Melody Plant

Duffy is tired of being compared with other female singers. The 23-year-old Welsh singer - real name Aimee Anne Duffy - has been compared with Dusty Springfield and hailed as the ‘new Amy Winehouse’ since releasing her breakthrough single ‘Mercy’ earlier this year, but wants to be recognized in her own right.

She said: “To be honest, if it’s not Leona Lewis, it’s Amy Winehouse. I’m being compared with Lily Allen or Dusty Springfield, bless her soul, she was an amazing woman. I just feel like one day I’ll be known as myself, but time will tell.”

The singer - who won Single of the Year for ‘Mercy’ at MOJO Honours List 2008 on Monday - also spoke about how far she had come.

She added: “This time last year I was eating fish and chips on a North Wales beach! This is my first big awards ceremony. No one cared about me then so I don’t know why they do now.”

Duffy remained tight-lipped over rumors she is set to record the theme song for the new James Bond movie, ‘Quantum of Solace’, teasingly saying: “A lady never exposes her secrets. You’ve got to leave this Welsh girl alone.”

Soul singer Duffy has revealed that her hit song Mercy is about a mystery man she wanted to have sex with.

The 23-year-old star said he was a “very sexual character”, adding: “He was gorgeous and I was very tempted, but my morals got the better of me.”

Duffy has denied she wrote the song about her ex-partner Mark Durston. The Welsh idol said she dumped Mark after he cheated on her.

She added: “I thought he treasured me.”

She might be at the top of both the singles and albums charts – but down-to-earth Duffy still lugs her own suitcases.

Good for her – just goes to prove fame does not make you incapable of such tedious chores – maybe Kate Moss could take the hint and look after her own life too.

The pretty songbird even managed a smile when she was hoofing her bags on her way to a gig in Brighton.

Our favourite Welsh warbler’s debut collection, Rockferry, has already gone platinum after just one week on sale. She is off to Birmingham next before jetting to Texan music festival South By Southwest – and no doubt taking the Yanks by storm.