Singer-actress Beverley Knight on celebrating Whitney Houston

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Do you remember, as you danced in the night, how the stars stole the night away? Of course you do, and so does the British soul singer and musical actress Beverley Knight. Asked about her go-to shower song, the effervescent performer quickly names Earth, Wind & Fire's September. "There's something bright and up about it," she says. "It could be rubbish outside, but when I hear that, it's all sunshine and summer." Knight is in Toronto as the lead in the West End production of The Bodyguard, the movie-based musical featuring the songs of Whitney Houston. We asked her about the show, late stars such as Prince, Bowie and Houston, and the right time for dancing.

You knew Prince well. Did you see the Grammys tribute to him, with his band The Time playing with Bruno Mars?

I haven't seen it yet. However, the fact that it was Bruno Mars was a massive check mark. And that it was The Time, double that. On paper, at least, I thought it should be right. And from the clips that I saw, it looked like it was funky.

He was supportive of you, featuring you in his O2 arena shows in 2007. How do you remember him?

He was a man of encouragement. He would tell me to forge my own path and make sure I owned my music. It was like your dad letting you in on the secrets of how to have a great career. Also, he was very concerned that music be revered – that it should be respected.

And paid for, right?

Yes [laughs]. Exactly.

You mentioned Prince's Grammy tribute as being funky, which it was. Last year's tribute to David Bowie, with Lady Gaga, was more sombre. Is it tough to get the tone right?

It's space. It's time. We lost Bowie last year in January. The Grammys were in February. Last year was just the worse, with Lemmy [of Motorhead] and so many others. But I feel there was enough time by the time Prince died in April of last year and the tribute this year to get past the mournful stage and say, "We're going to celebrate." The first tributes I saw to Prince, everybody was doing Purple Rain. It was getting a bit maudlin. This is the guy who gave us Raspberry Beret. He gave us Kiss. He threw it down, you know?

When Whitney Houston died in 2012, it was on the day before the Grammys broadcast. They couldn't really celebrate that year. But on this fifth-year anniversary, do you think they could have done something upbeat for her?

Absolutely. What would have been fun would be to have a load of people who have picked up the baton since her departure. Maybe Jennifer Hudson. Brandy would have been great.

Or maybe, I don't know, Beverley Knight?

[Laughs.] I would have loved to have done it. This show we're doing here is not a Whitney tribute. It is The Bodyguard. But you cannot get away from the fact that I am singing 13 or so of her songs, night after night. And by the time you get to the end of the show and I Wanna Dance with Somebody, it's a total celebration. It's time to let your hair down and enjoy.

The Bodyguard runs to April 9. $38 to $175. Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St., 416- 872-1212 or www.mirvish.com