duffy was contracted to a&m records (uk) on 23 november 2007. she performed on the bbc two television show "later with jools holland", which resulted in a second appearance on the related broadcast "hootenanny", where duffy performed with eddie floyd. on 22 february 2008, she appeared on "later with jools holland" for a third time and performed "rockferry", "mercy", and "stepping stone". duffy also made appearances on the bbc two television programme "the culture show" on 23 february 2008, performing "mercy". in january 2008, duffy came second to adele in the annual bbc news online poll of industry experts "sound of 2008", for acts to emerge in the coming year. in wales, following duffy's recent promotion of her music, "aimée duffy" reached number-one on the "siart c2" music chart. by 2007, duffy was finalising her debut album effort, to be titled "rockferry", after rock ferry, where her grandmother lives. she subsequently struck a us label deal with mercury records, a newly re-activated imprint of island def jam music group. the first single from the album, also titled "rockferry" was critically well-received with allmusic calling it a "grand, sweeping ballad".