Hugh Laurie still has music nerves

Hugh Laurie feels like an untrained "Saudi Arabian playboy" driving a Ferrari when he performs his music.

The House star released his first blues album Let Them Talk in 2011, and has followed his debut up with a second record called Didn't It Rain.

Hugh - who is performing on the ocean liner RMS Queen Mary as part of his album launch - still feels out of his depth when it comes to performing.

"I feel like a Saudi Arabian playboy who's been given the keys to a Ferrari he's had no training in," he grinned in an interview with British newspaper The Telegraph. "But I'm loving it."

Hugh is surprised by the success of his music career, which saw him becoming a Top 40 recording artist in 20 different countries worldwide. The 53-year-old actor insists he's clueless when it comes to facts and figures.

"Is that what I did? I didn't even know that. Bloody hell. See, I didn't know what releasing a record was like. I didn't know what was supposed to happen," he exclaimed.

"When people say, 'You've done 12,000 this week in the Netherlands,' I don't know what that means. I felt like we were doing some good live shows, and I was very proud of the record. But I didn't really know what people would make of it. And still don't know what people make of it…"

Meanwhile, American producer Joe Henry - who has worked with Hugh on both of his albums - has praised the actor-turned-musician. The songwriter says Hugh's expectations are high.

"Hugh is always self-deprecating," he added.

"That's the way he processes his artistry about anything he's taking on. Because he wants it to be great. That's all he wants."