Duffy (singer)
Encyclopedia
Aimée Ann Duffy known as Duffy, is a Welsh
singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry
entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold. The album was certified several times Platinum and sold over 6 million copies worldwide, spawning the hits "Mercy
" and "Warwick Avenue
". With "Mercy", Duffy became the first Welsh woman to achieve number-one on the UK Singles Chart
since Bonnie Tyler
topped the charts with "Total Eclipse of the Heart
" in 1983.
In 2009, Duffy won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album
for Rockferry, and she was nominated for two other Grammys at the 51st Grammy Awards
. In 2009 she won three Brit Awards
: British Breakthrough, Best Female Solo and Best British Album.
In 2010 she completed recording of her second album Endlessly
that was released on 29 November and made her acting debut in the film Patagonia
. In February 2011 it was announced that Duffy would take an extended hiatus from music before beginning work on her third album.
, and brought up in Nefyn
on the Llŷn Peninsula
, in Gwynedd
, Wales, with her twin sister, Katy Ann, and older sister Kelly; she would later write songs about both sisters. She grew up speaking Welsh
as her mother tongue but soon learned English as well. Duffy's parents divorced when she was 10 and she moved to Pembrokeshire
with her mother and sisters.
Duffy attended Ysgol Nefyn, on the Llyn Peninsula
and Sir Thomas Picton School
in Haverfordwest
, as a child.
In September 1998, at the age of 13, Duffy was briefly put in a police safe house
when authorities uncovered a plot by her stepfather's ex-wife to pay an assassin £3000 to kill her stepfather, identified as Philip Smith. Smith's ex-wife, Dawn Watson, was sentenced to a 3½-year jail term for soliciting to murder. "I was so terrified. I felt so ill," Duffy recounted in 2008, as reported by the NME
and The Sun
. A 1998 article in the Daily Mirror, another British tabloid, quotes a man identified as Philip Smith describing similar circumstances, though the stepdaughter's name is spelled Aimy — not Aimée — and the surname Duffy is not mentioned. Duffy describes living in the safe house as a dog-eat-dog, claustrophobic and isolating experience. At age 15, she ran away back to her father's home in Nefyn. Duffy said in retrospect, "It was a horrendous thing to do." Her mother and her sisters did not speak to her for about a year afterward. In reaction to her parents breakup the following three years were a rebellious period that included binge drinking
and stealing a rowboat.
Duffy's early introduction to soul music
and inspiration to get into the music industry occurred while watching Whoopi Goldberg
's performance in the movie Sister Act
. It is known that Duffy did not hold a large record collection in her youth, instead being inspired by her father's videotapes of the 1960s television rock show, Ready Steady Go!
Duffy was interested in music from an early age, beginning to sing at age 6, carrying a notebook that she filled with scribbled lyrics. Despite this, she was later asked to leave her school choir because her voice was "too big" and she "didn't fit in."
in Pembrokeshire, Duffy returned to Nefyn, to live with her father, when she was fifteen, and started singing in various local bands. Duffy then spent six weeks in Switzerland (before she started college), collaborating with the writer-producer Soren Mounir, under the name Soulego. She was advised by a lecturer at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor
to "Go on the dole
, love, and become a singer". She also built up a following at Alexander's, a local jazz and blues club, performing with guitarist David Burton from the band The Invisible Wires. Duffy returned to Wales in 2003 and was invited to appear on Wawffactor
, a Welsh television talent show. She was expected to win but came second to winner Lisa Pedrick. She claimed that she was conned into the appearance, later calling it "the unhappiest time in my life." After a re-evaluation, she decided to just make music for no other purpose than her own fulfilment.
In 2004, following success on Wawffactor, Duffy recorded a three-song Welsh extended play
, titled Aimée Duffy, while working part time in two jobs as waitress and in a fishmongers. It later achieved 2008 Welsh chart success, charting at number-one on the "Siart C2
" music chart. Duffy, now in high demand, appeared on Mint Royale
's See You in the Morning
as a back-up singer. Duffy was introduced to Jeanette Lee
of Rough Trade Records
in August 2004, after singing Richard J. Parfitt's "Oh Boy". Lee moved Duffy to Crouch End
in London, orchestrating a meeting between Duffy and Suede's
ex-guitar player Bernard Butler
. Lee with Rough Trade would eventually manage Duffy. After Butler had given Duffy a soul music
"education" by downloading tracks on to her iPod
that she could listen to while around London or traveling back to Wales, the pair co-wrote with her and helped create a new retro sound. The music included tracks Al Green
, Bettye Swann
, Ann Peebles
, Doris Duke
, Scott Walker
, Phil Spector
and Burt Bacharach
. Duffy was quoted as saying Bettye Swann
"is one of my biggest inspirations" particularly her song "Cover Me" because "it marks the time I got interested in physical contact. I was 19, and here was a woman singing 'Cover me, spread your precious love all over me.' It's very tender, but it's also, hilariously, quite crude."
(UK) on 23 November 2007. She performed on the BBC Two television show Later with Jools Holland
, which resulted in a second appearance on the related broadcast Hootenanny, where Duffy performed with Eddie Floyd
. On 22 February 2008, she appeared on Later with Jools Holland for a third time and performed "Rockferry
", "Mercy
", and "Stepping Stone
". Duffy also made appearances on the BBC Two television programme The Culture Show
on 23 February 2008, performing "Mercy". In January 2008, Duffy came second to Adele
in the annual BBC News Online
poll of industry experts Sound of 2008
, for acts to emerge in the coming year. In Wales, following Duffy's recent promotion of her music, Aimée Duffy
reached number-one on the "Siart C2
" music chart. By 2007, Duffy was finalizing her debut album effort, to be titled Rockferry
, after Rock Ferry
, where her grandmother lives. She subsequently struck a US label deal with Mercury Records
, a newly re-activated imprint of Island Def Jam Music Group. The first single from the album, also titled "Rockferry
" was critically well-received with Allmusic calling it a "grand, sweeping ballad".
Butler and his musical partner David McAlmont
, and a number of other musicians formed the backbone of Duffy's band for her debut album, Rockferry, which was released on A&M Records on 3 March 2008. The black and white album art and video for the title track were shot by directors Luke Seomore and Joseph Bull, on and around the Ffestiniog Railway
in Porthmadog
, which was renamed 'Rockferry' for the occasion. According to Duffy, "The album took nearly four years to make. We had to hire cheap, tiny studios and sometimes there would be three-week periods between writing and recording." Bernard Butler
, who was not initially paid, produced four songs for the album, including the single, "Rockferry". The singles "Mercy" and "Stepping Stone", were co-written & produced by Steve Booker, and the second single "Warwick Avenue
", by Jimmy Hogarth
and Eg White
. Duffy released the debut limited edition single "Rockferry" in November 2007 followed by the Steve Booker co-written & produced single, "Mercy", which went straight to number one. "Mercy" was the last song written for the album. The single was physically released on 25 February 2008. She 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. "Warwick Avenue" was the second single released from the album. The song occurred when Duffy, then 19 years old, was familiarising herself with the London Underground
and accidentally found herself at the Warwick Avenue
station. The following day the song "just sort of came out". At first the video for the song was meant to be an elaborate production but ended up a tearful head shot in a taxi cab with Duffy's mascara smudging. Duffy has said "That's as close as I'm ever going to get to doing a performance that's real in a video."
By May, "Mercy" was a staple on VH1
and a hot Adult Contemporary
radio hit and had been featured in the season finale of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy
as well as being on the soundtrack album for Sex and the City: The Movie. A remix of "Mercy", featuring rap artist The Game
, was released on 10 May. On 13 May Rockferry was released in the United States to positive reviews. Because of its cheap production values the album is reaping Duffy substantial financial benefits. Despite her album's success in the United States Duffy was quoted as saying “I don’t like how big American stars consider themselves an exception from humanity". In November 2008, the single Rain On Your Parade
was released. The song was co-written & produced by Steve Booker. The song was first released on download sales only on 10 November 2008 before being released physically on 17 November 2008. Duffy describes this song as "a big, disco-y dance song". The song entered the UK Singles Chart
at number twenty-two before rising to a peak of fifteen the following week. The track was included on the deluxe edition of Rockferry.
At the 2008 MOJO Awards
, Duffy won the "Song of the Year" award for "Mercy" and was nominated also for "Album of the Year" and "Breakthrough Act". These three nominations were the largest number of nominations for any one act. She also received a 2008 Q Award in the category of Breakthrough Act, a nomination for the Q category of Best Track for "Mercy", a Music of Black Origin Award nomination for Best UK Female. At the MTV Europe Music Awards
, she received nominations in the categories of Album of the Year, Most Addictive Track, and New Act. She performed at the EMA show.
At the 51st Grammy Awards
held in February 2009, Duffy won a Grammy Award in the category of Best Pop Vocal Album
for Rockferry. Earlier she had been nominated for awards in the categories of Best New Artist
and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
for her single "Mercy". Duffy equalled Coldplay with four 2009 Brit Awards
nominations. She eventually won three awards, including Best Album for Rockferry, one behind the record held by Blur for the most won in one night. "I cannot tell you what this means after five years of hard work," said the singer. At the awards ceremony she performed "Warwick Avenue". Record producers & songwriters Steve Booker & Bernard Butler gained awards for their work on the Rockferry album. She shared a 2009 Ivor Novello Award in the category "Most Performed Work" with Steve Booker for their work on Mercy. Songwriter Eg White
won the award for "Songwriter of the Year" in part for Warwick Avenue, which he co-wrote with Duffy. "Mercy" was played on United States radio and television more than 3 million times earning Duffy a 2009 Broadcast Music Incorporated
award. The album was nominated and shortlisted for the Album of 30 Years category at the 2010 Brit Awards
.
The album's success led to a period of confusion about her role in the music business that nearly led her to quit music.
Duffy has said that she did not mind people illegally downloading
her music because she believes most people who do are kids who cannot afford the CDs and will buy them when they get older.
Duffy recorded a cover of Paul McCartney and Wings' song "Live and Let Die
". It was used on the War Child
charity album entitled War Child Heroes, Volume I
. Acclaim came from Paul McCartney, saying that Duffy's version "is great — I was really impressed".
Duffy and Bernard Butler wrote the song Smoke Without Fire, which appeared on the soundtrack for the film "An Education
".
In late January 2010 Rough Trade Management, who with Jeanette Lee had managed Duffy, announced that they and the singer had parted amicably. Duffy's new management stated that "the professional relationship between Duffy and Rough Trade management has run its course." She is currently with A&M/Universal.
On 16 September 2010 Duffy announced the release of her second album Endlessly
. The album was recorded in New York, London and Spain in the year prior to the announcement. Duffy formed a songwriting partnership with Albert Hammond
for the record. Endlessly was released in the United Kingdom on 29 November 2010 and placed at number 9 in the album charts of 5 December. The album's first single failed to achieve the success of previous singles, entering the UK charts at number 41 on 21 November. Called "Well, Well, Well", the single features a rhythm section by United States hip hop
group The Roots
.
In February 2011 it was announced that Duffy would take a break from music before beginning work on her third album.
Duffy has performed at concerts and festival gigs around the world.
Her first American performances took place at the SXSW
conference, and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
was her first festival gig. The Coachella performance started off with sound problems but she "delighted the crowd with 'Rockferry', 'Serious', 'Warwick Avenue' and 'Mercy'." To coincide with the release of Rockferry, Duffy performed at the Apollo Theater
in New York City. Duffy received the honour of performing at the Royal Variety Performance 2008. In 2008, Duffy played many festivals in Europe. This included visits to French, Swedish and Irish summer festivals, amongst others. In the United Kingdom, Duffy visited venues such as Glastonbury
and the Evolution Festival. She also toured the American summer festivals in 2008 for example a visit to Lollapalooza
in Chicago. Duffy toured the United Kingdom and Ireland during November and December 2008.
In order to promote Rockferry, Duffy made many visits to American television, including Late Night with Conan O'Brien
, and Saturday Night Live
. Duffy played a fourteen-city North American tour. Plans had called for her to open for Coldplay
on six of the dates. During a concert in Cleveland, Duffy accidentally set the left side of her hair on fire. In New York, Duffy was left apologising to an audience after briefly crying. She explained to the audience that this happens in one out of every 15 of her shows when she feels exposed for reasons she does not fully understand. Duffy also made a recording for British broadcaster BBC, performing at the LSO St. Luke's. The performance was televised in 2009 on the British television station BBC One.
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?" She said at first she did not understand the comparisons to Dusty Springfield
and believes the comparisons with others or putting her in a movement is "a gimmick" and noted that "nobody is replaceable". Later some of Springfield's friends sought out and befriended Duffy. Duffy was quoted as saying they tell her she is much like Springfield and talk to her as if she was around during the 1960s. Singer-songwriter Alison Goldfrapp
said while Duffy has a great voice, she was trained to sound essentially like Amy Winehouse as part of a business plan, mistakenly believing that Duffy had attended the Brit School
. Noel Gallagher
of Oasis
has a similar perspective. By 2009 people had stopped referring to Duffy as the "New Amy" or "New Dusty" a prospect that is a "bit more frightening because before I had certain references but now it's just me on my own".
British singer Estelle
said that she does not agree with those who describe Duffy and Adele
as soul singers but that she is happy that they have been successful. In North America, Duffy is seen as part of a recent wave of British singers or "British invaders" consisting of females with a unique take on writing and performing songs. Motown has been seen as an influence in this wave.
On 1 February 2009 The Times
Encyclopedia of modern music named Rockferry an "Essential" Blue-eyed soul
recording. Albums by Amy Winehouse
and Adele were also named as essential Blue Eyed Soul recordings in the "recent" category.
lead singer John Lydon
(aka Johnny Rotten) heckled her. According to Duffy, when she went to make peace with him, "I walked past him, said 'Hi, you all right?,' and next thing I was literally slammed against the wall, pinned by his arm at my throat. He called me a c***. The violence was awful." According to Lydon, "I was doing an interview and she came up behind me — I didn't see anything." He claimed she was a "young girl who made the mistake of trying to jump on my back". He said he hadn't realised who Duffy was, saying: "Oh, she got an award? I quite like her." Although she left upset, Duffy later blamed herself for what happened. In November 2010, Lydon changed his story claiming the incident was a publicity stunt created by Duffy's staff. Duffy believes that explanation is an attempt to brush off behaviour Lydon is ashamed about.
, supporting a new range of Nivea
products. Duffy has also appeared in various European television commercials endorsing the beverage Diet Coke
. The campaign, showing Duffy cycling through a supermarket singing "I Gotta Be Me
", was launched on British television station itv
, following the 2009 BRIT Awards
, which saw Duffy take home three awards for her work. Duffy was named as the "face" of the brand, alongside other famous women. The advert went on to spark unexpected complaints about the health of children when it showed Duffy riding without protective gear, to the United Kingdom's Advertising Standards Authority
. However, these claims were ultimately rejected.
Duffy received a phone call from a famous Hollywood producer who offered her a chance to be a star. Feeling that she was not ready she instead made her film debut playing the character of Sissy in the 2010 drama film Patagonia
, directed by Marc Evans
. Sissy's character is "a Welsh student who livens up the holiday of a young Argentinian man on a trip to Wales". The film is about Welsh Argentines living in Y Wladfa, Patagonia
. Patagonia premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival
on 10 June 2010, and was released in October 2010.
In April 2009 Duffy had a special variant of daffodil (a flower traditionally associated with Wales) named after her called the "Duffydil". She picked the variant she wanted to be named after her from a selection grown by the Really Welsh Trading Company in Wales. Duffy said of this, "The Duffydil, brilliant! Maybe now I can forgive myself for stealing them from people's gardens!"
Duffy's estimated fortune of £4 million placed her in 16th place in the 2009 Sunday Times listing of Great Britain's wealthiest young musicians.
Duffy dated Welsh International rugby star Mike Phillips
from September 2009 to May 2011.
In 2011 Angela Becker Duffy's former manager sued Duffy claiming breach of contract. Duffy has stated she intends to counter sue.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry
Rockferry
Rockferry is the debut studio album by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released on 3 March 2008 in the United Kingdom by A&M Records. It was released in the United States by Mercury Records. Duffy worked with several producers and writers on the album, including Bernard Butler, Steve Booker,...
entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold. The album was certified several times Platinum and sold over 6 million copies worldwide, spawning the hits "Mercy
Mercy (song)
"Mercy" is a soul song performed by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released as the second single from her debut album, Rockferry . Co-written by Duffy and Steve Booker and produced by Booker, it was released over 2008 worldwide to critical acclaim and unprecedented chart success...
" and "Warwick Avenue
Warwick Avenue (song)
"Warwick Avenue" is the third single from the album Rockferry by Duffy. The title refers to Warwick Avenue tube station in London. It was written by Jimmy Hogarth, Eg White, and Duffy and produced by Hogarth. It was released in May 2008, but had already charted by March and April due to download...
". With "Mercy", Duffy became the first Welsh woman to achieve number-one on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
since Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:...
topped the charts with "Total Eclipse of the Heart
Total Eclipse of the Heart
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" is a song written and produced by Jim Steinman and recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler for her fifth studio album, Faster Than the Speed of Night...
" in 1983.
In 2009, Duffy won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album
Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop music albums...
for Rockferry, and she was nominated for two other Grammys at the 51st Grammy Awards
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
. In 2009 she won three Brit Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
: British Breakthrough, Best Female Solo and Best British Album.
In 2010 she completed recording of her second album Endlessly
Endlessly (album)
Endlessly is the second studio album by Welsh singer-songwriter Duffy. It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2010 by A&M Records and in the United States on 7 December 2010 by Mercury Records. Duffy worked almost exclusively with Albert Hammond Snr. on the album, with all but one of...
that was released on 29 November and made her acting debut in the film Patagonia
Patagonia (film)
Patagonia is a 2010 drama film about different Welsh and Argentine people connected to "Y Wladfa," the Welsh settlement in Patagonia, Argentina. The film stars several well-known Welsh actors including Matthew Rhys, Nia Roberts, and the singer Duffy. Directed by Welsh director Marc Evans, it...
. In February 2011 it was announced that Duffy would take an extended hiatus from music before beginning work on her third album.
Early life
Duffy was born in Bangor, GwyneddBangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
, and brought up in Nefyn
Nefyn
Nefyn is a small town and community on the north west coast of the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 2,619. Welsh is the first language of almost 80% of its inhabitants. The A497 road terminates in the town centre.-History:...
on the Llŷn Peninsula
Llŷn Peninsula
The Llŷn Peninsula extends into the Irish Sea from north west Wales, south west of the Isle of Anglesey. It is part of the modern county and historic region of Gwynedd. The name is thought to be of Irish origin, and to have the same root Laigin in Irish as the word Leinster...
, in Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, Wales, with her twin sister, Katy Ann, and older sister Kelly; she would later write songs about both sisters. She grew up speaking Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
as her mother tongue but soon learned English as well. Duffy's parents divorced when she was 10 and she moved to Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
with her mother and sisters.
Duffy attended Ysgol Nefyn, on the Llyn Peninsula
Llyn Peninsula
The Llŷn Peninsula extends into the Irish Sea from north west Wales, south west of the Isle of Anglesey. It is part of the modern county and historic region of Gwynedd. The name is thought to be of Irish origin, and to have the same root Laigin in Irish as the word Leinster...
and Sir Thomas Picton School
Sir Thomas Picton School
Sir Thomas Picton School is a secondary school in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales, with around 1250 students, 200 of whom are in Years 12 and 13...
in Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...
, as a child.
In September 1998, at the age of 13, Duffy was briefly put in a police safe house
Safe house
In the jargon of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, a safe house is a secure location, suitable for hiding witnesses, agents or other persons perceived as being in danger...
when authorities uncovered a plot by her stepfather's ex-wife to pay an assassin £3000 to kill her stepfather, identified as Philip Smith. Smith's ex-wife, Dawn Watson, was sentenced to a 3½-year jail term for soliciting to murder. "I was so terrified. I felt so ill," Duffy recounted in 2008, as reported by the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
and The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
. A 1998 article in the Daily Mirror, another British tabloid, quotes a man identified as Philip Smith describing similar circumstances, though the stepdaughter's name is spelled Aimy — not Aimée — and the surname Duffy is not mentioned. Duffy describes living in the safe house as a dog-eat-dog, claustrophobic and isolating experience. At age 15, she ran away back to her father's home in Nefyn. Duffy said in retrospect, "It was a horrendous thing to do." Her mother and her sisters did not speak to her for about a year afterward. In reaction to her parents breakup the following three years were a rebellious period that included binge drinking
Binge drinking
Binge drinking or heavy episodic drinking is the modern epithet for drinking alcoholic beverages with the primary intention of becoming intoxicated by heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time. It is a kind of purposeful drinking style that is popular in several countries worldwide,...
and stealing a rowboat.
Duffy's early introduction to soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and inspiration to get into the music industry occurred while watching Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
's performance in the movie Sister Act
Sister Act
Sister Act is a 1992 American comedy film released by Touchstone Pictures. Directed by Emile Ardolino, it features musical arrangements by Marc Shaiman and stars Whoopi Goldberg as a Reno lounge singer who has been put under protective custody in a San Francisco convent and has to pretend to be a...
. It is known that Duffy did not hold a large record collection in her youth, instead being inspired by her father's videotapes of the 1960s television rock show, Ready Steady Go!
Ready Steady Go!
Ready Steady Go! or simply RSG! was one of the UK's first rock/pop music TV programmes. It was conceived by Elkan Allan, head of Rediffusion TV. Allan was assisted by record producer/talent manager Vicki Wickham, who became the producer. It was broadcast from August 1963 until December 1966...
Duffy was interested in music from an early age, beginning to sing at age 6, carrying a notebook that she filled with scribbled lyrics. Despite this, she was later asked to leave her school choir because her voice was "too big" and she "didn't fit in."
2003–06: Musical beginnings
After finishing her GCSEsGeneral Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
in Pembrokeshire, Duffy returned to Nefyn, to live with her father, when she was fifteen, and started singing in various local bands. Duffy then spent six weeks in Switzerland (before she started college), collaborating with the writer-producer Soren Mounir, under the name Soulego. She was advised by a lecturer at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor
Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor
Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor , also known as CMD, is a college in Gwynedd, Wales at Dolgellau, serving the areas of Meirionydd and Dwyfor. It has a bilingual language policy and offers the possibility of studying most subjects through the medium of Welsh...
to "Go on the dole
Jobseeker's Allowance
Jobseeker's Allowance is a United Kingdom benefit, colloquially known as the dole . It is a form of unemployment benefit paid by the government to people who are unemployed and seeking work. It is part of the social security benefits system and is intended to cover living expenses while the...
, love, and become a singer". She also built up a following at Alexander's, a local jazz and blues club, performing with guitarist David Burton from the band The Invisible Wires. Duffy returned to Wales in 2003 and was invited to appear on Wawffactor
Wawffactor
Wawffactor was a Welsh television music talent show contested by aspiring pop singers drawn from public auditions...
, a Welsh television talent show. She was expected to win but came second to winner Lisa Pedrick. She claimed that she was conned into the appearance, later calling it "the unhappiest time in my life." After a re-evaluation, she decided to just make music for no other purpose than her own fulfilment.
In 2004, following success on Wawffactor, Duffy recorded a three-song Welsh extended play
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, titled Aimée Duffy, while working part time in two jobs as waitress and in a fishmongers. It later achieved 2008 Welsh chart success, charting at number-one on the "Siart C2
C2 (radio)
C2 is a Welsh language music and youth strand on BBC Radio Cymru, broadcast on weeknights between 8pm and 1am from BBC Cymru's studios in Cardiff and Bangor....
" music chart. Duffy, now in high demand, appeared on Mint Royale
Mint Royale
Mint Royale is a big beat electronic music act from Manchester, England. They were originally founded by the duo Neil Claxton and Chris Baker in 1997; the latter left the band in 2004, but Claxton continues to produce music using the Mint Royale name.-Career:...
's See You in the Morning
See You in the Morning
See You in the Morning is the third studio album by Mint Royale, which was released in 2005 on the Faith & Hope label. The album featured a then-unknown Duffy singing vocals on the tracks The Effect on Me and Little Words....
as a back-up singer. Duffy was introduced to Jeanette Lee
Jeanette Lee (musician)
Jeannette Lee is a British filmmaker, musician, and music businesswoman. A retail worker at the Acme Attractions store that, along with the SEX boutique run by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, was instrumental in spawning punk in the UK,...
of Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
in August 2004, after singing Richard J. Parfitt's "Oh Boy". Lee moved Duffy to Crouch End
Crouch End
Crouch End is an area of north London, in the London Borough of Haringey.- Location :Crouch End is in a valley between Harringay to the east, Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green to the north, Finsbury Park and Archway to the south and Highgate to the west...
in London, orchestrating a meeting between Duffy and Suede's
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
ex-guitar player Bernard Butler
Bernard Butler
Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician and record producer. He first emerged in the early Britpop era with Suede. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation, as well as one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists...
. Lee with Rough Trade would eventually manage Duffy. After Butler had given Duffy a soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
"education" by downloading tracks on to her iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
that she could listen to while around London or traveling back to Wales, the pair co-wrote with her and helped create a new retro sound. The music included tracks Al Green
Al Green
Albert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...
, Bettye Swann
Bettye Swann
Bettye Swann is an American soul music singer, best known for her 1967 hit song "Make Me Yours".-Career:...
, Ann Peebles
Ann Peebles
Ann Peebles is an African American singer-songwriter who gained celebrity for her Memphis soul albums of the 1970s on the Hi Records label...
, Doris Duke
Doris Duke
Doris Duke was an American heiress, horticulturalist, art collector, and philanthropist.-Family and early life:...
, Scott Walker
Scott Walker (singer)
Scott Walker, born Noel Scott Engel on January 9, 1943 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and the former lead singer of The Walker Brothers. Despite being American born, Walker's chart success has largely come in the United Kingdom, where his first four solo albums...
, Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
and Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
. Duffy was quoted as saying Bettye Swann
Bettye Swann
Bettye Swann is an American soul music singer, best known for her 1967 hit song "Make Me Yours".-Career:...
"is one of my biggest inspirations" particularly her song "Cover Me" because "it marks the time I got interested in physical contact. I was 19, and here was a woman singing 'Cover me, spread your precious love all over me.' It's very tender, but it's also, hilariously, quite crude."
2007–09: Rockferry
Duffy was contracted to A&M RecordsA&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
(UK) on 23 November 2007. She performed on the BBC Two television show Later with Jools Holland
Later with Jools Holland
Later... with Jools Holland is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jools Holland. A spin-off of The Late Show, it has been running in short series since 1992 and is a part of BBC Two's late-night line-up, usually at around 11pm to 12 midnight...
, which resulted in a second appearance on the related broadcast Hootenanny, where Duffy performed with Eddie Floyd
Eddie Floyd
Eddie Lee Floyd is an American soul/R&B singer and songwriter, best known for his work on the Stax record label in the 1960s and 1970s and the song "Knock on Wood".-Biography:...
. On 22 February 2008, she appeared on Later with Jools Holland for a third time and performed "Rockferry
Rockferry (song)
"Rockferry" is the debut single by Duffy, written by Duffy and Bernard Butler. It is the first track on the album Rockferry.-Song information:...
", "Mercy
Mercy (song)
"Mercy" is a soul song performed by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released as the second single from her debut album, Rockferry . Co-written by Duffy and Steve Booker and produced by Booker, it was released over 2008 worldwide to critical acclaim and unprecedented chart success...
", and "Stepping Stone
Stepping Stone (Duffy song)
"Stepping Stone" is the fourth single by Duffy from her debut album Rockferry. The single was officially released as both a digital download and CD single on September 1, 2008 in the United Kingdom. Although it followed the massive success of previous singles "Mercy" and "Warwick Avenue", it did...
". Duffy also made appearances on the BBC Two television programme The Culture Show
The Culture Show
The Culture Show is a weekly BBC Two Arts magazine programme. It is broadcast in the UK on Thursday nights at 7pm, focusing on the best of the week's arts and culture news, covering books, art, film, architecture, music, visual fashion and the performing arts...
on 23 February 2008, performing "Mercy". In January 2008, Duffy came second to Adele
Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008...
in the annual BBC News Online
BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
poll of industry experts Sound of 2008
Sound of... (BBC poll)
Sound of... is an annual poll of music critics and industry figures to find the most promising new music talent. It was first conducted by the BBC News website in 2003. A top 10 list is published each January.-Winners:-Sound of 2009:...
, for acts to emerge in the coming year. In Wales, following Duffy's recent promotion of her music, Aimée Duffy
Aimée Duffy (Welsh EP)
Aimée Duffy is a Welsh-language EP by Welsh singer-songwriter Aimée Duffy , released in 2004 on Welsh record label Awen Records. Originally to be entitled Rock, Roll & Soul, the release came after the singer had come second in a Welsh televised talent show.-Background and release of EP:After...
reached number-one on the "Siart C2
C2 (radio)
C2 is a Welsh language music and youth strand on BBC Radio Cymru, broadcast on weeknights between 8pm and 1am from BBC Cymru's studios in Cardiff and Bangor....
" music chart. By 2007, Duffy was finalizing her debut album effort, to be titled Rockferry
Rockferry
Rockferry is the debut studio album by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released on 3 March 2008 in the United Kingdom by A&M Records. It was released in the United States by Mercury Records. Duffy worked with several producers and writers on the album, including Bernard Butler, Steve Booker,...
, after Rock Ferry
Rock Ferry
Rock Ferry is an area of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Administratively it is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Before local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974, it was part of the county of Cheshire...
, where her grandmother lives. She subsequently struck a US label deal with Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
, a newly re-activated imprint of Island Def Jam Music Group. The first single from the album, also titled "Rockferry
Rockferry (song)
"Rockferry" is the debut single by Duffy, written by Duffy and Bernard Butler. It is the first track on the album Rockferry.-Song information:...
" was critically well-received with Allmusic calling it a "grand, sweeping ballad".
Butler and his musical partner David McAlmont
David McAlmont
David McAlmont is a British vocalist and songwriter.-Early years and Thieves:...
, and a number of other musicians formed the backbone of Duffy's band for her debut album, Rockferry, which was released on A&M Records on 3 March 2008. The black and white album art and video for the title track were shot by directors Luke Seomore and Joseph Bull, on and around the Ffestiniog Railway
Ffestiniog Railway
The Ffestiniog Railway is a narrow gauge heritage railway, located in Gwynedd, Wales. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the Snowdonia National Park....
in Porthmadog
Porthmadog
Porthmadog , known locally as "Port", and historically rendered into English as Portmadoc, is a small coastal town and community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd, in Wales. Prior to the Local Government Act 1972 it was in the administrative county of Caernarfonshire. The town lies east of...
, which was renamed 'Rockferry' for the occasion. According to Duffy, "The album took nearly four years to make. We had to hire cheap, tiny studios and sometimes there would be three-week periods between writing and recording." Bernard Butler
Bernard Butler
Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician and record producer. He first emerged in the early Britpop era with Suede. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation, as well as one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists...
, who was not initially paid, produced four songs for the album, including the single, "Rockferry". The singles "Mercy" and "Stepping Stone", were co-written & produced by Steve Booker, and the second single "Warwick Avenue
Warwick Avenue (song)
"Warwick Avenue" is the third single from the album Rockferry by Duffy. The title refers to Warwick Avenue tube station in London. It was written by Jimmy Hogarth, Eg White, and Duffy and produced by Hogarth. It was released in May 2008, but had already charted by March and April due to download...
", by Jimmy Hogarth
Jimmy Hogarth
Jimmy Hogarth is a London-based producer and songwriter, whose production and writing credits include Amy Winehouse, Sia, Paolo Nutini, Duffy, Corinne Bailey Rae, Estelle, Tina Turner, KT Tunstall, James Blunt and James Morrison....
and Eg White
Eg White
Francis Anthony "Eg" White is a British musician, songwriter and producer. White is primarily known for his work with successful commercial pop acts such as Adele, Duffy, Will Young and James Morrison...
. Duffy released the debut limited edition single "Rockferry" in November 2007 followed by the Steve Booker co-written & produced single, "Mercy", which went straight to number one. "Mercy" was the last song written for the album. The single was physically released on 25 February 2008. She 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. "Warwick Avenue" was the second single released from the album. The song occurred when Duffy, then 19 years old, was familiarising herself with the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
and accidentally found herself at the Warwick Avenue
Warwick Avenue tube station
Warwick Avenue tube station is a London Underground station near Little Venice in inner north-west London. The station is on the Bakerloo Line, between Paddington and Maida Vale stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 2....
station. The following day the song "just sort of came out". At first the video for the song was meant to be an elaborate production but ended up a tearful head shot in a taxi cab with Duffy's mascara smudging. Duffy has said "That's as close as I'm ever going to get to doing a performance that's real in a video."
By May, "Mercy" was a staple on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
and a hot Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
radio hit and had been featured in the season finale of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
as well as being on the soundtrack album for Sex and the City: The Movie. A remix of "Mercy", featuring rap artist The Game
The Game (rapper)
Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
, was released on 10 May. On 13 May Rockferry was released in the United States to positive reviews. Because of its cheap production values the album is reaping Duffy substantial financial benefits. Despite her album's success in the United States Duffy was quoted as saying “I don’t like how big American stars consider themselves an exception from humanity". In November 2008, the single Rain On Your Parade
Rain on Your Parade
"Rain on Your Parade" is a song by Welsh recording artist Duffy from her debut studio album, Rockferry. Written by Duffy and Steve Booker, the song was released as the first single from the album's deluxe edition, and fifth overall, on 9 February 2009, by A&M Records...
was released. The song was co-written & produced by Steve Booker. The song was first released on download sales only on 10 November 2008 before being released physically on 17 November 2008. Duffy describes this song as "a big, disco-y dance song". The song entered the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number twenty-two before rising to a peak of fifteen the following week. The track was included on the deluxe edition of Rockferry.
At the 2008 MOJO Awards
2008 MOJO Awards
The 2008 MOJO Honours List Winners were announced at a ceremony at The Brewery in London, England on June 16, 2008.-Nominees:Complete list of nominees :*Song of the Year**LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends"...
, Duffy won the "Song of the Year" award for "Mercy" and was nominated also for "Album of the Year" and "Breakthrough Act". These three nominations were the largest number of nominations for any one act. She also received a 2008 Q Award in the category of Breakthrough Act, a nomination for the Q category of Best Track for "Mercy", a Music of Black Origin Award nomination for Best UK Female. At the MTV Europe Music Awards
MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Networks Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. Originally beginning as an alternative to the American MTV Video Music Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards is today a popular celebration of what MTV viewers consider...
, she received nominations in the categories of Album of the Year, Most Addictive Track, and New Act. She performed at the EMA show.
At the 51st Grammy Awards
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
held in February 2009, Duffy won a Grammy Award in the category of Best Pop Vocal Album
Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop music albums...
for Rockferry. Earlier she had been nominated for awards in the categories of Best New Artist
Grammy Award for Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967...
and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
for her single "Mercy". Duffy equalled Coldplay with four 2009 Brit Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
nominations. She eventually won three awards, including Best Album for Rockferry, one behind the record held by Blur for the most won in one night. "I cannot tell you what this means after five years of hard work," said the singer. At the awards ceremony she performed "Warwick Avenue". Record producers & songwriters Steve Booker & Bernard Butler gained awards for their work on the Rockferry album. She shared a 2009 Ivor Novello Award in the category "Most Performed Work" with Steve Booker for their work on Mercy. Songwriter Eg White
Eg White
Francis Anthony "Eg" White is a British musician, songwriter and producer. White is primarily known for his work with successful commercial pop acts such as Adele, Duffy, Will Young and James Morrison...
won the award for "Songwriter of the Year" in part for Warwick Avenue, which he co-wrote with Duffy. "Mercy" was played on United States radio and television more than 3 million times earning Duffy a 2009 Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
award. The album was nominated and shortlisted for the Album of 30 Years category at the 2010 Brit Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
.
The album's success led to a period of confusion about her role in the music business that nearly led her to quit music.
Duffy has said that she did not mind people illegally downloading
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
her music because she believes most people who do are kids who cannot afford the CDs and will buy them when they get older.
Duffy recorded a cover of Paul McCartney and Wings' song "Live and Let Die
Live and Let Die (song)
"Live and Let Die" is the main theme song of the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die and was performed by Paul McCartney & Wings for the movie soundtrack and appears on the soundtrack album. The song was one of Wings' most successful singles, and the most successful Bond theme to that point...
". It was used on the War Child
War Child (charity)
War Child is a non-governmental organisation founded in the UK 1993, which focuses on providing assistance to children in areas of conflict and post-conflict. They use their film and entertainment background to raise money for aid agencies operating in former Yugoslavia...
charity album entitled War Child Heroes, Volume I
Heroes (2009 album)
War Child Presents Heroes is a 2009 charity album devoted to the War Child charity's aid efforts in war-stricken areas, such as Iraq, Uganda, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo...
. Acclaim came from Paul McCartney, saying that Duffy's version "is great — I was really impressed".
Duffy and Bernard Butler wrote the song Smoke Without Fire, which appeared on the soundtrack for the film "An Education
An Education
An Education is a 2009 British coming-of-age drama film, based on an autobiographical article in Granta by British journalist Lynn Barber. The film was directed by Lone Scherfig from a screenplay by Nick Hornby, and stars Carey Mulligan as Jenny, a bright schoolgirl, and Peter Sarsgaard as David,...
".
2009–11: Endlessly and hiatus
Duffy's second album required her to slow her career.In late January 2010 Rough Trade Management, who with Jeanette Lee had managed Duffy, announced that they and the singer had parted amicably. Duffy's new management stated that "the professional relationship between Duffy and Rough Trade management has run its course." She is currently with A&M/Universal.
On 16 September 2010 Duffy announced the release of her second album Endlessly
Endlessly (album)
Endlessly is the second studio album by Welsh singer-songwriter Duffy. It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2010 by A&M Records and in the United States on 7 December 2010 by Mercury Records. Duffy worked almost exclusively with Albert Hammond Snr. on the album, with all but one of...
. The album was recorded in New York, London and Spain in the year prior to the announcement. Duffy formed a songwriting partnership with Albert Hammond
Albert Hammond
Albert Hammond OBE is a British singer, songwriter and record producer from Gibraltar.-Birth and early success:Hammond was born in London, England, where his family had been evacuated to from Gibraltar during World War II. His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and there he grew...
for the record. Endlessly was released in the United Kingdom on 29 November 2010 and placed at number 9 in the album charts of 5 December. The album's first single failed to achieve the success of previous singles, entering the UK charts at number 41 on 21 November. Called "Well, Well, Well", the single features a rhythm section by United States hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
group The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
.
In February 2011 it was announced that Duffy would take a break from music before beginning work on her third album.
Discography
Studio albums- 2008: RockferryRockferryRockferry is the debut studio album by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released on 3 March 2008 in the United Kingdom by A&M Records. It was released in the United States by Mercury Records. Duffy worked with several producers and writers on the album, including Bernard Butler, Steve Booker,...
- 2010: EndlesslyEndlessly (album)Endlessly is the second studio album by Welsh singer-songwriter Duffy. It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2010 by A&M Records and in the United States on 7 December 2010 by Mercury Records. Duffy worked almost exclusively with Albert Hammond Snr. on the album, with all but one of...
Touring and live performance
Her first American performances took place at the SXSW
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
conference, and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...
was her first festival gig. The Coachella performance started off with sound problems but she "delighted the crowd with 'Rockferry', 'Serious', 'Warwick Avenue' and 'Mercy'." To coincide with the release of Rockferry, Duffy performed at the Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
in New York City. Duffy received the honour of performing at the Royal Variety Performance 2008. In 2008, Duffy played many festivals in Europe. This included visits to French, Swedish and Irish summer festivals, amongst others. In the United Kingdom, Duffy visited venues such as Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
and the Evolution Festival. She also toured the American summer festivals in 2008 for example a visit to Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
in Chicago. Duffy toured the United Kingdom and Ireland during November and December 2008.
In order to promote Rockferry, Duffy made many visits to American television, including Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
, and Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. Duffy played a fourteen-city North American tour. Plans had called for her to open for Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
on six of the dates. During a concert in Cleveland, Duffy accidentally set the left side of her hair on fire. In New York, Duffy was left apologising to an audience after briefly crying. She explained to the audience that this happens in one out of every 15 of her shows when she feels exposed for reasons she does not fully understand. Duffy also made a recording for British broadcaster BBC, performing at the LSO St. Luke's. The performance was televised in 2009 on the British television station BBC One.
Comparisons with others
Under the sub-title, "The New Amys", Adam Thompson wrote in The Times on 30 December 2007 that "Duffy, Gabriella CilmiGabriella Cilmi
Gabriella Lucia Cilmi is an Australian singer-songwriter. In 2008, Cilmi was awarded six ARIA awards including Single of the Year and Best Female Artist....
and Adele
Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008...
lead the charge to be the next Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
. First sightings seem to indicate that they are all bright-eyed innocents with bags of talent — a familiar starting point, no?" She said at first she did not understand the comparisons to Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
and believes the comparisons with others or putting her in a movement is "a gimmick" and noted that "nobody is replaceable". Later some of Springfield's friends sought out and befriended Duffy. Duffy was quoted as saying they tell her she is much like Springfield and talk to her as if she was around during the 1960s. Singer-songwriter Alison Goldfrapp
Alison Goldfrapp
Alison Elizabeth Margaret Goldfrapp is an English singer-songwriter and record producer, best known as the lead singer of the electronic music duo Goldfrapp. Goldfrapp has a soprano vocal range.-Early life:...
said while Duffy has a great voice, she was trained to sound essentially like Amy Winehouse as part of a business plan, mistakenly believing that Duffy had attended the Brit School
BRIT School
The London School for Performing Arts & Technology is a British school located in Selhurst, Croydon, in London, England, with a mandate to provide education and vocational training for the performing arts, media, art and design and the technologies that make performance possible...
. Noel Gallagher
Noel Gallagher
Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...
of Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
has a similar perspective. By 2009 people had stopped referring to Duffy as the "New Amy" or "New Dusty" a prospect that is a "bit more frightening because before I had certain references but now it's just me on my own".
British singer Estelle
Estelle (musician)
Estelle Fanta Swaray commonly known as Estelle, and formerly as Est'elle, is an English R&B singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer.-Early Life:Estelle was born 18 January 1980 in Hammersmith, London, England...
said that she does not agree with those who describe Duffy and Adele
Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins , known professionally as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She was the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008...
as soul singers but that she is happy that they have been successful. In North America, Duffy is seen as part of a recent wave of British singers or "British invaders" consisting of females with a unique take on writing and performing songs. Motown has been seen as an influence in this wave.
On 1 February 2009 The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
Encyclopedia of modern music named Rockferry an "Essential" Blue-eyed soul
Blue-eyed soul
Blue-eyed soul is a media term that was used to describe rhythm and blues and soul music performed by white artists, with a strong pop music influence. The term was first used in the mid-1960s to describe white artists who performed soul and R&B that was similar to the music of the Motown and...
recording. Albums by Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
and Adele were also named as essential Blue Eyed Soul recordings in the "recent" category.
2008 Mojo Awards
Duffy claimed that at the Mojo Awards show in June 2008, Sex PistolsSex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
lead singer John Lydon
John Lydon
John Joseph Lydon , also known by the former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a singer-songwriter and television presenter, best known as the lead singer of punk rock band the Sex Pistols from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s...
(aka Johnny Rotten) heckled her. According to Duffy, when she went to make peace with him, "I walked past him, said 'Hi, you all right?,' and next thing I was literally slammed against the wall, pinned by his arm at my throat. He called me a c***. The violence was awful." According to Lydon, "I was doing an interview and she came up behind me — I didn't see anything." He claimed she was a "young girl who made the mistake of trying to jump on my back". He said he hadn't realised who Duffy was, saying: "Oh, she got an award? I quite like her." Although she left upset, Duffy later blamed herself for what happened. In November 2010, Lydon changed his story claiming the incident was a publicity stunt created by Duffy's staff. Duffy believes that explanation is an attempt to brush off behaviour Lydon is ashamed about.
Other projects
Since her fame, Duffy has endorsed several products. In August 2008, Duffy appeared in Fashion RocksFashion Rocks
Fashion Rocks was an annual international charity fundraiser event which features fashions by the world's top designers being presented to live performances by popular music acts.The inaugural event was held at the Royal Albert Hall on October 15, 2003...
, supporting a new range of Nivea
Nivea
Nivea is a global skin- and body-care brand that is owned by the German company Beiersdorf. The company was founded on March 28 1882 by pharmacist Carl Paul Beiersdorf. In 1900, the new owner Oskar Troplowitz developed a water-in-oil emulsion as a skin cream with Eucerit, the first stable emulsion...
products. Duffy has also appeared in various European television commercials endorsing the beverage Diet Coke
Diet Coke
Diet Coke is a sugar-free soft drink produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company. It was first introduced in the United States on August 9, 1982, as the first new brand since 1886 to use the Coca-Cola trademark...
. The campaign, showing Duffy cycling through a supermarket singing "I Gotta Be Me
I Gotta Be Me
I Gotta Be Me is a Dancehall album that was the first and only album by the late hip-hop producer Johnny "J" on Shade Tree Records, with distribution by Solar Records by way of their recently formed independent label distribution unit, The J...
", was launched on British television station itv
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, following the 2009 BRIT Awards
2009 BRIT Awards
The 2009 BRIT Awards ceremony took place on Wednesday 18 February 2009. It was the 29th edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The awards ceremony was held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London, and was broadcast live on ITV1 on 18 February at 8pm...
, which saw Duffy take home three awards for her work. Duffy was named as the "face" of the brand, alongside other famous women. The advert went on to spark unexpected complaints about the health of children when it showed Duffy riding without protective gear, to the United Kingdom's Advertising Standards Authority
Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom)
The Advertising Standards Authority is the self-regulatory organisation of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom. The ASA is a non-statutory organisation and so cannot interpret or enforce legislation. However, its code of advertising practice broadly reflects legislation in many instances...
. However, these claims were ultimately rejected.
Duffy received a phone call from a famous Hollywood producer who offered her a chance to be a star. Feeling that she was not ready she instead made her film debut playing the character of Sissy in the 2010 drama film Patagonia
Patagonia (film)
Patagonia is a 2010 drama film about different Welsh and Argentine people connected to "Y Wladfa," the Welsh settlement in Patagonia, Argentina. The film stars several well-known Welsh actors including Matthew Rhys, Nia Roberts, and the singer Duffy. Directed by Welsh director Marc Evans, it...
, directed by Marc Evans
Marc Evans
Marc Evans is a Welsh-born film director, whose credits include the films House of America, Resurrection Man and My Little Eye.-Biography:Evans was born in 1963 in Carmarthen, Wales...
. Sissy's character is "a Welsh student who livens up the holiday of a young Argentinian man on a trip to Wales". The film is about Welsh Argentines living in Y Wladfa, Patagonia
Patagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
. Patagonia premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival
Seattle International Film Festival
The Seattle International Film Festival , held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees...
on 10 June 2010, and was released in October 2010.
Personal life
In September 2008, Duffy mentioned that she was "on the borderline of a nervous breakdown" because of the pressure that fame has brought her. She also said that she had considered becoming a recluse, but eventually decided against the idea for the sake of her fans. Although acknowledging that most people do mean well, she finds it "scary" when people recognise her in the street, and has been fearful of her image possibly changing the person she truly is.In April 2009 Duffy had a special variant of daffodil (a flower traditionally associated with Wales) named after her called the "Duffydil". She picked the variant she wanted to be named after her from a selection grown by the Really Welsh Trading Company in Wales. Duffy said of this, "The Duffydil, brilliant! Maybe now I can forgive myself for stealing them from people's gardens!"
Duffy's estimated fortune of £4 million placed her in 16th place in the 2009 Sunday Times listing of Great Britain's wealthiest young musicians.
Duffy dated Welsh International rugby star Mike Phillips
Mike Phillips (rugby player)
William Michael "Mike" Phillips is a Welsh international rugby union rugby player who plays at scrum-half for Bayonne.-Personal life:...
from September 2009 to May 2011.
In 2011 Angela Becker Duffy's former manager sued Duffy claiming breach of contract. Duffy has stated she intends to counter sue.
External links
- Duffy at BBC WalesBBC WalesBBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
- Duffy at NMENMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...