Raised in Wales on the Llŷn Peninsula with her twin sister, Katy, her parents divorced when she was 10, and she moved to Pembrokeshire with her mother and sisters, while her father remained in Nefyn. She is the only female from the Llŷn Peninsula to ever top the UK music singles charts.[1] Her early interest in singing was apparently inspired by her father John Duffy's videotape of the 1960s television rock show Ready Steady Go! [2].
According to a report in a British tabloid, Duffy was put in a safe house in 1998 when police uncovered a plot by her stepfather's ex-wife to pay a hitman £3000 to kill her stepfather identified as Philip Smith. Subsequently her stepfather's ex-wife served a three and one half year jail term for the incident. A 1998 article in another British tabloid quotes a man identified as Philip Smith describing similar circumstances. The tabloid quoted Duffy as saying about the alleged incident "I was so terrified. I felt so ill."[3][4][5]
Duffy returned to Nefyn when she was 15, and started singing in various local bands. After being involved in an unsuccessful music project in Switzerland, Duffy returned to Wales in 2003 and auditioned for Wawffactor, a Welsh alternative to Pop Idol on S4C where she was expected to win, but eventually came second to winner Lisa Pedrig.[6]
Duffy was elected president of the Students Union at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, before transferring to study at the University of Chester, Chester, England where she built up a following in Alexanders, a local jazz and blues club playing with guitarist David Burton from the band, "The Invisible Wires". [7]
She recorded a three-songs-EP in Welsh in 2004 and also appeared on two tracks on the album See You in the Morning by Mint Royale while working as a waitress and in a fishery. Owen Powell of Catatonia and Richard Parfitt of Newport band 60ft Dolls, introduced Duffy in August 2004 to former Public Image Ltd. member turned music manager and part-owner of Rough Trade Records Jeanette Lee.[8] Lee moved Duffy to Crouch End in London,[9] and orchestrated a meeting between Duffy and Suede's ex-guitar player Bernard Butler, who then co-wrote with her and helped create a new retro sound.[10] Together with another rising star, Adele, Duffy was the most prominent of the so-called "new Amys" (a reference to singer Amy Winehouse) [11]: for example, under the sub-title, "The New Amys", Adam Thompson wrote in The Times on 30 December 2007 that "Duffy, Gabriella Cilmi and Adele lead the charge to be the next Winehouse. First sightings seem to indicate that they are all bright-eyed innocents with bags of talent — a familiar starting point, no?" Duffy herself disliked being referred to as "the new Dusty Springfield" [12].
Contracted to A&M Records during 2007, on 23 November 2007, Duffy performed on the BBC2 television show Later with Jools Holland,[13] which resulted in a second appearance on the related New Year's Eve show Hootenanny, on which, among other things, she performed with soul legend Eddie Floyd. On 22 February 2008, she appeared on Later with Jools Holland for a third time and performed "Rockferry", "Mercy" and "Stepping Stone". She also appeared on the BBC2 television programme "The Culture Show" on 23 February 2008 and performed "Mercy".
In January 2008, she came second in the annual BBC News website poll of industry experts Sound of 2008, for acts to emerge in the coming year.[14]
In Wales, she seemed set to become the "pop" equivalent of mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins. A number of commentators have remarked on her unaffected personality and natural charm.[2]
Butler and his musical partner David McAlmont, and a number of other musicians have formed the backbone of Duffy's band for her debut album entitled Rockferry, which was released on Polydor on 3 March 2008.[15] After releasing a debut limited edition single, "Rockferry" in November 2007, Duffy then released a followup single, "Mercy", which went straight to number one on download sales on 17 February 2008. Duffy is the first Welsh female to achieve a number one pop single in the past 25 years. "Mercy" spent a second week at number one on 24 February 2008, and set its full physical release on 25 February 2008.
She has revealed that Rockferry is written about the place Rock Ferry on the Wirral, where her father is from.[citation needed] She also has revealed that both Mercy and "Stepping Stone" are autobiographical. Mercy is about "sexual liberty" and "not doing something somebody else wants you to do" and "Stepping Stone" is about not expressing her feelings to a person she fell in love with. [16][17]
A review of her first major tour's stop at the respected King Tuts venue in Glasgow noted "her quiet assurance obviously stems from talent. When she let loose, her voice was awesome."[18]
She reached the number 1 spot on Siart C2 with her Welsh language EP entitled simply 'Aimee Duffy'.
On 21 April 2008 Duffy was at the top of the Pan-European Album chart for "Rockferry" and the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles chart for "Mercy".[19]
Duffy confirmed in an interview that "Warwick Avenue" will be the next single from her #1 album "Rockferry". The video has been filmed in Merrick Square, London.
"Rockferry" is scheduled for release in the United States on 13 May. March saw performances at the SXSW conference and in New York City. The Coachella Festival was her first festival gig. The performance started off with sound problems but she "delighted the crowd with Rockferry,,Serious,Warwick Avenue and Mercy".[20] May will see performances at the New York's historic Apollo Theater and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.[21][22]. She will play the Virgin Mobile Festival at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on August 9-10.[23] On 26 March MTV called the "Mercy" video "Buzzworthy" amid predictions that she will be very successful in the U.S. Market. [24][25][26]
Duffy is scheduled to play the Osheaga Festival in Montreal,Canada on the 4 August.[27]
The song "Mercy" also featured on an episode of ER (TV Series) which aired in the U.K on Thursday 17th April 2008 on More4. The song was also featured on an episode of smallville (TV series)
Duffy has earned 2008 MOJO Awards nominations in the categories of Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Breakthrough Act. The three nominations are the largest amount of nominations for any one act.[28] |
