Lewis Capaldi has opened up about the emotional toll of his music career, revealing he came close to quitting “indefinitely” following what he describes as the lowest moment of his life.
The 28-year-old singer made an unexpected return to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, two years after his voice gave out during a performance that left fans heartbroken and rallying around him in support. This year, however, he re-emerged with a surprise set and debuted a raw, personal track called Survive, which reflects his battle with mental health and the healing power of therapy.
Reflecting on that infamous 2023 performance, Lewis confessed, “I was on complete autopilot. I watch it back and I feel sad. I wasn’t taking anything in.” He added that while others saw the moment as inspiring, “for me, it was literally the worst moment of my life.”
In a conversation with online therapy service BetterHelp, recorded shortly before his Glastonbury comeback, he revealed just how close he was to walking away for good. “I thought I was done indefinitely,” he admitted. “I didn’t take a break to focus on getting better – I needed a break just to release the pressure valve a bit.”
He credits therapy for saving his music career, saying it gave him the tools to cope and reconnect with his identity as an artist. “Therapy has been a massive part of the reason why I’m able to be a musician again,” he shared. “This feels like a positive way to help others access the kind of support I needed.”
As part of a campaign, BetterHelp is now offering 734,000 hours of free therapy – symbolizing Capaldi’s 734-day break from music.
Lewis acknowledged he used to seek instant fixes but has come to accept that recovery is a long-term journey. “I know I’ll always be an anxious person, but now I’m trying to steady my platform within.”
To prepare for his Glastonbury set, he performed several secret warm-up gigs in Scotland. Even though he didn’t feel nervous at first, he admitted to crying afterwards, overwhelmed by the emotions of being back on stage.
“I didn’t realise how much I missed it,” he said. “I’m not someone who cries much… so it was strange. But it was a really nice experience.”
