Paolo Nutini says "walking on stage scares the s**t" out of him.
The ‘Last Request’ hitmaker – who will be on tour in the UK between May and June this year – insists his "nerves" drive him to take to the stage despite fears about performing in front of an audience.
He told The Sun newspaper: "It’s a challenge stepping out in front of all those people. It’s never felt entirely natural and I don’t think it ever will.
"Walking on stage scares the s**t out of me, big time. But it’s not a bad thing because those nerves drive me. Now I’m ready for it."
The star found "success" difficult to come to terms with an often has to "disappear" to find space to take it all in, much to the frustration of friends and family.
He explained: "I needed to try and experience something else. The success was a difficult thing for me to get my head round. When it gets too much I just have to disappear, to sort my head.
"It frustrates friends and family, they start to take it personally and it really isn’t like that. They’re getting used to me when I vanish to deal with stuff."
Paolo’s biggest fan is his mother, Linda, and he wrote ‘Looking For Something’ for her, but still hasn’t had a chance to play it to her yet.
He added: "I’d already written a song about my dad so owed Mum a tune.
"I think she is just happy that I’m back singing because she gets to go to all the gigs and hotels.
"She came to Dublin and is already asking when am I going back to Vegas so she can come too.
"She turned up a night early at a recent show in London.
"And I still haven’t had the chance to play her that song properly.
"She’s heard it played live twice but I’ve still not played her the finished version. I’m waiting to give her the record."