Gwynedd singer Duffy is to give her first in-depth interview about the sexual assault and kidnapping that forced her to away from public life.

Duffy, real name Aimee Duffy, 41, from Nefyn, was one of the biggest names in music in the late 2000s, with her multi-platinum album Rockferry and its lead single Mercy hitting the top of the charts across the globe and winning a Brit, Grammy and Ivor Novello award.

Everything was looking up. And then she disappeared. For 10 years, Duffy vanished from the music scene, from social media, from the public eye, without a word.

Then in 2020, Duffy published a harrowing post on her social media.

She revealed that a decade earlier, she had been drugged, before being kidnapped and taken to another country, where she was violently and sexually abused. It had a devastating ripple effect across her entire life, cutting her off from the world.

She’s barely been seen or heard from since – until now.

Documenting her life in this way for the first time, the Disney+ documentary will be a retrospective film traversing Duffy’s life, from her upbringing in Wales, through to her meteoric rise to fame and her withdrawal from public life following her unfathomable experience.

The original documentary film will be driven by new, unprecedented access to Duffy, along with a rich and nostalgic archive, and interviews with family, friends, and close peers in the music industry.

The documentary is executive produced by Fernando De Jesus for Rare TV.

The film was commissioned out of the UK for Disney+ by Angela Jain, Head of Content, and Sean Doyle, VP, Unscripted, EMEA.

Sean Doyle, Vice President, Unscripted, Disney+ commented, “Fifteen years ago, Duffy was one of the most famous singers in the world. Her voice was distinctly recognisable and powerful.

“Songs “Mercy” and “Warwick Avenue” from her debut album led to 3 Brit Awards, a Grammy and Duffy being at the peak of her career. And then she disappeared. This film will give Duffy the chance to tell her story in her own words. I am grateful to our collaborators at Rare TV for this unprecedented access, along with Stellify Media for handling this project with sensitivity and care.

“We set out in a search for impactful, female-led stories in collaboration with Northern Ireland Screen, and it’s a privilege that Duffy’s is the first we’re able to help tell. But above all, I’m especially in awe of Duffy - for her honesty and courage to share her story.”

Gill Callan, Director, adds: “Duffy’s life has been shaped by success and fame, but equally by pain, defiance, and an irrepressible sense of self. I’m drawn to the tension between vulnerability and confidence in her story and how a person can be deeply affected by their experiences, yet still find a powerful, expressive voice that is unmistakably hers.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Duffy shared a song titled Something Beautiful with BBC Radio 2, however, the track was never officially released.