Happy Mondays star Rowetta left 'in tears' by huge 'beautiful' mural in south Manchester

Music legend Rowetta has been honoured with a huge mural, celebrating her 30 year career and commitment to the city.

The Happy Mondays star is depicted amongst flowers in the artwork, which features the black and yellow colour palette made famous by The Haçienda nightclub where she often performed in Manchester.

Rowetta said she was completely ‘honoured’ by the artwork on Rye Road in Fallowfield, and burst into tears when she first heard about it.

The singer said: “I couldn’t believe it. I started getting lots of messages from people asking me about it and I had no idea.

"I honestly woke up thinking it was a dream and that it was maybe Photoshop."

After finding out about the mural, Rowetta said she drove over to see the artwork in person right away.

She said: “It’s more beautiful in real life. It was such a surprise for me.”

Rowetta, who grew up in Manchester and attended Bury Grammar School, hopes the mural will inspire people to follow their dreams.

She said: “I’ve had thousands of messages from people who have been congratulating me - especially women,

“Lots of kids of colour who grew up in Manchester sadly never made it, and there were hardly any Black role models in music here.

“There’s not many girls who make it, so I always wanted to stay here and show people that you can come from a bad background and do it."

The mural is just round the corner from a Women's Aid Refuge where Rowetta spent some time in 1987 after leaving her ex-husband.

She said: "I was at the Women’s Aid Refuge with nothing and two little kids and I’ve managed to make my way in the music business and work with some amazing people.

"It’s important to represent Manchester, and I hope it inspires little kids and little girls.”

Rowetta is the latest Manchester celebrity to be honoured with a mural.

Before her, the likes of Tony Wilson and Marcus Rashford have been the subjects of iconic artwork across the city.

Rowetta said: "Lots of people have seen the Marcus Rashford and Tony Wilson murals, and I thought they were just amazing. I thought it was lovely that they did Marcus’ - you shouldn’t have to wait until someone has passed away to recognise them like that."

The artwork was created by Rob Fenton and Ethan Lemon, who both said there was no one more deserving of the mural.

Rob Fenton said: "It's hard to think of another artist who's as interwoven within the tapestry of Manchester's seminal music scene, as much as Rowetta is.

"For me, it's artists such as Rowetta, that are symbolic of the very foundations of early Mancunia and its phenomenal musical past - what that means to millions can't be quantified."

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