Duffy has taken another step back into music with a secret London concert. The Welsh singer performed an intimate show at Hoxton Hall on Sunday (July 5), marking her first full concert in roughly 15 years.
The performance followed a fan ballot announced last month, with the venue kept under wraps until the day of the show.
The “Mercy” singer, born Aimée Anne Duffy, invited fans to apply for the small-capacity event in June, telling followers that she planned to perform new music.
“I’m doing a secret intimate gig in London on the 5th July, next month, and I would love nothing more than for some of you to attend,” she wrote at the time. “It’s only small capacity so we can only select a few, but really looking forward to it. I will sing some new songs.”
While a full set list has not been made public, one fan wrote on X that they were “front row” to hear Duffy perform “Warwick Avenue” live, adding, “That voice is insane!”
The London show comes as Duffy continues a gradual return to public life after years away from the spotlight. In May, she shared a photo from a recording studio on Instagram and wrote, “If only I could find the right words to explain how much I’ve missed you all. Working on coming back to you.”
Duffy rose to global prominence in 2008 with her debut album, Rockferry, and the breakout single “Mercy.” The album won best pop vocal album at the 2009 Grammy Awards, while Duffy was also nominated for best new artist and best female pop vocal performance for “Mercy.”
Her second album, Endlessly, followed in 2010, after which she largely stepped away from the music industry. In 2020, Duffy publicly shared that she had been drugged, kidnapped and sexually assaulted, later explaining that the trauma was the reason for her long absence from music and public life.
Earlier this year, Disney+ announced an upcoming Hulu Original documentary, which will follow the singer as she shares her story in depth. The project is produced out of the U.K. and will feature access to Duffy, along with interviews with friends, family and music industry figures.
