EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
DUFFY
well -well well what have we here, once again we bring you another exclusive interview with another top performer. Enjoy.
Your new album ‘Endlessly' is coming out, are you excited by it? Do you see this as the next step in your career?
I think the next few years in my life are going to be the telling years as to who I truly become as an artist. It's one thing being catapulted on the public scene and the people's conciousness, it's another thing really setting your mark as you develop through the years. So, yes, I'm very excited because I really think this record solidifies certain parts of myself that I've needed to solidify.
So do you think it's more of a personal record this time?
I don't know. I don't know about being a personal record, I don't think there is such a thing. I think you're so emotionally engaged and emotionally involved in what you do as an artist when you write the songs. I don't know if it's more personal but of course through the experiences I've had, I've possibly learnt to become a bit more eloquent on how I say things more directly, that's something that I feel as though I've experienced.
Would you say, with the success of ‘Rockferry', that you have become more confident in your abilities as a performer and a songwriter?
I think you become more convicted, but whether or not you become more confident I'm unsure of, I don't think I will ever be confident, I think that would make me too self assured. Being confident as an artist is a dangerous quality.
You're working with Albert Hammond, how did you find that experience? The man is a living legend...
For me it was just like a wild card. Who knew that we were going to write a whole record together. It was just a chance meeting, we sat together and thought ok, hi, how are you? It was never set in stone that we were going to become the best of friends and so I look back and think, wow, such an important introduction and I just didn't realise how important this character was going to become in my life. The person that I would share such an important experience with, where I would be able to carve out so many different elements of myself.
The whole promotional schedule is now gearing up, is that something you enjoy, you are an international artist so, I can only imagine what the work load would be like...
Yeah the workload, it's never been an issue either, I'm a bit of an insomniac! I need to give a lot to feel as though I'm contributing. The workload? its more the demands, its more the trying to be in different places, the knowing that you have a global demand, that can be so daunting if I allow myself to think of it. The fact is I've got to make a trip to Japan, back to New York, back to L.A, then again to France, back to Germany or go to Australia, all the while wanting to remain a British artist.
You have travelled far and wide with your career, is there anywhere that you're hoping to visit for the first time... is there anywhere left to visit for you?
We never did get to go to Brazil. Brazil and probably the Antarctic are the places I wanted to visit. I know that in Brazil, the response to the music is tremendous. I could probably play a gig to about 60,000 people out there, but I just haven't had the chance to go. I cant wait to party in Brazil.
When you are away, do you get homesick for Wales? Or for where you live now?
I obviously long for the finer things I used to experience which is being on an empty beach, walking with only myself and my thoughts for miles around, but that being said, I never have any regrets. I don't yearn, I don't really look back; I'm constantly looking forward so I don't give myself the opportunity to lick my wounds and want to be somewhere else. I decided that this is the place I have chosen to be and I accept it whole-heartedly.
Are you glad that you've had this opportunity?
I know I put myself in good stead when I stand in front of 60,000 people, I feel as though I have earned it. I've worked from 150 capacity venues all the way through to what you see today, so I definitely know what its like to be on stage, I've been on it thousands of times now, so I don't feel as though it's a place that is alien to me, infact, it feels quite peaceful and happy.
With the fame, are there up sides and down sides and can you give us some examples?
The upsides have to be being a young woman and standing in a room of very important people and they listen to you. When you have any kind of success, you earn the right to have your say and I've wanted that for a very long time. It was very difficult at 19 to convince people I knew what was best for me, so now I'm getting closer to that. If I think about the down sides of fame, I guess it's the fact that nothing can be erased. The fact that whatever you do will stay around forever; from this interview to whatever you do in your private life. I'm very cautious of that. I'm fully aware that it could always be something that I regret; when I look back when I'm 60 because of the age of the internet. I'd have to look back at myself coming out of a nightclub really drunk and half naked. That's why I'm very cautious of doing those things. I try to keep my private life to myself, so that I can keep my vices to myself...If I'm going to go out and be young and wild. I just cant afford to do it because it will jeapordise what I stand by.
That's what sets you apart from some of the people around who do that....
I am very much one of those sort of wild, young girls, I like to enjoy myself. When I get drunk I either laugh or cry. So I think back to the last few years how many moments I could have been seen with mascara on my face, pouring my heart out to friends about something over numerous bottles of wine and how lucky I have been that I made the right choices to do it in private.
Obviously, now you're in a loving, stable relationship, you've also got two dogs. Does having this kind of normality in your life really help? Is it something you enjoy?
I think Stability is really important for anybody in life. The finer things that keep you grounded and make you feel safe wherever it might be and whatever it is you do and so for me I definitely feel as though I've got something to hold close to my heart that even when I'm thousands of miles away from the place I call home, I have something I feel connected to.
What are your plans in 2011 for the UK? Are there touring plans, are you starting to plan?
Of course behind the scenes there is a lot of talking about what I would like to do in terms of my live performance and I've said I'd like to wait until at least February to announce any dates. To allow others to live with my record, to allow people to have it in the backgrounds of their lives so that we can all stick together.
And finally... Any great plans for Christmas?
I have plans but whether I will see them through is another matter. I only know what I'm doing as far as the end of today in terms of the diary. I shall keep it open and hope that I can have lots of fun and raise a glass...
Will you see your family or will you be in some far off country?
I have no idea... maybe we'll be skyping on Christmas day, although I certainly hope not.
