a punch around the world, and so much of that is due to these folk who came over and had no idea what their sons, daughters and grandchildren were going to do, look at what they’ve done, it was amazing."
Knight, who began her career in 1994, has achieved two UK top 10 solo singles and four UK top 10 albums, and was appointed an MBE in 2006 for her services to music. Her acting career includes roles in West End productions such as Cats, The Bodyguard, and Sister Act. She is set to appear as rock and roll innovator Sister Rosetta Tharpe in the West End production of Marie And Rosetta next year.
The funding for Windrush: The Music, The Sound, The Legacy is provided by The National Lottery’s Because Of You campaign, fronted by presenter Claudia Winkleman, which champions projects that positively impact people’s lives daily.
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