KEY POINTS
- Singer Lewis Capaldi performed at Glastonbury Festival after a three-week mental health break.
- He struggled to sing at times, but the crowd continued to cheer him on.
- The 26-year-old said he will take another break and fans might not see him “for the rest of the year”.
Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi said fans might not see him perform for the rest of the year after he struggled to complete his Glastonbury set, where the crowd swung into action to support him through it.
Capaldi’s performance at the United Kingdom festival, one of the biggest on the music calendar, was supposed to be a comeback after he cancelled three weeks of tours to “rest and recover” following several months that were “full on both mentally and physically”.
The singer has been open about his anxiety and said in a recent interview that his mental health issues were “a direct symptom” of his job. He also received a diagnosis last year.
Lewis Capaldi struggled to sing at times during his set at the Glastonbury Festival. Source: AAP, Press Association / Matt Crossick/Alamy
While on stage at Glastonbury, the crowd continued to cheer him on as the singer started to lose his voice, and he appeared to, at times, experience involuntary muscle movements — .
“My voice is going big time, so I’m very sorry, it’s the worst place for it to f**king happen. However, we’re going to play two more songs even if I can’t sing properly,” Capaldi said during his set, according to UK media.
The 26-year-old could barely sing when the time came to close the set with Someone You Loved, The Guardian reported.
But the crowd backed him, singing the lyrics as a visibly emotional Capaldi watched on before singing the last chorus.
“I freaking dreamed about this, man! If this is the only time I ever get to experience it, I’m telling you, it’s more than enough,” he said.
Festivalgoers watch Lewis Capaldi perform on The Pyramid Stage on day 4 of Glastonbury Festival on Saturday. Source: Getty / Harry Durrant
The singer also acknowledged his three-week break, which he said he had taken for his mental health but had wanted to return to perform at the “incredible” Glastonbury Festival.
“I was s**t scared, but you’ve really made me feel at ease,” he told the crowd.
Capaldi said he would take “another wee break for the next few weeks” and that fans might not see him “for the rest of the year”.
“But when I do come back and I do see you, I hope you’re up for watching.”
