Lewis Capaldi reveals the secret behind his triumphant return to music after mental health battle and traumatic Glastonbury performance convinced him his career was over

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Lewis Capaldi attributes his successful resurgence in music to therapy, following a debilitating struggle with Tourette’s syndrome that occurred two years ago, causing him to prematurely end his performance at Glastonbury and leading him to believe his career had come to an end.

In 2023, Capaldi was the main act at the Worthy Farm music festival. However, during his performance, his widely known battle with Tourette’s syndrome became apparent to the crowd of thousands.

Moving video shows crowd harmonizing together on the popular song “Someone You Loved” as the artist had difficulty finishing his performance.

In retrospect, Capaldi (aged 28) shares that he initially believed this phase of his career might be his last, given that he’s now collaborating with BetterHelp, a renowned online therapy platform, for a fresh promotional endeavor.

He expressed that by the second song during his set at Glastonbury, he felt overwhelmed, saying, “I realized I couldn’t handle it.” Glastonbury is an extremely important event, essentially the pinnacle of music festivals, and performing on the Pyramid Stage meant a massive performance.

‘The second tune made me feel like maybe I shouldn’t keep putting myself and others through this any longer. It seems audiences come for the shows, but I don’t want them to witness such a performance. At that point, I felt like I had reached my limit and was ready to quit for good.’

After declaring a temporary leave from the music scene, the musician-composer emphasized that this decision was crucial for his mental wellbeing. Moreover, he felt it necessary to take a comprehensive break not just from making music, but also from the entire entertainment industry.

He explained that he took a break not only for focusing on improvement, but also because it was necessary for him, as well as to alleviate some pressure.

Tourette’s Syndrome, a neurological disorder marked by repeated, uncontrollable sounds or movements known as tics, often affects the way a person speaks or uses their voice.

Audience members extensively commended fans for supporting Capaldi during his 2023 Glastonbury performance, which had been affected by health issues. Many viewers found it touching and expressed it as an inspiring display of unity.

But the singer admits he views the incident through a darker lens. 

He acknowledges that when he re-watches it, he genuinely feels a sense of sadness, unlike others who might find it remarkable and exclaim, “What an amazing moment!” instead.

It was a lovely instance, and I felt supported by others who genuinely assisted me in navigating through it. They significantly lessened the awkwardness of the situation, making it far more tolerable. Without their harmonious voices, things would have been rather dismal.

He explained: “What caused my initial anxiety was the fact that I wasn’t fully present in the moment. Instead, I was worrying excessively about potential problems.

I didn’t fully grasp the moment as it unfolded, so when I rewatch it later – since it’s a joyful video to see – I don’t experience the same sense of upliftment and happiness as before.

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2025-07-07 14:03