Somebody to Love: Paolo Nutini

This guy: He's 22 years old(!), of Scottish and Italian descent but looks Spanish, was signed to Atlantic Records at age 18, writes gorgeous songs about older women and I would probably be in love with him if I knew him in real life.

He's opened for The Rolling Stones twice, played Carnegie Hall, performed all over the world from New Orleans to Barga, Tuscany where he was awarded a Golden St. Christopher medal for his contributions to the city, and just came out with his latest - self-produced - album, Sunny Side Up, in May of this year (featuring one of the best album covers I've seen in a long time). His single "Candy" continues to climb the charts on VH1's "Top 20 Countdown" and the UK Singles Chart.


While Nutini appears to be more popular in other countries, he frequently tours the US and has showcased his talents on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Austin City Limits along with some of his songs being featured in hit US shows such as Scrubs and One Tree Hill.

I first became aware of Nutini when I saw the video for "Last Request" on VH1 in 2006. I got his debut album, These Streets, two days after first hearing him and became a big fan of tracks like "Jenny Don't Be Hasty", "New Shoes", and of course "Last Request", all songs I continue to really enjoy. Although he has the same singer/songwriter vibe that I am constantly a sucker for, his accent, raspy phrasing, and worldly style form a much different type of performer than that title encompasses - some have referred to him as "blue eyed soul" or folk rock which seem more appropriate. He is ultimately wise beyond his years and creates the kind of smooth/adult contemporary rock that cannot be ignored. It's the kind of thing you might hear in a supermarket or department store and wonder why you hadn't noticed they were playing music in the store before. It opens your ears. Please take a listen to Paolo Nutini, you will not be disappointed.