Lewis Capaldi performed on stage for the first time in two years after making a surprise appearance at a charity gig in Edinburgh to raise funds for suicide prevention.
He appeared on Friday night at the concert – headlined by Tom Walker and Nina Nesbitt– at Edinburgh Assembly Halls, in aid of the charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm).
Capaldi last performed publicly at Glastonbury 2023 before taking a break from the stage, citing anxiety as the reason, and then on New Year’s Eve of that year announced that he was having a hiatus to focus on his health.
At the time he announced his hiatus, he noted that he had “noticed a marked improvement” with both his Tourette’s syndrome and anxiety since taking a break from performing.
On Friday, he joined Tom Walker on stage, which was a “last-minute decision” according to the headliner. Fans were told to stay around for a secret act in addition to him and Nesbitt.
The BBC reported that Walker said: “When Lewis confirmed he wanted to do it last minute, I was delighted. We’ve bumped into each other a few times over the years backstage at fezzys [festivals] and events, and he’s a total legend.
“I know how much pressure this industry can put on artists at times, especially after a bit of a break.”
The gig on Friday was the first of three phone-free scheduled charity shows, with another planned for Tuesday 6 May, at Albert Halls in Stirling and the final one due to take place on 10 May at Glasgow Old Fruitmarket. Fans were asked not to film any of the gig, with their phones placed in sealed pouches throughout it.
Capaldi, from Bathgate, West Lothian, had his Glastonbury 2023 show disrupted by his vocal tics. He has previously raised funds for Calm, playing a virtual acoustic concert in 2020 to support the charity.
In 2023, the singer explored how the pressures of fame have affected him mentally and physically in the Netflix documentary Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now.
“For [Capaldi] to be able to play a little secret gig in a safe space without all the phones, the noise and the expectations was perfect,” Walker said. “I’m buzzing to have been a part of it.”
