Inside Paolo Nutini's life: Paisley roots, rise to fame, celeb pals and new album rumours

Paolo Nutini gets set to make his musical comeback this summer and we literally cannot contain our excitement.

He's been off the music scene for a few years now and hasn't released an album since 2014 - so when he announced that he was returning to the stage this summer, fans could not wait.

And as the rumour mill is turning on whether or not the Paisley star will release a new album ahead of his comeback gigs, we take a look back at where it all started for Candy singer.

Early life

His family have owned a fish and chip shop for generations in his hometown of Paisley and when he was a little boy and his parents were busy working, he would go to his grandfather's house, where he was first introduced to music.

Paolo noticed that his grandfather was still grieving for his grandmother, and speaking previously to The Big Issue about watching him channel those emotions into music, he said: "He'd be sat at the piano with his glasses with the brown tint, head up, eyes closed, and just playing these beautiful arias from Aida and other operas.

"Every now and again I can even remember the wee tear trickling down. To me he was just singing and looking up and he was just like, 'I hope you can hear this, darling.'"

At 14, Paolo got a music tutor Avril McCusker’s to help him pursue his dreams of making it big time.

Although he was entering talent contests, he was going nowhere fast and he realised he needed a mentor – a proper singing teacher who would transform him from a schoolboy into a superstar.

Paolo turned up at Avril’s house near the school and pleaded with her to give him singing lessons.

At first, she was sceptical because she had heard the same story from other talented youngsters before. But her doubts evaporated the second she heard Paolo’s voice.

Avril, 52, said: “He turned up at my front door wearing a trendy T-shirt and jeans – he looked very handsome.

“He asked me to improve his singing. As soon as I heard Paolo sing, I knew he was destined to be a star even at the age of 14. What a brilliant voice he has. But it needed a lot of tuition and hard work.

“I just thought, ‘If this boy does not make it, who will?’”

Over the next three years, she put Paolo through a tough bootcamp of singing lessons and they studied the songs in the classic music book 24 Italian Songs And Arias.

Paolo worked hard and, to give him a break from arias, they regularly sang Frank Sinatra and even Michael Jackson songs in her front room.

Avril said: “Paolo desperately needed technique and he was willing to put all the hard work in.

“That’s what made him different – he had seen his parents grafting in the fish and chip shop so it was in his blood. He was no stranger to getting stuck in.”

She told him to work even harder to separate himself from the talented Paisley crowd and they also concentrated on blues and jazz, which can be heard in Paolo’s voice when he performs.

Paolo also asked Avril whether he should leave school and try to be a star or carry on and do his Highers. She thought it was a no-brainer. She suggested giving his music career a go and, if it didn’t work out, then he could sit his Highers later.

Avril said: “Paolo was undecided and was under a lot of pressure at the time but I’m glad he took my advice – you only get one chance to be a star at that age.

"Paolo packed in school and later got a publishing deal followed by a recording contract with Atlantic Records.

“I am glad I pointed Paolo in the right direction. A lot of my pupils have entered X Factor. But you need a hard-luck story to get far in that.

“Paolo achieved fame the old-fashioned way through hard work at his singing. He did not need to tell a producer at X Factor that his budgie had died.”

Music

After leaving school at 17 and moving to London, he signed for Atlantic Records and his first single 'These Streets' was released in 2006.

A few months later, he then brought out Jenny Don't Be Hasty which reached number five on the UK Singles Chart.

Following his success, he played at gigs such as Glastonbury, Wireless, V Festival and T in the Park.

In 2009, the singer released his second album Sunny Side Up which was a huge success with his songs Candy, Pencil Full of Lead and Coming Up Easy.

In December 2014, Caustic Love came out and sent fans wild with a new range of songs.

In September last year, it was announced that Paolo would be making his musical comeback and be headlining TRNSMT Festival at Glasgow Green in July 2022.

During a recent outing in Glasgow's southside, Paolo told fans he is "working hard" on his new album so it looks like our prayers have been answered and he will be releasing new music just shortly.

He is appearing at various festivals as well as TRNSMT and will also be doing a tour of Italy.

Despite his musical hiatus, last year it was announced that he was the winner of number one most played Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award.

Relationships

Paolo was just 15-years-old when he met Teri Brogan at St Andrew's Academy and they were together for eight years.

Back in 2009, the singer revealed that Teri had banned him from writing songs about their sex life.

After they ended their relationship, Paolo decided to base some of his songs from his album on their breakup.

He then got together with model and actress Amber Anderson.

The pair met on the set of his video for Diana, where they passionately kissed and writhed in a bathtub.

They became a couple at Glastonbury where Amber is from, but sadly after two years, they went their separate ways.

It's unknown what Paolo's current relationship status is, but we imagine that many are hoping he's still on the market.

Celeb pals

As well as being a good chanter, Paolo is also pretty popular within the music industry and has an array of celeb pals.

Him and fellow Scots singer Lewis Capaldi are buddies, with Lewis starting an online Twitter Campaign last year for him to come back asking his 1.1m followers: "Right enough's enough - where the f**k is paolo nutini?" - and even called for a duet.

The Someone You Loved star said it would be a 'career goal' to work with his fellow Scots singer.

During a Q&A, When asked if he'd ever be interested in teaming up with Paisley crooner Paolo, Lewis said: "Paolo? I’d love to bring a song out with Paolo.

"I always love it when people tweet something about how they like me, then someone will go 'but he’s no as good as Paolo', I'm like 'I know that', I’d love to do a song with him, that’s probably a career goal."

The Paisley star is also pals with Geordie singer Sam Fender.

The two musicians hit it off after meeting at TRNSMT last year and Sam is hoping for round two this summer.

Sam told Clyde 1: “It was a magical night last time I played here and I went on the razz with Paolo Nutini after.

"It was wicked. He was just giving us piggy back rides everywhere, it was really funny."

Back in 2009, Paolo said it would be his dream to duet with Sir Rod Stewart, but said he would never go to him for fashion advice.

The pair were introduced by mutual friend Ronnie Wood.

Paolo said: "Rod had a few leopard skin moments that I hope I don't go to.

"I hope I don't find whatever it was that persuaded him to go out and dress like that.

"Out of everybody that you look at and take a few lessons from, I don't think he was a bad man to do it from.

"Seems like he had a way that he wanted to go through life and he did it. That's something worth respecting."

Rod has voiced his admiration for Paolo, too, saying: "He has a great career ahead of him

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