Singer Duffy has made a rare public appearance, smiling for a photo at Caffi Largo in Pwllheli, Wales, as she prepares to share the story of her horrific kidnapping ordeal in a new Hulu documentary.
The Warwick Avenue singer, 41, stepped away from the spotlight 16 years ago after releasing two critically acclaimed albums. Fans were shocked when she revealed she had been the victim of a kidnapping and rape, which prompted her retreat from the industry.
Earlier this year, it was announced that her experience would be the subject of a documentary on Hulu. Now, the Welsh icon appears ready to re-enter the public eye. She was spotted wearing an understated black jumper with a cream floaty skirt, still sporting her familiar blonde hair, albeit without the beehive 60s styling.
'Celebrity singer from Nefyn, Amy Duffy, popped into the Caffi this morning,' the business posted on social media. They added: 'Always lovely to see local talent supporting local spots.'
Duffy was last seen lip-syncing in a video posted on social media for a garage remix of her hit song Mercy, delighting fans. The documentary will be the first time fans have heard Duffy speak about her ordeal, following an initial open letter in which she bravely revealed that her absence was not due to the pressures of fame, but because of the unimaginable trauma she had endured.
'You can only imagine the amount of times I thought about writing this,' Duffy said at the time. 'The way I would write it, how I would feel thereafter. I can tell you in the last decade, the thousands and thousands of days I committed to wanting to feel the sunshine in my heart again, the sun does now shine.'
'You wonder why I did not choose to use my voice to express my pain? I did not want to show the world the sadness in my eyes. I asked myself, how can I sing from the heart if it is broken? And slowly it unbroke.'
Along with her documentary, there have been reports that she is ready to return to the studio for her long-awaited third album. An insider told The Sun On Sunday last year: 'The time is right for her to make a comeback, she has done enough healing and is ready to make music. She has a great working relationship with Bernard [Butler] and they trust each other.'
Former Suede musician Bernard Butler produced her debut album, Rockferry, in 2008, which featured her biggest tracks like Mercy, Warwick Avenue, and Rain on Your Parade. Last week, Duffy announced she would play a 'secret intimate gig' with some new songs for fans in London on July 5.
