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Topics: Music
Jess Hardiman
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Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault, rape, and suicide which some readers may find distressing
It was five years ago when Welsh singer Duffy dropped one of the music industry’s most unexpected bombshells, revealing how there had been a heartbreaking reason behind her retreat from the spotlight.
The ‘Mercy’ and ‘Warwick Avenue’ singer, whose full name is Aimée Duffy, enjoyed huge success after the release of her debut album Rockferry, and even went on to have acting roles in 2010’s Patagonia and 2015’s Legend.
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Despite a solid career, Duffy ended up fading into obscurity – a move, it turned out, that was entirely intentional.
In 2020, the singer opened up about being abducted as she celebrated her birthday at a restaurant, before being drugged and taken to a foreign country.
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She bravely shared her story on her website, writing: "It was my birthday, I was drugged at a restaurant, I was drugged then for four weeks and travelled to a foreign country.
"I can’t remember getting on the plane and came round in the back of a travelling vehicle. I was put into a hotel room and the perpetrator returned and raped me. I remember the pain and trying to stay conscious in the room after it happened."
Duffy explained that she was 'stuck' with the attacker for another day, continuing: "He didn’t look at me, I was to walk behind him, I was somewhat conscious and withdrawn.
"I could have been disposed of by him. I contemplated running away to the neighbouring city or town, as he slept, but had no cash and I was afraid he would call the police on me, for running away, and maybe they would track me down as a missing person."
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The Brit and Grammy award-winner said she flew back with the unnamed man, knowing her life was in ‘immediate danger’ after he made ‘veiled confessions’ of wanting to kill her.
“With what little strength I had, my instinct was to then run, to run and find somewhere to live that he could not find."
After her February 2020 post, Duffy said she planned to do a spoken interview, but later realised it was ‘harder than [she] thought’. However, in March that year she did release a new song, in the hopes that it would 'lift spirits' during the Covid pandemic.
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The following month, she then said she was finally ready to tell her story, bravely stressing she was 'no longer ashamed’.
“I am sharing this because we are living in a hurting world and I am no longer ashamed that something deeply hurt me, anymore,” Duffy said.
“I believe that if you speak from the heart within you, the heart within others will answer. As dark as my story is, I do speak from my heart, for my life, and for the life of others, whom have suffered the same.”
She felt it would be a 'shame' to let her trauma steal more of her life, with plans to return to the music industry.
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“Rape stripped me of my human rights, to experience a life with autonomy from fear,” the star wrote.
“It has already stolen one-third of my life. Deep down I do know it would have been a shame and done such an immense disservice to my existence to just delete myself and forget what I had experienced in music publicly.”
After sharing her story in 2020, Duffy retreated from the spotlight once again. However, in March last year, she made her first return to Instagram in four years when she posted a video on the theme of happiness.
"You’re going to realize that happiness was never about your job or your degree or being in a relationship,” a voiceover in the clip said.
It continued: “Happiness was never about following in the footsteps of all of those who came before you. It was never about being like the others. One day, you're going to see it. That happiness was always about the discovery, the hope, the listening to your heart and following it wherever it chose to go.”
Duffy didn’t give any more details about her well-being or whereabouts in the caption, simply writing: "A little something to motivate the heart. Hope you are all doing well. Lots of love, Duffy.”
It would appear as if she may be slowly making a return to music after making a cameo in a social media video lip syncing to a remix of her hit song 'Mercy' and winking.
Electronic music DJs E.motion posted the video to TikTok with the the caption: "Some of you asked if Duffy was really doing a UK Garage remix with us… #duffy #newmusic #ElectronicMusic #ukgarage #dancemusic #remix."
After watching the short clip, it's clear that fans couldn't hide their excitement, with one TikTok user beaming: "2025 Duffy come back? I flipping hope so!"
"Welcome back Duffy, you have been missed!" gushed a second.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
You can also contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.