Mark Duffy Finds Power in Isolation and Improvisation on Brand New Single “I Will Be With You Always”

Mark Duffy is not arriving on the scene so much as he is emerging from it: fully formed, road-tested and shaped by more than two decades of relentless musical pursuit.

The Dublin-born songwriter, guitarist and performer steps forward with his debut single “I Will Be With You Always,” a track that captures the raw immediacy of a life spent in motion, from street corners in Ireland and France to sessions with some of the country’s most respected musicians.

Duffy’s story begins far from the polish of studio life. He cut his teeth busking across Europe, where songs are not simply performed but earned in real time, tested against wind, weather and the passing crowds. Those years forged a musician who values instinct over perfection and emotional truth over technical display. Later, session work with established artists expanded his palette, but the core remained the same: improvisation, collaboration and an unshakable commitment to the moment.

Now, for the first time, Duffy steps into his own identity as a band leader. His music sits in a space where blues, rock and roll and folk instinctively collide. It is built on jamming, on listening and on the tension between control and collapse. On stage, this translates into something almost volatile with performances that feel less like repetition and more like discovery. Each note carries the possibility of deviation and every song feels alive.

To write his latest material, Duffy left Dublin behind and relocated to County Kerry on Ireland’s west coast. The shift was more than geographical. It was creative recalibration. Surrounded by mountains, Atlantic winds and long stretches of silence, he found himself living at a slower rhythm.

Sea swimming, trail running and solitude became part of the writing process. The result is music steeped in landscape, drawing from old world Irish folklore while remaining rooted in the grit of blues tradition.

That environment seeps directly into “I Will Be With You Always.” The song began life as an acoustic sketch recorded in isolation along the Wild Atlantic Way, before evolving into a full band recording at Audioland Studios in County Kildare with producer Anthony Gibney. Rather than smoothing out its edges, the production embraces them.

Duffy brought in drummer Dave Hingerty (The Frames, Kíla) and bassist Brian Hogan (Kíla, Preacher’s Son), whose intuitive playing provides both structure and propulsion. Their performances lock into something organic rather than mechanical, allowing the song to shift and stretch naturally. The result is a foundation that feels alive, never rigid.

The emotional and sonic peak of the track arrives with the addition of gospel vocalists Wendie Rubee Rose, Janet Ramus, and TJ Cole, whose work with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds left a lasting impression on Duffy after he witnessed the band live in Dublin. Their harmonies transform the song into something larger than its parts, lifting it into a space that is both spiritual and cinematic.

Duffy leans into imperfection, and allows the grain of the guitar, the strain in the voice and the looseness of the arrangement to remain intact. It's not just a song, but an experience, unfolding in real time and never quite the same even if recorded once.

This release also marks the beginning of Duffy’s upcoming EP. If this debut is a taste of what is to come, the record will continue to explore the space between raw human emotion and an expansive atmosphere.

About Mark Duffy

Mark Duffy is a Dublin born songwriter, guitarist, and performer with over 20 years of experience. He began his musical journey busking across Ireland and France, developing a raw, instinct-driven approach to performance.

Over the years, he has worked as a session musician and collaborator across a range of styles, building a reputation for improvisation and emotional depth.

Recently relocating to County Kerry, Duffy’s writing has become deeply influenced by the Irish west coast, blending blues-rock intensity with folk storytelling and atmospheric, landscape-driven sound.

Find out more about Mark Duffy on his Website