2007–08: Rockferry and international breakthrough Duffy (singer)

duffy singing @ sxsw, 15 march 2008

duffy contracted a&m records (uk) on 23 november 2007. performed on bbc 2 television show later jools holland, resulted in second appearance on related broadcast hootenanny, duffy performed eddie floyd. on 22 february 2008, appeared on later jools holland third time , performed rockferry , mercy , , stepping stone . duffy made appearances on bbc 2 television programme culture show on 23 february 2008, performing mercy . in january 2008, duffy came second adele in annual bbc news online poll of industry experts sound of 2008, acts emerge in coming year. in wales, following duffy s recent promotion of music, aimée duffy reached number-one on siart c2 music chart. 2007, duffy finalising debut album effort, titled rockferry, after rock ferry, grandmother lives. subsequently struck label deal mercury records, newly re-activated imprint of island def jam music group. first single album, titled rockferry critically well-received allmusic calling grand, sweeping ballad .

butler , musical partner david mcalmont, , number of other musicians formed backbone of duffy s band debut album, rockferry, released on a&m records on 3 march 2008. black , white album art , video title track shot directors luke seomore , joseph bull, on , around ffestiniog railway in porthmadog, renamed rockferry occasion. according duffy, album took 4 years make. had hire cheap, tiny studios , there three-week periods between writing , recording. bernard butler, not paid, produced 4 songs album, including single, rockferry . singles mercy , stepping stone , co-written , produced steve booker, , second single warwick avenue , jimmy hogarth , eg white. duffy released debut limited edition single rockferry in november 2007 followed steve booker co-written , produced single, mercy , went straight number one. mercy last song written album. single physically released on 25 february 2008. revealed both mercy , stepping stone autobiographical; mercy sexual liberty , not doing else wants , , stepping stone not expressing feelings person fell in love with. warwick avenue second single released album. song occurred when duffy, 19 years old, familiarising herself london underground , accidentally found herself @ warwick avenue station. following day song sort of came out . @ first video song meant elaborate production ended tearful head shot in taxi cab duffy s mascara smudging. duffy has said s close m ever going doing performance s real in video.

duffy performing @ 2008 coachella valley music , arts festival.

by may, mercy staple on vh1 , hot adult contemporary radio hit , had been featured in season finale of american television medical drama grey s anatomy being on soundtrack album sex , city: movie. remix of mercy , featuring rap artist game, released on 10 may. on 13 may rockferry released in united states positive reviews. because of cheap production values album reaping duffy substantial financial benefits. despite album s success in united states, duffy quoted saying don’t how big american stars consider exception humanity . in november 2008, single rain on parade released. song co-written & produced steve booker. song first released on download sales on 10 november 2008 before being released physically on 17 november 2008. duffy describes song big, disco-y dance song . song entered uk singles chart @ number twenty-two before rising peak of fifteen following week. track included on deluxe edition of rockferry. @ 2008 mojo awards, duffy won song of year award mercy , nominated album of year , breakthrough act . these 3 nominations largest number of nominations 1 act. received 2008 q award in category of breakthrough act, nomination q category of best track mercy , music of black origin award nomination best uk female. @ mtv europe music awards, received nominations in categories of album of year, addictive track, , new act. performed @ ema show.

duffy has performed @ concerts , festival gigs around world. first american performances took place @ sxsw conference, , coachella valley music , arts festival first festival gig. coachella performance delighted crowd rockferry , serious , warwick avenue , mercy . coincide release of rockferry, duffy performed @ apollo theater in new york city. duffy received honour of performing @ royal variety performance 2008. in 2008, duffy played many festivals in europe. included visits french, swedish , irish summer festivals, amongst others. in united kingdom, duffy visited venues such glastonbury , evolution festival. toured american summer festivals in 2008 example visit lollapalooza in chicago. duffy toured united kingdom , ireland during november , december 2008.

to promote rockferry, duffy made many visits american television, including late night conan o brien, , saturday night live. duffy played fourteen-city north american tour. plans had called open coldplay on 6 of dates. during concert in cleveland, duffy accidentally set left side of hair on fire. in new york, duffy left apologising audience after briefly crying. explained audience happens in 1 out of every 15 of shows when feels exposed reasons not understand. duffy made recording british broadcaster bbc, performing @ lso st. luke s. performance televised in 2009 on british television station bbc one.