Lewis Capaldi: Scottish singer yells 'I’m f***** back baby' during emotional 35-minute Glastonbury set

By the time he stepped onto stage to the rapturous applause of thousands, there was little that was “secret” about Lewis Capaldi’s return set at Glastonbury festival.

But that lack of mystique did nothing to diminish the emotion of the moment.

Singer songwriter Lewis Capaldi walks onto the Pyramid Stage during day three of the Glastonbury festival. Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images | Getty Images

Capaldi strolled on to Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage on Friday evening, took in the view and then raised two fingers to the sky. The crowd went into raptures.

Onlookers started chanting “oh Lewis Capaldi” before he began playing the hit song Before You Go to kick-off his set, which had been listed as “TBA” on the Glastonbury website.

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He told fans: “It’s so good to be back. I’m not going to say much up here today, because if I do, I think I will probably start crying.

“But it’s just amazing to be here with you all, and I can’t thank you all enough for coming out and coming and seeing me. Second time’s a charm on this one, everybody.

“It’s just a short set today, but I just wanted to come and kind of finish what I couldn’t finish the first time round.”

The singer-songwriter from Bathgate engaged in an early back and forth with the crowd during his 35-minute set, duetting on the opening number’s chorus. Capaldi finished his first song with a small smile, and then launched into singing Grace.

Lewis Capaldi performs on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. | William Dax/SWNS

Capaldi’s Glastonbury breakdown

Just two years earlier, the 28-year-old had suffered a breakdown on the same stage as he struggled to manage his Tourette symptoms. That day, the crowd stepped in to sing-alone as Capaldi’s voice faltered.

The musician, who announced a break from touring shortly after his performance at the festival in 2023, would later open up on battling with anxiety, depression and panic attacks.

But cutting a far healthier figure on Friday night, Capaldi put voice to the emotion of the moment.

His new song

Introducing his new song Survive, he became visibly emotional as he said: “The last two years haven’t been the best for me, it’s been difficult at times. This has been my f****** goal, to get back here.”

Ending his set with hit single Someone You Loved, Capaldi said: “I really missed doing this for the last two years, it’s been difficult at times to like think that maybe this wouldn’t ever happen again.

“I couldn’t sing this song two years ago for a different reason. I think I might struggle this time for another reason, but this time it’s a good reason.”

He added: “My name’s Lewis Capaldi and I’m f***** back baby.”

New song Survive marked the singer's first new music for 16 months.

The track reunites Capaldi with close collaborator Romans, who co-wrote the global megahit Someone You Loved, that became 10x Platinum earlier this year.

The new track was released following three Scottish shows in May in which the singer returned to the stage as a guest of mental health charity CALM, in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week.

Other Glastonbury acts

Earlier in the day, alternative pop star Lorde surprised fans with a secret set at Worthy Farm, performing her latest album Virgin, which was released on Friday, in full.

British pop rock band The 1975 was scheduled to be the first headliners to grace the Glastonbury Festival’s Pyramid Stage this year when they performed on Friday.