X Factor icon looks completely different two decades on from hit reality show

X Factor fans might do a double-take after seeing one of the show's original stars looking completely different nearly two decades after finding fame.

Rowetta Satchell, or simply Rowetta, as she was known to millions, was one of the standout acts on the very first series of The X Factor back in 2004. The powerhouse soul singer wowed judges with her unforgettable take on Lady Marmalade, and her bold vocals and big personality quickly made her a fan favourite.

Already known from her days with legendary band Happy Mondays,Rowetta made it all the way to the quarter-finals of the ITV talent show, finishing fourth overall and becoming the last woman left standing, without ever facing the dreaded sing-off.

READ MORE: Happy Mondays icon Rowetta abruptly quits band after over three decades

Fast-forward 19 years, and the 57-year-old is still commanding attention. Rowetta recently turned heads as she posed in a tartan miniskirt and leopard-print thigh-high boots on her way to an Indie Reunion event. She paired the look with a statement tee reading, "The ravers united will never be defeated." She told fans she was "on my way."

Simon Cowell once famously described her as "amazing but barking bloody mad", and it’s fair to say her bold style and fearless energy haven’t faded one bit.

In an interview with Metro.co.uk, the singer opened up about her journey on the ITV competition, her music career, and why she never returned to reality TV despite being flooded with offers.

According to Rowetta, after The X Factor propelled her to TV fame in 2004, she turned down shows like Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity, only making exceptions for Children in Need and BBC Music Day.

Rowetta’s journey began in Leeds when Kate Thornton introduced her to the judges before live auditions were part of the show’s format. Her renditions of Lady Marmalade and Circle of Life wowed Simon and Sharon from the get-go.

She said she was grateful not to win because she and Simon Cowell had a difference of opinion on the final single.

Adding: “I think it would have been a disaster to win it, and then have to bring out songs like that. I love funky stuff. I don’t want to be doing Somewhere Over The Rainbow for the rest of my life.”

Rowetta said her reason for doing the show was her grandma, who encouraged her to be on TV like the singers she watched. Her career since has included collaborations with the likes of Solardo, Todd Terry, Oliver Heldens and Shed Seven.

A proud Mancunian, Rowetta loves being a role model on her local music scene, often performing at Manchester Pride. She said that when she was growing up, “there was no one to look up to from Manchester that was Black and female.”

Last year, in December 2024, it was announced that Rowetta would be leaving the band. The announcement came amidst speculation about past feuds with band member Shaun Ryder. In February this year, MailOnline reported Rowetta sharing that she has allegedly been physically abused by Shaun.

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