He once famously sang about his romance with an older woman and how she slapped him when he finally disclosed his real age.
However, Scots star Paolo Nutini insists he has no qualms about spilling the beans on his personal relationships as he reckons people are ‘happy to be written about’.
His debut album These Streets in 2006 featured the hit Jenny Don’t Be Hasty, dedicated to the 23-year-old woman he dated when he was 18, while Rewind and Last Request were based on his relationship with then girlfriend Teri Brogan.
Asked if he had any regrets about writing about his lovers and their relationships in his songs, he said: ‘Well, I’m never too literal about names, or things like that. And yeah, there were times people knew exactly what the song was about.
‘But, generally, I think they’re quite happy to have a song written about them.’
Paolo Nutini performs on stage at the TRNSMT festival in Glasgow in 2022
It is 20 years since Nutini signed his first record deal – a move that catapulted him to fame – and the 37-year-old reckons he’s now more at one with himself and his music than ever before.
And as he comes to the end of a European tour he’s looking forward to making some new tracks again.
He said: ‘I feel much more in tune with the whole experience now. At the beginning I felt like I was kind of holding on to this train going really quick. And I felt like I was so lucky to be in it and I didn’t feel I could say no or, you know, who was I to pick?
‘I just felt I was very lucky and privileged to be in the whole thing.
‘So now I feel a lot more in tune and actually feel a lot more excited about making the music itself.’
Paolo Nutini with Teri Brogan before the singer broke up with the model in 2010
First up for Nutini is a homecoming charity gig at Paisley Town Hall on August 6.
As well as a chance to catch up with his parents and the rest of his family, it is an opportunity to raise funds for two charities he supports – the Start Project and Doctors Across Borders.
The Italian-Scot’s family are proud Paisley Buddies and run the town’s Castelvecchi chippy, which was founded by Nutini’s great-grandfather 135 years ago.
And the singer told the RPS Presents podcast he never strays too far from home.
He said: ‘I have a house in Paisley but I’m staying in Glasgow at the moment.
‘I’m away so much that when I go home, I like to have a base so I can be near my parents, near friends. And yeah, I guess it keeps you rooted to the most important things.’
