Duffy

Aimée Anne Duffy was born on June 1, 1984, in the tiny north Wales coastal village of Nefyn, where she grew up speaking Welsh as her mother tongue. Following her parents' divorce in 1994, she accompanied her mother and her mom's new boyfriend to the larger community of Letterstone, Pembrokeshire, along with sisters Katy (her twin) and Kelly. There, English eventually replaced Welsh as her main language.

The future pop singer had no record or CD collection at home to influence her style, save an old video tape of her father's that included an episode of Ready, Steady, Go!, a British pop music program from the 1960s. She viewed the classic performances so often that she wore the tape down. They became her main source of musical inspiration early on, and gave her the taste to eventually take up singing.

Why Is She Famous?

Welsh singer/songwriter Duffy, her chart-topping single "Mercy" and debut album Rockferry have generated a huge buzz, as fans and critics alike mention her alongside Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen and Kate Nash as the UK's top female music stars.