Duffy released her first song since captivity just for people to listen to while practicing social distancing

After revealing in February that she was “drugged, raped, and held captive,” Duffy has released her first song for people to listen to while practicing social distancing amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In a March 19th Instagram post, Duffy wrote that she chose to release “Something Beautiful” in lieu of an interview she had originally planned to send to BBC Radio 2’s Jo Whiley.

In the post, which is addressed to Whiley, Duffy wrote:

“Hope you are well and keeping safe. Wanted to send you this to play on the radio, if you want. You may have read the words I wrote a few weeks back, I do feel freer. Tried to follow up with a spoken interview, but it’s harder than I thought.” She added that she would be posting “a spoken interview” with the journalist in the coming weeks.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B97aJdEhogJ

In the meantime, Duffy has given us all her new song, “Something Beautiful,” which is doubly meaningful.

First, it’s the first song she has written and released since her abduction, after saying last month that she couldn’t “sing from [her] heart” because it was still broken. Second, the singer acknowledged that it might provide some solace for people who are practicing social distancing.

“So here’s a song…here’s ‘Something Beautiful.’ It’s just something for you to play people on radio during these troubling times, if you like the song of course. If it lifts spirits,” Duffy wrote. “I don’t plan to release it, I just thought a little something might be nice for people if they are at home, on lockdown.”

Duffy sent her new song to Whiley without her record company’s knowledge, though Duffy assured Whiley that “they won’t be mad.” The song wasn’t officially released on streaming platforms, as the singer mentioned, but a fan posted the full song on YouTube after Whiley aired it on the radio. Listen to it here:

In Duffy’s February 25th post, which has since been deleted, the Welsh singer revealed why she had taken a step back from the spotlight after the success of her 2008 album Rockferry.

She also explained that writing music was too difficult in the wake of her abduction and that she had taken the time to focus on her recovery.

“Many of you wonder what happened to me, where did I disappear to and why. A journalist contacted me, he found a way to reach me and I told him everything this past summer,” she wrote in her February post. “He was kind and it felt so amazing to finally speak. 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. The recovery took time. There’s no light way to say it.”

We wish Duffy the best as she continues her recovery, and we’re truly in awe at how much she’s thinking of others as she works through her own personal difficulties.

If you are a sexual assault survivor and need help, you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to speak to a trained counselor. You can also chat online with a counselor here. Both services are available 24/7.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, HelloGiggles is committed to providing accurate and helpful coverage to our readers. As such, some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, we encourage you to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments, and visit our coronavirus hub.