Duffy shares rare photo of herself ahead of Disney+ documentary: ‘I’ve missed you all’ - The Independent
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Duffy has shared a rare photo of herself as she tells fans she’s “working on coming back to you”.
The Welsh singer, 42, disappeared from the spotlight for 15 years shortly after the release of her second album, Endlessly.
Six years ago, the artist behind hit songs such as “Mercy” and “Warwick Avenue” then made a surprise return with the revelation that she had been drugged at a restaurant, raped and held captive in a foreign country.
The traumatic ordeal led to her withdrawing from public life, until she returned to the stage in July this year for her first concert in over a decade.
Continuing her comeback, she shared a photo of her sitting in a recording studio on Saturday 31 October to TikTok, seemingly working on new music.
“If only I could find the right words to explain how much I’ve missed you all,” she wrote in the caption, adding an audio clip from her song “Distant Dreamer”.
Duffy previously shared the same photo and message back in May on Instagram, but fans will hope this means she could be getting ready to share some new songs in the not-too distant future.
The singer born Aimée Anne Duffy shot to fame in 2008 upon the release of her debut album, Rockferry, and its chart-topping lead single “Mercy”, going on to win the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2009.
In a post to the website duffywords.com, she revealed in 2021 that she had been drugged in a restaurant on her birthday and flown 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,” she wrote.
Duffy said that it “didn’t feel safe” to go to the police after flying home to the UK, but when someone threatened to “out” her story, she was forced to report it.
Opening up about the aftermath, Duffy said that she wouldn’t see anyone for “weeks and weeks at a time, remaining alone”, adding: “I thought the public disclosure of my story would utterly destroy my life, emotionally, while hiding my story was destroying my life so much more.”
The singer has told her story in a forthcoming Disney+ documentary, which will explore her life, career and her harrowing kidnapping experience. The release date for the documentary has yet to be announced.
The streamer’s vice president of unscripted programmes, Sean Doyle, said that it’s “a privilege” to be able to show the film, adding: “I’m especially in awe of Duffy – for her honesty and courage to share her story.”
Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)
