A North Belfast man who released a new single last month said he "burst into tears" when he saw the song sitting ahead of global music stars in the charts.
Gary Duffy, form the Oldpark area, has been heavily invovled in the creative arts world from a young age, taking part in drama performances, helping other aspiring artists, and taking to the stage in drag. The 30-year-old has now put all of his focus into songwriting.
He is also preparing for his first ever headline show in Belfast later this month. The thrill of seeing his latest single 'Hollow' climb past Harry Styles and George Ezra has ignited his drive to build on his career.
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Speaking to Belfast Live, he said: "From a very young age I have loved to sing and when I was in school I would have had a passion for the choir and always took part in school plays. When I left secondary school I didn't really do anything, and then I started drag and I started singing on stage again.
"That reignited my passion and I was able to work on my confidence then over the years to be able to go out and just be Gary and do my own music. I didn't feel like it was the right time for me before, but now it is.
"It is weird because people are asking me have I quit drag, but I haven't and I never will. My main focus right now is my music. I really want to put my all into my music career.
"My new single 'Hollow' - I actually have had it since February. Me and a girl called Jess Willis wrote it together and it's basically about being in a relationship but you know deep down that it's not the right relationship and that it doesn't make you feel how a relationship should make you feel.
"It is about having the confidence to leave the situation. I write from my own personal experience 9% of the time. The single was released on July 1 and whenever I release a song, it always comes out at midnight but during that week I was directing and starring in Grease.
"I was so busy and then the song came out on the Thursday at midnight but I was asleep because I was exhausted. I woke up at about 3:30am that morning and I was sitting at 55 in the iTunes Chart - I couldn't believe it and that was me up then, I couldn't sleep after seeing that.
"It then climbed to 36 in the charts and I burst out crying. I never expected anything like this to happen to me. To know that people loved the song enough to purchase it, just means the world to me. It was ahead of Ed Sheeran and Harry Styles at one point - that is incredible.
"I am an independent artist and fund everything myself, so it is rewarding to know that there are people who want to listen to my voice. I do this all for the music and really can't wait to see what the future holds."
Gary's music falls into the Pop genre, but he said he is back in the studio this week and will be recording something a little different to what his fans will be used to.
He has thanked his "day ones" who have followed his music career from the beginning. And also said fans are in for a treat, with more music, and shows planned for the future.
He is gearing up now for his show in Limelight Belfast on Friday, August 26. Door open at 7pm and tickets are available on Ticketsource.
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