THERE'S no getting away from the fact that Beverley Knight has one of the most powerfully melodic r'n'b voices around at the moment and, with a few more chart successes along the lines of the popular Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda, has the makings of a future soul diva.

However, the power of her gutsy voice seemed unfairly confined by the physical and acoustic limitations of Southampton's Guildhall and her audience seemed surprisingly subdued despite her numerous efforts to drum up enthusiasm.

Part of the problem could be explained by a lukewarm performance by support act Rhianna who, in spite of a pleasant voice, failed to get the listeners particularly excited before the main artist appeared.

Overall, however, Ms Knight's fans seemed to enjoy themselves albeit in a relatively reserved manner and the beauty and strength of her performance prove she's an artist who'll be around for many years to come.