Duffy Biography

Duffy, who was born and reared in Nefyn, North Wales, may seem an unusual candidate for the stage, but with a vocal ability that rises above expectation, she belongs there. She's ascended to become one of today's most promising young musicians after years of refining her abilities on the local live scene. She'll release the essential-listening LP 'Rockferry' in 2008, after the captivating single of the same name (download Nov 19th, released Dec 3rd), produced and cowritten by Bernard Butler. Her deep style mixes a nostalgic, scratchy blues feel with the rustic sound of everyday living, evocative of the music that reared her while being totally current. Duffy began songwriting at the age of ten, influenced by Doris Duke, Bettye Swann, Scott Walker, and Richard Hawley. “I come from a small, close-knit community. I moved away when I was eleven years old and grew up in West Wales, where I learnt English as a second language for the first time. Because it was difficult for me to talk at the time, I turned to songwriting. It was absolutely natural.” In 2004, she was discovered by Richard Parfitt (60 Ft. Dolls) and Owen Power (Catatonia) and quickly caught the attention of Rough Trade's Jeannette Lee, who became her manager, co-writer, and mentor. Armed with a development agreement that brought her together with Bernard Butler, she spent the previous two years working on the album that would herald her arrival: 'Rockferry.' “There were no record stores in my area, so I simply knew immediately what I wanted to do. As someone moving from Wales to the city, I've had a lot to deal with, therefore this album is about a journey for me. We took two years to perfect the technique, and I believe we have.” Duffy's sound is both vintage and ageless, thanks to a team of six musicians that includes Sgt Meadows, Ben. E., Greeno, Mr T, Ayo, and Karlos. “I create my songs acapella and build them up from there, which is how we get the vintage sound.” Because old music was usually recorded on four tracks, it had to be melody-driven. When we were satisfied with the demos, we returned them to the original co-writers. It would have been simple to bring in a hot-shot American producer, but we chose to keep things organic.” The album, which was recorded entirely on tape, has a distinct personality all its own. Highlights include the boldly catchy ‘Mercy,' which is haunted by the spirit of Mowtown, ‘Warwick Avenue,' which has a white-knuckle grip, and ‘Serious,' which has a razor-sharp hook. According to the Observer Music Monthly, 'Rockferry' "makes the hairs on the back of your neck prickle with its seductive beauty." The track 'Rockferry' will be available for download beginning November 19th. It will be released as a 2-track, 7" vinyl on December 3rd.

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