Paolo Nutini: Bigger fish to fry

At the age of 23, Paolo Nutini isn't worried about the future.

Whether destined for a life behind deep-fat fryers, continuing the 100-year family fish and chip shop legacy, or a glamorous career on stages around the world as a musician, the young Glaswegian says what will be will be.

"Good things happen when you least expect them," said the Paisley-born singer over the phone while relaxing in an armchair at his mum's house in Scotland. "The best things in life are those which aren't manipulated. They are the things which really mean something. It's as if the universe really wants them to happen and everything just comes together at the right moment."

At first glance his theory could easily be mistaken for a lack of drive and ambition. Not so.

In fact, a conversation with Nutini ahead of his debut in the Middle East revealed a mature, modest and grounded youngster from the outskirts of Glasgow who is just in no hurry to grow up.

"Worrying is time wasted," he said, before thanking his mum who handed him a cup of tea. "I try not to worry about things and let life make up its mind. It's like my albums. I write as it comes to me and I'm not trying to please anyone in particular. I express myself and get it down first and then I might worry a bit when it's made. But that's just natural, because we all care about what other people think."

Subconscious direction

Pausing briefly for a quick slurp of the "PG Tip nectar" he cleared his throat and continued in his thick Scottish accent.

"Everything needs direction, that's all," he said. "My direction is my sub-conscious. I let it wander. My songs are just a list of everything going on in my head. Everything I give a s*** about."

An enthusiastic but unfocused songwriter with a unique voice, Nutini proved his chilled outlook really has had the right effect.

Although he hasn't appeared on the UK reality television show Fame Academy, he has the show to thank for his big break. David Sneddon, the 2002 winner, was from Paisley. Late to a home-coming reception at the town hall, a 15-year-old Nutini took the chance to fill Sneddon's shoes and sang an Elton John number.

Brendan Moon, then head of radio promotion for Mercury, Sneddon's record label, said he saw a connection between Nutini and the audience and didn't waste any time signing the teenager. "See, everything happens for a reason," Nutini said as if rubber-stamping his life theories.

Born to Scottish parents, Nutini's father is of Italian descent, from Barga, Tuscany, although his family has been in Scotland for four generations.

Nutini says his success in the music world is thanks to his music-loving grandfather, Giovanni, known as Jackie, a teacher at his school, St Andrews Academy, who encouraged him to sing. Giovanni was the first Nutini son to be born in Scotland after the family immigrated from Tuscany at the turn of the last century.

"He died when I was 12 and I have a lot to thank him for," he said. "He certainly was a son of both Paisley and Tuscany."

When Giovanni became ill, Castlevecchi, the family's chip shop and café in Paisley, was taken over by Nutini's father, Alfredo.

For Nutini, the future of the shop is always in the back of his mind. Mindful of Italian and Scots working-class tradition, the choice between taking the reins of the family business versus his booming music career is a hard one. But unlike most of the verge of fame and fortune — having already partied with Kid Rock, been whisked away on European tours and enjoyed hit chart singles — Nutini is surprisingly torn between chip fat and fame. "People assume I'm happy about a life not manning the deep-fat fryers, but it's not like that," he said maturely.

"When people ask me the what-could-have-been question I find it hard to answer. It's like they think my response should be, ‘I can't believe I escaped the chippy — it's amazing,' but it's not like that."

A difficult guy to stop when he's on a roll (especially mindful I had just 10 minutes, according to his manager) he went on. "[Taking over the shop] was expected of my dad at the time. He got involved, maybe with a view to it being a temporary solution, but it just became a way of life. I know it's a decision I'll have to make myself at some point as well. It may just be a chip shop, but it's been there for a hundred years for a reason."

Maybe aware he wasn't planning on cutting the conversation short, Nutini assured me he had longer than 10 minutes to chat. "What can you say in 10 f****ing minutes," he joked. "It took that long to get a cup of tea."

Back to chips, mushy peas and gravy talk, he was off again. "My sister can't do it, because it really is a lot of work. Hard work. My father works long hours. It's not as easy as people think."

His debut album, These Streets, may have been released by Atlantic Records in 2006 with singles Last Request, Jenny Don't Be Hasty, Rewind and New Shoes making a splash, but Nutini says it's his younger sister we should be looking out for. "I'm not going to say too much, but she is far more talented than me. She couldn't run the chippy because she really will have bigger fish to fry," he said with a laugh.

‘Close, but not too close'

In May last year Nutini released his second album, Sunny Side Up, which debuted at number one in the UK.

Despite gigging in Japan and China and touring Europe, Nutini says life on the whole hasn't changed much and says he wants to keep his feet on the ground. "I moved to London when I was originally signed, but now I'm back in Glasgow. I have a house which is close enough to mum but not too close, if you know what I mean," he joked.

Much happier back in small-town Scotland, the thought of living in the hustle and bustle of London brings a few obscenities which probably shouldn't be printed in a family paper. "A normal day means waking up and going to Taekwondo or going for a run," he said, before a big pause and a fit of the giggles.

"Sorry," he apologised, realising he really had sucked me in. "Not really. I like to ride my bike everywhere and write my music," he said a little more convincingly.

"I go to mum's and spend time with my family. My friends call me The Singer, but in the grand scheme of things nothing has changed.

"It's like I'm a normal person and then I'm whisked away to this magical land when I perform. It really is quite unbelievable."

Confession of a Shopaholic

"I love to shop," Paolo Nutini said. "If you can't do it now when can you?"

The last thing he picked up was a Belstaff Dark leather jacket, which was featured in the Batman film The Dark Knight.

"I've wanted one for so long and I finally splashed out and got one. I love it."

Don't miss it

Paolo Nutini performs on Friday, March 12 at the Irish Village. Tickets cost Dh225 and are available at boxofficeme.com or ticketingboxoffice.com, selected Costa Coffee and Spinneys outlets, all Virgin Megastores and at the venue.

Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 9pm. Over 21s only.

The Domino effect

"I've played some amazing venues and I can't even start to say which ones are the best," Paolo Nutini said with a sigh.

"Getting to sing on stage with Ben E. King and Solomon Burke. There has not been a bigger moment than that yet. I'm looking forward to going back to Montreux International Jazz Festival [in Switzerland] again this summer and hopefully getting to play a full set this time."

But not much will top partying with Kid Rock — especially when your mother comes along for the ride.

"My mum was with me at 4am in the morning in Kid Rock's hotel room, partying. We're all in the hotel, he actually met my mum before, in New York, when she came to the Carnegie Hall gig. It's so great when I look back.

"The night before a festival they do a gig and it was great. They said they were heading downstairs to party and kick some butt and asked if I was coming along. I was like ‘yeah'."

While hanging out with Kid Rock may be a highlight, when it comes to music Nutini is slightly more old school.

"I am driving my friends crazy," he said.

"They all want to listen to stuff which was written in the last 20 years and I have Fats Domino on a loop. He is a genius and it's all I listen to. I know they come to my house and roll their eyes when they hear it, but it's tough.

"They want to come to my place they listen to my music."