Beverley Knight speaks out about digital music

BEVERLEY KNIGHT has said that the digital age has changed the shape of the music industry.

The soul singer said the internet made major labels less important.

Knight, who is about to release her sixth album 100% on her own label Hurricane Records, has put a teaser track called Every Step on her website as a free download.

Speaking to Digitalspy.co.uk, she said: "When you look at very big acts and you can see that they are looking for the front door out of the situation, you know something is very wrong with the entire structure.

"It's not just EMI, I can't just pick on EMI, bless 'em, it's the entire music industry as we know it. It has changed, the model has changed. The digital age has blown the whole thing wide open."

She added: "Things that record labels would traditionally do for you - and take a hell of a lot of your earnings to do it - the internet, click click click, thanks, it's all done!

"Year-in, year-out their their raison d'etre is disappearing. I was in a position to jump ship, so man I was jumping!"