Duffy facts: Welsh singer's age, partner, songs and career revealed

9 March 2022, 17:01

She started off bigger than Adele, but Duffy dropped off the radar after her debut album Rockferry and follow-up.

In 2020, Duffy returned to the spotlight after revealing harrowing details of being abducted and assaulted, leading to her withdrawing from public life as she recovered from her ordeal.

Here we look back at Duffy's life and career, and all the fascinating facts about the talented singer:

1. Duffy's debut album: Rockferry

   

   Duffy released her first album Rockferry in 2008. It entered the chart at number one, and became the best-selling album in the UK that year.

   It won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album and three BRIT Awards the following year. The album includes her hit singles 'Rockferry', 'Mercy' and 'Warwick Avenue'.

2. What happened after the success of Rockferry?

   

   Duffy - Diek Coke (comercial)

   The album's success led to a difficult period for Duffy, and she contemplated quitting music altogether.

   She came under huge scrutiny for her appearance in a $35 million Coca Cola advert (see above), which seemed to slow down her career before the release of her second album.

3. Duffy's second album: Endlessly

   

   Endlessly was released in 2010 but didn't match the success of the first album, peaking at only No. 9 in the charts.

   It wasn't helped by the reception of its lead single 'Well, Well, Well', with one review saying it was "possibly the weakest of the new tunes" from its album.

   In an interview with You magazine in 2011, Duffy said: "What am I doing my job for? I'm not doing it to be adored or admired, to make money or be successful – I'm doing it to do something of excellence. So I did think, 'Maybe I won't do this at all'."

4. Where is she now?

   After the release of her second album, Duffy took a musical hiatus which saw her cancel all but one of her upcoming shows and appearances.

   In 2015, she appeared as American singer Timi Yuro in the Tom Hardy film Legend, and recorded music for the film's soundtrack.

   Two years later, she revealed on Instagram that she was working on new music.

   

   Legend - Clip Esmeraldas Barn (featuring DUFFY) (HD)

   On February 25, 2020, Duffy posted a single image to her verified Instagram account revealing why she has not released new music or been seen in the public eye.

   The caption read: "You can only imagine the amount of times I thought about writing this. The way I would write it, how I would feel thereafter. Well, not entirely sure why now is the right time, and what it is that feels exciting and liberating for me to talk.

   "I cannot explain it. Many of you wonder what happened to me, where did I disappear to and why. A journalist contacted me, he found a way to reach me and I told him everything this past summer. He was kind and it felt so amazing to finally speak.

   "The truth is, and please trust me I am ok and safe now, I was raped and drugged and held captive over some days. Of course I survived. The recovery took time.

   "There’s no light way to say it. But I can tell you in the last decade, the thousands and thousands of days I committed to wanting to feel the sunshine in my heart again, the sun does now shine.

   "You wonder why I did not choose to use my voice to express my pain? I did not want to show the world the sadness in my eyes. I asked myself, how can I sing from the heart if it is broken?

   "And slowly it unbroke. In the following weeks I will be posting a spoken interview. If you have any questions I would like to answer them, in the spoken interview, if I can.

   "I have a sacred love and sincere appreciation for your kindness over the years. You have been friends. I want to thank you for that x. Duffy.

   "Please respect this is a gentle move for me to make, for myself, and I do not want any intrusion to my family. Please support me to make this a positive experience."

   View this post on Instagram

   A post shared by @duffy on Feb 25, 2020 at 10:12am PST

5. Duffy age: how old is she?

   Duffy, born Aimée Duffy, was born in Bangor, Wales in 1984. She celebrated her 37th birthday in 2021.

   She was born in Gwynedd, to an English father, John Duffy, and a Welsh mother, Joyce Smith (née Williams).

   Duffy had a difficult childhood, as in 1998 at the age of 14, she was briefly put in a police safe house after a plot by her stepfather's ex-wife to pay an assassin £3,000 to kill her stepfather, Philip Smith, was discovered.

6. She has a twin sister

   Duffy was partly raised in Nefyn with her twin sister, Katy Ann, and their older sister Kelly Ann, who was born in 1980.

   Duffy's parents divorced when she was 10.

7. Duffy first found fame on a TV talent show

   

   In 2003, Duffy was invited to appear on Wawffactor, a Welsh TV talent show similar to Pop Idol.

   She was expected to win, but ended up coming second to winner Lisa Pedrick.