Amie Ann Duffy, known as Duffy, is a British singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Born in Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales, her career began when she recorded and released her debut EP, Aimée Duffy, in 2004. Duffy was later introduced to Jeannette Lee of Rough Trade Records in 2007 Duffy signed a recording contract with A&M Records where she released her debut album.
Her 2008 debut album, Rockferry, entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold. The album was certified several times Platinum and sold over 7 million copies worldwide, spawning the hits "Mercy" and "Warwick Avenue". With "Mercy", Duffy became the first Welsh woman to achieve number-one on the UK Singles Chart since Bonnie Tyler topped the charts with "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in 1983. In 2010, she completed recording of her second album Endlessly that was released on 29 November and made her acting debut in the film Patagonia. In February 2011, Duffy announced she would take an extended hiatus from music before beginning work on her third album.
In 2009, Duffy won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album for Rockferry, and she was nominated for two other Grammys at the 51st Grammy Awards. In 2009, she won three Brit Awards: British Breakthrough, Best British Female and Best British Album. Duffy does not play any particular musical instrument.
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