Welsh singer Duffy said in an Instagram post on Tuesday that she left the spotlight during her ascent to stardom almost 10 years ago because she had been kidnapped and raped.
Duffy, whose real name is Aimee Anne Duffy, said that she opened up about the incident to a journalist, who is not identified in the post, who found her last summer and that it felt "amazing" to talk. The 35-year-old artist said she wasn't sure why it felt like the right time, but that she wanted to share her story with the world.
"The truth is, and please trust me, I am OK and safe now, I was raped and drugged and held captive over some days," Duffy said. "Of course, I survived. The recovery took time."
The message is currently on Duffy's verified Instagram account, which has more than 36,000 followers.
Duffy rose to international fame in 2008 after the release of her song "Mercy," which was featured in the television show "Grey's Anatomy" and the "Sex and the City" film. She won the Grammy for best pop vocal album in 2009.
But Duffy announced she would be taking a break from music in February 2011, after the 2010 release of her sophomore album, "Endlessly." She said Tuesday that she did not want to show the world her sadness, and that she didn't know how to sing with a broken heart.
"But I can tell you in the last decade, the thousands and thousands of days I committed to wanting to feel the sunshine in my heart again, the sun does now shine," Duffy said.
It is unclear when or where the alleged kidnapping occurred or whether Duffy contacted the police. She added in her Instagram post that she plans on releasing a spoken interview in the coming weeks in an effort to answer any questions. It is unclear to whom she will be giving the interview.
NBC News could not independently verify Duffy’s story. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
"Please respect this is a gentle move for me to make, for myself, and I do not want any intrusion to my family," Duffy said. "Please support me to make this a positive experience."