Skavlan Effect for Duffy


CHART SPOTLIGHT. Fredrik Skavlan, the talk show host with the eponymous TV show is the blessing of any pop star’s career. WelcheMusic recently highlighted the surge in sales for Cheryl Cole’s debut album following her visit to the show. The next star in line is Duffy.

The singer paid Skavlan a visit last week resulting in a 13-6 leap on the Swedish album tally. Her album Endlessly spends its eighth week on the chart, making a welcome rebound. The set bowed at No.4 last December, quickly falling out of the top ten. Her debut album Rockferry spent topped the Swedish album tally in 2008, remaining there for 72 weeks. The set spawned three hit singles:

  • “Mercy” (No.3)
  • “Warwick Avenue” (No.16)
  • “Rain on Your Parade” (No.32)

Endlessly has so far produced one hit single. “Well Well Well” spent one week at No.60. The single has fared better in Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Finland and Italy where it reached the top twenty. In January 2010, WelcheMusic highlighted that Duffy would return to the charts with a new album.

UPDATED 02-06: This week, Duffy falls back 6-8 on the Swedish album chart adding a ninth week on the chart.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6UwmJRkjBs

Matt Cardle Has the Xmas No.1

CHART SPOTLIGHT. The former painter and decorator Matt Cardle took home the X Factor crown this year. You might remember last year’s coup when Rage Against the Machine stole the “traditional” X Factor Christmas No.1 from Joe McElderry. No worries this year, when Matt Cardle vaults into No.1 with the Biffy Clyro cover “When We Collide.” Originally titled “Many of Horrors” the track was released by Biffy Clyro in January this year, reaching No.8 in the UK.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bTesvOLhfA

Back to Cardle, the singer won a £1m recording contract with Syco Music. The runner-up of this year’s  X Factor, Rebecca Ferguson, performed a duet with Christina Aguilera – “Beautiful” – on stage. Her “winner song” was Duffy’s “Distant Dreamer,” and had she won track would probably top the charts this week.

Also read:

Look Out for Lissie in 2011


Née Elisabeth Maurus in Rock Island (Ill.) in 1982, singer-songwriter Lissie has built a huge worldwide fan base. Her current single “Everywhere I Go” is lifted off her album Catching a Tiger and includes her live performance of the classic “Stairway to Heaven” from the BBC2 Radio Sessions. Lissie has also recorded a cover of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.”

Described on her web-site as “A straight-talking Midwestern girl, all flaxen hair and big blue eyes, and this girl is smart and gutsy and tough, with a big old voice to match it: Laurel Canyon prettiness stewed in campfire and bourbon,” next year might just be Lissie’s!

Already, she’s been embraced by British music critics (including Q, The Sun, The Sunday Times) but Lissie has still not got the major breakthrough as Eliza Doolittle and Ellie Goulding. Catching a Tiger did manage to reach No.12 on the UK album chart, also appearing on the Billboard Top Heatseekers and Folk Albums charts. This is her first album on a major label, but did release an eponymous album in 2007 and Catching a Tiger was preceded by the EP Why You Runnin’ (Nov.09).

Her biggest market is, lo and behold, Norway. Her debut set peaked at No.9 earlier this year, Norwegian music critics hail the album and “When I’m Alone” made it all the way to No.2 on the singles chart. VG gave it the highest mark saying “with a slack slap both Sheryl Crow and Stevie Nicks especially from its heyday in the voice Lissie playing through an impressive variety of songs, from ballads through intense clean retropop beads to more life-affirming rockers with the sun in the hippie hair.” Aftenposten compares Lissie to Amy Winehouse and Duffy, given it 5/6.

“When I’m Alone,” “In Sleep” and “Everywhere I Go” are the most popular tracks via last.FM.

Duffy to Return in 2010

  • Welsh pop singer Duffy is recording new material. She was born Aimée Ann Duffy and reign from Wales. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry has sold 6m worldwide and spawned hit singles such as “Mercy” and “Warwick Avenue.” A new album is slated for release later this year and the singer has worked with Drummer Questlove, one of The Root’s members. He has previously written tracks for Christina Aguilera and N*E*R*D. Duffy won three Brit Awards last year including British Female, British Breakthrough and British Album. While “Mercy” became the great breakthrough for Duffy, it was actually the title track “Rockferry” that was released first. Co-written by Suede’s Bernard Butler, “Rockferry” peaked at No.45 in the UK in November 2007. The track also reached the Swiss Top 40 upon its release.
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