11 Jun: The World of Duffy

The below article appeared today in the Journal.

The world of Duffy

Published Date:
11 June 2008
By David Waddington

WELSH born singer Duffy has been a chart-topping phenomenon thanks to her blend of catchy tunes and a stunning voice.

But this transition from local girl to an international artist is something that she has certainly found strange to adjsut to.

"It's been quite mind-blowing," said Duffy. "Of course I hoped that people would warm to the album because I make music for people, not for me. You hope that a record is going to become something that people want and like and so it's really surprising how quickly everything has happened".

With all this media attention, it's not just people on the street who appreciate her music, with famous faces interested in the young songstress from Nefyn.

"I'm not going to drop any names, but I was walking around Chelsea about two weeks ago, cigarette and coffee in hand and I saw this celebrity guy walking towards me. Usually with my sister I'm like 'Oh my God I saw so and so today' and then this guy and his mate stop me, ask for my number and see if I want to go out for a drink with him! At the end of the day I'm still a kid from Wales and I'm being chatted up by a celebrity in the street! Is that supposed to be normal?"

But sometimes these celebrity meetings have left Duffy a little starstruck.

"I met Ellen (DeGeneres) and I really liked her, I think she's really cool. She's like really iconic you know but she's so nice and so fun. Justin Timberlake was also on her show and I didn't know who to be more impressed with".

Duffy's assault on America is well underway - with her album Rockferry entering the US charts at number four - but that doesn't mean she has forgotten where she got her big break.

"I'm a British singer and I value that so much and that's why I'm not in any hurry to leave. The fact that I moved to London from Wales in itself is a really big thing. I came from Wales, I moved to London and I feel British, whatever that is. I'm a Welsh singer and I feel blessed that I have been embraced at home. I feel at home in the UK".

But despite her departure from Wales, she was still keen to perform in Llandudno last month to packed out crowds of loyal fans.

"We just had one date booked in Cardiff and I really wanted to get another show in Wales because if you just do Cardiff then you eliminate the north of Wales, so basically I really insisted. I fought with my diary, cos I do fight with my diary every day-I'm always trying to squeeze things in and I just wanted to accommodate the fans from home and put another date in there. The tour sold out really quickly and it was quite crazy really".

Having secured her place as a blossoming talent in the UK, and global domination a near inevitability, what is next for Duffy?

"You know I'm just living one day to the next and that's good for me. I wake up in the morning, I throw my clothes on, I go and do what I need to do and I feel really good about it. I'm not worrying about what lies ahead in the future yet. I just take each day as it comes otherwise I'd lose my mind".