Breaking her silence. Welsh singer Aimee Anne Duffy (a.k.a. Duffy) returned to social media with a heart-wrenching statement about the trials and tribulations she has endured on Tuesday, February 25. The songstress — who is widely recognized for her 2008 hit single “Mercy” — explained why she “disappeared” at the height of her fame.

“You can only imagine the amount of times I thought about writing this,” the performer, 35, began her post via Instagram. “The way I would write it, how I would feel thereafter. Well, not entirely sure why now is the right time, and what it is that feels exciting and liberating for me to talk. I cannot explain it.”

The songwriter acknowledged the curiosity surrounding her mysterious departure from the limelight after finding success in the music industry. “The truth is, and please trust me, I am OK and safe now, I was raped and drugged and held captive over some days. Of course I survived,” she bravely revealed. “The recovery took time.”

Duffy said it took a lot for her to speak her truth, but she’s finally ready to share her story with the world after suffering in silence. “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,” she wrote.

Who Is Duffy? Singer Resurfaces
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To learn more about the songstress, continue reading below:

How did Duffy become famous?

Duffy proved to be a force with her 2008 debut album, Rockferry, which featured chart-topping singles like “Mercy” and “Warwick Avenue.” It was nominated for three 2009 Grammy Awards, and she even took home the prize for the Best Pop Vocal Album. Prior to her hiatus, the star also released another album, Endlessly, and even supplied music for the movie Legend‘s soundtrack, which was released in 2015.

Who has she dated?

The performer dated Mark Durston from 2001 to 2005, and she also had a few high-profile relationships when she rose to fame. She was reportedly with international rugby star Mike Phillips from 2009 to 2011, and she was also romantically linked to writer Jonathan Lee. To be clear, Duffy has not made any allegations against any of those individuals.

Did she turn to music during her time away?

“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 un-broke,” Duffy wrote in her statement.

Will we hear from her again?

The singer concluded her message by announcing that she will soon be posting a “spoken interview” where she will give more details. “I have a sacred love and sincere appreciation for your kindness over the years,” she revealed.

“You have been friends. I want to thank you for that … Please respect this is a gentle move for me to make, for myself, and I do not want any intrusion to my family. Please support me to make this a positive experience.”

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