Rowetta

Rowetta Biog Manchester born Rowetta began singing as a child, performing in talent competitions before progressing to singing in clubs professional as a teenager. Married young and with two children, her musical career went on hold until 1987 when she sang with Vanilla Sound Corps on Dave Rofes label DFM and released two tracks Back Where We Belong and Passion. A management deal with Simply Red's management, So What, followed and Rowetta recorded Stop This Thing with Dynasty Of 2 (Mike Pickering and Graeme Park) and featured on Simply Red's Stars album on backing vocals. Rowetta has appeared on numerous other records as a backing vocalist, "far too many to mention, or remember", her favourites being Inner City, Billy Ocean, Rebel MC, Julia Fordham, Brooklyn's Poor and Needy and PJ Proby. In 1989 Warner Chappell signed Rowetta for a publishing deal and she started to write and record with other artists including Andy Rourke, Mick Jones, Youth, KLF and Stereo MCs. Later that year Rowettas life took a major turn when she saw the Happy Mondays perform a song called Performance on the television show The Other Side Of Midnight. She was hooked and went to see them play in Widnes, "at that moment I knew I'd end up singing with them". Rowetta pestered the Mondays manager Nathan McGough, who was not convinced until he saw her performing with another band. Suitably impressed McGough asked Rowetta to sing on the next Mondays single Step On. Within a matter of weeks Rowetta was performing on Top of the Pops, playing Wembley Arena and G-Mex and enjoying a UK Top 5 single. Now a part of the Happy Mondays team Rowetta featured on many songs on the critically acclaimed, Pills, Thrills N Bellyaches. A European tour was followed by a US tour, the Rock In Rio festival and headline gigs at Elland Road and Cities In The Park. During recording and touring the next album Yes Please the band came to a well publicised end. In order to sing with the Mondays, Rowetta had given up any chance of having a solo career, despite the urging of record companies and managers. Following the bands split she took some time off to spend some much needed time with her children and write songs. The turn of the century saw Rowetta playing herself in Michael Winterbottoms 24 Hour Party People alongside Steve Coogan and appearing on the Playgroup album with Trevor The Underdog Jackson. Further session work and song-writing continued, in particular with Graeme Park, 2 ex Mondays (Paul Ryder and Paul Davis) and Groove Armada. In 2004 Rowetta entered ITVs XFactor and millions of homes and hearts. Her enormous voice set her apart from the other 50,000 entrants and established her as Simon Cowells favourite. The last woman standing. Since the TV show Rowetta has released a self-titled album in October 2005. Some original material and great interpretations of some great songs. In 2006, Rowetta has been writing and recording new material, which has had a great response at her many gigs. She is currently working with two French producers, Julien L and Didier Vanelli. Release news coming soon.... Check http://www.rowetta.com for appearance dates and latest news.