Lewis Capaldi on Glastonbury 2023 being 'worst moment of his life', his return to music and why he's donating free therapy to fans

Singer Lewis Capaldi has opened up about his mental health and what life was like during his break from music, saying therapy had played a “massive part” in his comeback following his triumphant return to the spotlight at Glastonbury.

The Scottish star took a step back from performing in 2023, after he was unable to finish his performance on the festival’s Pyramid stage when he struggled to manage the symptoms of his Tourette syndrome.

Now two years later - and following his comeback performance at Glastonbury, the release of his new single Survive and the announcement of his UK arena tour - Capaldi has spoken out about what that period was like for him for the first time.

Lewis Capaldi wasn’t able to ‘live in the moment’ because of anxiety

Describing himself as “overtaken” by anxiety, Capaldi admitted that he knew “two songs in” he wouldn’t be able to complete his Glastonbury performance.

He said: “Glastonbury’s obviously a big deal. It’s kind of like the biggest deal. And it was the Pyramid stage, so it was a big old gig.

Lewis Capaldi performing on the Pyramid Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. | Yui Mok/PA Wire

“Second song in, I was probably just like, this is – I can’t keep doing this to myself and other people as well. People were coming to gigs, that’s not how you want to watch a show.

“As far as I was concerned, it was like ‘I’m done indefinitely’. I didn’t take a break just to focus on getting better, I took a break because I needed a break and to sort of like release the pressure valve a little bit.”

Despite the incredible amount of public support he received, with fans singing when he couldn’t, Capaldi said he was on “autopilot” and that it was far from a happy moment for him.

Glastonbury 2023 was the ‘worst moment’ Lewis Capaldi’s life

He said: “I’m achieving my dream here. This is literally, if there was a film about being a singer and starting as a kid being like ‘I’d love to be a singer one day and perform in front of people’ – I’ve done it.

“I’ve got to the end of the film and it’s not how I thought it was going to be. And the thing that I wanted to do the most, that’s made me feel the worst. It was a weird mix of emotions.”

As for watching his moment back, unlike many, the singer-songwriter said he feels “sad” when he views it.

Lewis Capaldi. | Getty Images

“I wasn’t present enough, I think, to appreciate what was happening, when it was happening,” he said. “That’s why when I watch it back now – because it is an incredible thing to watch – but I don’t look at it as an uplifting, happy video. But I’m probably the only person who looks at it and doesn’t see it as an uplifting happy video, because I get it. Watching it … I’m struggling.”

He continued: “What would have been a much happier video to watch, for me, is if I was able to sing it and I was part of the singing and we were all in it together. But I just see someone who’s like completely not there and just having literally the worst moment of his life.”

‘I didn’t realise how much I actually missed being on stage’

Although his struggles with his mental health led him to taking a break, Capaldi has been able to stage a massive comeback to the music industry after two years away – something that he credits to therapy.

Capaldi, best known for songs Someone You Loved and Before You Go, said: “I’ve felt the best I’ve felt in a long time through therapy. I would say that has been the cornerstone of why I feel – of how good I feel now.”

He was able to dip his toes back into the public eye with surprise gigs in Scotland earlier this year, which he said made him “cry his eyes out”.

“I think I didn’t realise how much I actually missed being on stage. And then I just started to cry. I’m not someone who’s a big crier in general and I’m not someone who cries in front of people in general.

Lewis Capaldi | Getty Images

“So it was a weird feeling. But again, it was like a really nice experience. And the whole thing was like a lovely little tee up for what’s to come.”

As for his Glastonbury return, Capaldi said pre-festival that he was more excited than nervous to perform.

“Everyone keeps asking me if I’m nervous about Glastonbury or if I feel any sort of fear or anxiety or stress or how I’m getting on and I couldn’t be more ready for it,” he said. “And I couldn’t be more sure it’s going to go swimmingly.”

Star donates 734,000 hours of free online therapy to fans

With his prediction having come true and his emotional set leading him to declare that he’s “f***** back, baby”, Capaldi has joined forces with online therapy platform BetterHelp to donate 734,000 hours of free online therapy to fans in honour of his 734-day break from performing.

“Therapy has been such a massive part of my, I guess, last two years, a massive part of the reason that I’m able to be a musician again,” he said.

“It’s a thousand hours for every day I’ve been gone. So the importance of that number is that it’s a thousand hours for every single day that I have – well, since I last played on stage. And I feel like if I can be a part of sharing that with other people, why not?”

Founded in 2013, BetterHelp is the world’s largest online therapy service, which has a network of 30,000 therapists providing support around the world.

Those looking for further information about Capaldi and BetterHelp’s partnership can find details at www.betterhelp.com/lewiscapaldi