Raised in Nefyn on the LlÅ·n Peninsula with her twin sister, her parents divorced when she was 10, and she moved to Pembrokeshire with her mother and sisters. Her early interest in singing was apparently inspired by her father's videotape of the 1960s television rock show Ready Steady Go! .
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.
Duffy was elected president of the Students Union at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, before transferring to study in Chester where she built up a following in a local jazz and blues club. She recorded a CD of three songs 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, Gwent 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. Lee moved Duffy to Crouch End in London, and orchestrated a meeting between Duffy and Suede's ex-guitar player Bernard Butler, who then co-wrote with her and helped create a sound that has been compared to Dusty Springfield.
Contracted to A&M Records during 2007, on 23 November 2007, Duffy performed on the BBC2 television show Later with Jools Holland, which resulted in a second appearance on the related New Years Eve show Hootenanny, on which, among other things, she performed with soul legend Eddie Floyd. In January 2008 she was voted second in the annual BBC 6 Music poll of industry experts Sound of 2008, for acts to emerge in the coming year. 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.. 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 is due for release on Polydor on 3 March 2008.
Albums
- Rockferry (to be released 3 March, 2008)
Singles
- "Rockferry" (7" vinyl single) b/w "Oh Boy" (released 3 December, 2007) UK No.74
- "Mercy" (to be released 25 February, 2008)
Band members
- Duffy: vocals
- Bernard Butler: guitar, piano, percussion
- Makoto Sakamoto: drums
- David McAlmont: vocals
- Tobi Oyerinde: guitar
- Ayo Oyerinde: keyboards
- Tom Meadows: drums
- Ben Epstein: bass
- Jon Green: guitar
- Josh McKenzie: percussion
