The new Dusty

5:48pm Thursday 28th February 2008

Andy Welch discovers that Welsh singer Duffy is looking forward to a couple of dates after four years of graft on her album

SHES the new Dusty Springfield, as well as this years Amy Winehouse and the one to watch in 2008 plus a headliner in the Evolution 08 Tyneside Festival in May. But whatever tag is used, chances are youll have already heard of 23-year-old Welsh songstress, Duffy.

The singularly monikered singer (My names actually Aimee, but dont call me that, its way too official) is currently at No 1 with her Motowninfused debut single Mercy and releases her first album on Monday.

I feel impatient at the moment, I just want the album to come out now, she says before explaining why shes looking forward to the release of Rockferry so much.

Im performing the songs live every night, but there are probably only about four of the ten songs on the album that people know at the moment. I dont make my music so I can get a kick out of it C I mean, I do really enjoy it, obviously C but its more for other people to enjoy.

I cant wait for people to own the album, appreciate it, and then come to the shows and sing along. At the moment, I just get doll faces staring back at me, kind of open-mouthed, wide-eyed stares. A couple of people mime the words they know, but I cant wait for it all to be about the audience rather than me.

Its the first of several selfdeprecating comments from the the singer who was born in the small north Wales town of Nefyn on the Llyn Peninsula.

Her bright, chirpy and utterly charming responses help to hide the fact that even though she loves her music, shes not sure why shes getting so much attention.

Its all very unexpected, the response Ive been getting. Lots of people want to talk to me, but Im honestly not that interesting, she says with a wry smile. People should just listen to my record, it says everything about me.

Rockferry, named after a town on the Wirral, links the timeless songs of Motowns mid-60s heyday with Duffys soulful voice.

She says: My songs arent written directly from personal experience. Of course theres an element of that in there, but thats not how I write. I dont write with the intention of being autobiographical, and I dont feel like Ive got any love hangovers or anything like that C Im not writing messages to anyone about how I felt about them, Im just writing stories.

Duffys words have been put to music by various songwriters, most notably former-Suede guitarist and renowned record producer Bernard Butler, who was introduced to Duffy by her manager, Jeanette Lee, of Rough Trade Records in September 2004.

A month later, the fledgling songwriting team had written their first composition, the albums title track, and have been working together ever since. Butler, who produced albums for The Libertines, Manic Street Preachers, Bert Jansch and Roy Orbison, also lent his considerable studio talents to Rockferry, I think people assume the record industry is a lot more contrived than it actually is, she says of her partnership with Butler. There was never a point where someone said lets get you and Bernard Butler together, it would be great. It was a casual thing C we met, had a laugh hanging out and one day decided to make some music. I love working with Bernard.

Duffy has been depicted as a naive girl from a sleepy Welsh backwater a million miles from London in every sense, almost unaware the 21st century was going on around her.

While Duffy happily admits she might not be as worldly wise as the cool cats she now knows in the capital, shes not quite as wet-behindthe- ears as some of the more patronising descriptions would have us believe. I moved to Pembrokeshire when my parents split up, but I went back to Nefyn when I was 15 to go and live with my dad. I left all my friends, and my sisters and my mum to do that.

I dont think you make that sort of decision without not knowing what you want to do with your life, she says.

She started singing in various bands and competed on Waw Ffactor, the Welsh version of X Factor.

Some people concern themselves with the latest trends, know who the hottest new model is and what parties are hip, but I dont care about that stuff, even now Im in London. I dont care, I just concern myself with music.

So what does the rest of the year hold for Duffy? Therell undoubtedly be numerous festival appearances, and tour dates for May have just been announced, but despite this, Duffys looking forward to much more ordinary things.

I probably need something else to think about apart from this album, which Ive been living and breathing for the last four years.

I want to go out and have a laugh, and maybe Ill go on a couple of dates.

Why not? I want to have a couple of dates! Basically, I want to do all the normal things that any other single 23- year-old wants to do.

ö Duffy releases her debut album, Rockferry, on Monday and will appear at the Evolution 08 festival event at Spillers Wharf, Newcastle, on Monday, May 26 with The Streets, Kate Nash, Reverend And The Makers, Glasvegas, Lightspeed Champion, The Whip and This Aint Vegas

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