Happy Mondays have announced they have parted ways with vocalist and percussionist Rowetta after 34 years.
Taking to social media today (December 23), both the singer and Happy Mondays shared a statement sharing the departure of Rowetta from the group. “Happy Mondays and Rowetta announce that Rowetta will no longer be performing with the band,” it read.
It continued: “Happy Mondays thank Rowetta for her services and wish her the best for the future.” The vocalist joined the band back in 1990 and was featured on the band’s single ‘Step On’ which peaked at Number Five on the charts. She went on to appear on their third and fourth studio albums, ‘Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches’ and ‘Yes Please!’, and joined the band for three world tours.
In 2012, when Happy Mondays reformed, she rejoined with the full original line-up and joined them for tour. Last year, she was featured on Shed Seven’s single ‘In Ecstacy’.
Prior to joining Happy Mondays, Rowetta released two songs in 1987 titled ‘Back Where We Belong’ and ‘Passion’. The following year, she collaborated with Dynasty of 2 on their track ‘Stop This Thing’.
She also worked as a backing singer on various albums, most notably on Simply Red’s 1991 LP ‘Stars’ and lent her voice to Sweet Mercy’s 1989 song ‘Reach Out’.
Elsewhere, Happy Mondays’ frontman Shawn Ryder and Bez recently spoke to NME on the red carpet of the MTV EMAs and opened up about how 2024 was as a year for them and what’s in store for them next year.
“Quiet, because we kind of knocked it on the head in 2024. We went out doing Black Grape and Mantra Of The Cosmos, so in 2025 we’ll be back at it,” Ryder said.
Bez added: “We’re getting the band back together again…again!”
In other news, it was recently announced that Happy Mondays would be joining James on the Colchester date of their huge summer 2025 UK tour.
Ryder also recently confessed earlier this year that he’d be “dead” if he hadn’t “blown” his chance at Hollywood fame.
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