Paolo Nutini
Paolo Giovanni Nutini (born 9 January 1987)[1] is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley. Nutini's debut album, These Streets (2006), peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. Its follow-up, Sunny Side Up (2009), debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. Both albums have been certified quintuple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry.[2] Five years later, Nutini released his third studio album, Caustic Love, in April 2014. The album received positive reviews from music critics. Caustic Love debuted at number one on the UK Album Charts and was certified platinum by the BPI in June 2014.[2] In July 2022, he released his fourth album, Last Night in the Bittersweet.
Paolo Nutini
Paolo Giovanni Nutini
9 January 1987
Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Singer-songwriter, musician
Vocals, guitar, keyboard
2005–present
Among other accolades, Nutini has received three BRIT Award nominations and an Ivor Novello Award nomination for songwriting. In July 2014, he was referred to by the BBC as "arguably Scotland's biggest musician right now."[3]
Early life[edit]
Nutini was born in Paisley, Scotland, and has a younger sister. His father, Alfredo, is a Scot of Italian descent from Barga in Tuscany, while his mother, Linda, is of Scottish descent.[4][5] He was expected to follow his father into the family fish and chip shop business.[6] As a child he attended PACE Youth Theatre.[7] He was first encouraged to sing by his music-loving grandfather, Giovanni "Jackie" Nutini, and a teacher at his school, St Andrews Academy, who recognised his talent.
Nutini left school to work as a roadie and to sell t-shirts for Scottish band Speedway. He spent three years learning the music business and performing live. He later worked as a studio hand at Glasgow's Park Lane Studio. It was here where he started demo-ing songs, writing with Jim Duguid, the drummer of Speedway.[6]
His big chance came when his younger family member signed him up to his first live show 102.5 Clyde 1 for David Sneddon's return to his home town of Paisley at the beginning of 2003. Sneddon was delayed, and as the winner of an impromptu pop quiz, Nutini was given the chance to perform a couple of songs on stage during the wait. The favourable reaction of the crowd impressed another member of the audience, Brendan Moon, who offered to become his manager with his business partner, Mike Bawden. Mike Bawden continues to manage Nutini.[8]
At 17, Nutini moved to London and performed regularly at The Bedford pub in Balham with local Singer-Songwriter Charlie Wallis. Other radio and live appearances followed, including two live acoustic spots on Radio London, The Hard Rock Cafe, and support slots for The Rolling Stones, Amy Winehouse and KT Tunstall. Nutini became known for singing with his eyes closed during his entire performances.
Media appearances[edit]
On Hogmanay 2006, Nutini appeared on BBC Scotland's Hogmanay Live celebrations after the official celebrations in Princes Street Gardens were cancelled at short notice due to abysmal weather. He performed several songs in the Great Hall of Edinburgh Castle for the TV audience with little or no rehearsal. On Wednesday 11 April 2007, Nutini performed in a concert that was streamed live via MSN Music.
Nutini's songs have infiltrated American TV shows as well. "Last Request" featured at the end of the Scrubs episode "My Words of Wisdom" from Season 6, the first-ever episode of Gavin & Stacey and the One Tree Hill Season-4 episode "The Birth and Death of the Day". "Million Faces" could be heard at the end of the Grey's Anatomy episode "Testing 1–2–3" from Season 3 and is on the Volume 3 Soundtrack. "Rewind" was played at the end of CSI: Miami Season-5 episode "Broken Home". "Jenny, Don't Be Hasty" was also featured on another member of the CSI franchise when it played on CSI: NY's Season-3-finale, "Snow Day". "New Shoes" featured in The Jane Austen Book Club and in a TV ad for Puma AG during summer 2008. "One Day" from the Caustic Love album was featured near the end of NBC's "State of Affairs" Season 1 Episode 7 in January 2014. "Iron Sky" was played in Elementary Season-3 episode "End of Watch".
On 24 July 2007, Nutini was awarded The Golden St Christopher medal by the city of Barga in Italy, the highest honour the city can give, to celebrate his extraordinary contributions to Barga and its people.[31] On 18 September, Nutini performed "Last Request" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In September 2007, Nutini recorded a short radio show with imeem.com where he listed his top 10 favourite tracks and the reasons behind his choices.[32] In October 2007, Nutini performed for the annual Voodoo Fest held in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2008, Nutini's music was featured in a movie adaptation of Irvine Welsh's best-selling novel Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance.
On New Year's Eve 2008–09, Nutini performed at the Hogmanay street parties in both Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland, becoming the first act to play both locations on the same day for the event. In The View's 2009 album Which Bitch?, he is featured singing on the song "Covers". Nutini appeared in the 2011 documentary "Reggae Got Soul: The Story of Toots and the Maytals" which was featured on BBC and described as "The untold story of one of the most influential artists ever to come out of Jamaica".[33][34]
On 27 July 2012, Nutini sang at the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony Concert in London's Hyde Park, along with Duran Duran, Snow Patrol and Stereophonics.
Personal life[edit]
Nutini had an 8-year on-again, off-again relationship with Scottish marketing graduate and model Teri Brogan. The pair met at St Andrew's Academy in Paisley and started dating when they were 15. After their split, he was romantically involved with Irish TV presenter and model Laura Whitmore.[35] Nutini also had a relationship with English actress and model Amber Anderson from 2014 until 2016.[36]
Nutini stated in a June 2014 interview that he has smoked cannabis every day of his life since the age of sixteen.[37] Nutini also has an Honorary Doctorate from his hometown university in Paisley, the University of the West of Scotland.[38]
On 22 February 2015, a biography about Nutini was published under the title Paolo Nutini: Coming Up Easy. The biography was written by the author Colin MacFarlane.[39][40]
As of 2017, Nutini was living in his home town of Paisley,[41] and he performed karaoke there in 2019.[42]
In July 2019, Paolo donated over £10,000 to the charity Tiny Changes by buying and raffling off the Chewbacca mask worn on stage by fellow Scottish musician Lewis Capaldi at TRNSMT.[43]
Paolo is a lifelong supporter of Celtic FC. [44]
