The 26-year-old singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi hit the big time at the age of 20. His hit "Bruises" became a streaming success, and his melancholy mega-hit "Someone You Loved" inspired online comments such as: "After this song, I feel heartache, even though I don't have any." Or: "After this song, I miss the girlfriend I never had.". Some praise: "Lewis Capaldi is not the next Ed Sheeran, but the first Lewis Capaldi." He himself thinks: "I'm the Scottish Beyoncé." As melancholy as his songs are, as funny are the comments Lewis makes between his songs. Some even think he could have been a stand-up comedian.
Ticketcorner met Lewis Capaldi for an interview.
Lewis, you are and do a lot on social media. Doyou think that's important for an artist these days?
Well, maybe not necessarily to the extent that I do. A lot of nonsense. But I love getting in touch with people who have made my career possible. People who bought tickets for my concert and also bought my album. People want to know who the music comes from. Just like you want to know where the meat or vegetables you buy come from. A few years ago, The 1975 were on social media in a very mysterious way. Then everyone tried to copy that. I shouldn't do that. I'm just myself on social media.
Interview: Christoph Soltmannowski.
If you're already making this comparison with the origin of meat: Where do you actually come from? What got you into music?
I got into music because my older brother - he's six years older than me - played in bands. I accompanied him a few times. When I was twelve, we were already performing in pubs, even in bigger cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh.
And then you suddenly became famous?
No, that was when I was about 18 or 19 and my future manager called me. I just made songs, recorded them on my phone and put them on Soundcloud. He just told me that he liked my songs and my voice. And then he released my single "Bruises". And then it was a crazy time - we had the song, but we still had a lot to build up.
So there was pressure then?
That was probably self-induced pressure. Suddenly there were 25,000 streams. It was my first song and we never expected that. We thought "Oh God, what are we doing?" - everything went better and faster than I had expected.
Is everything going too fast for you?
It definitely went a bit fast. I've already played in these big stadiums - I thought, oh, this is going a bit fast. But at the same time I love it, of course.
What makes a song successful? You have to know the secret.
I have absolutely no idea. I just have to like it myself. But I have no idea how to write a hit song.
But you've done it. Several times.
Well, if I knew the recipe, I would have written even more. You just have to trust your instincts.
I think that's the secret of your success: you stay down to earth and the "nice guy next door". You don't take off like Elton John in his younger years. Or could that still happen?
Well, I'm not planning on it. I also understand why some people change like that. They lose their sense of self. But ask me again in seven months!
Now you've landed in this music business very quickly, what do you like most about it?
Playing live, that's the best.
Doyou prefer playing in a pub or in front of 50,000 people?
The best thing is when people you don't know sing along to your songs. It doesn't matter how many people are in the audience. For example, at the Fallow Cafe in Manchester, there were about 50 people there. That was the first time people sang along to my song - that's when I thought, now I've made it. The difference between 50 and 50,000 people is that it's harder to keep their attention. But you have to do exactly the same as with 50 people.
Your first and so far only album is called "Divinely Uninspired to a hellish extent": Divinely Uninspired to a hellish extent. Were you in that state when you recorded it?
Not really, but I thought it was funny to give an album such a negative title.
You like to make people laugh.
I like to laugh myself, but whether other people laugh or not doesn't really matter.
So above all you want to have fun on stage - have you also set yourself "serious" goals?
When you have a goal that you want to achieve, no matter what it is - at work, in love or whatever: you think you're always failing. But then you turn around, look back and think. Oh God, I've done it all and achieved it all!
You managed to be a successful musician very quickly. Others take a long time or never make it. Do you still have unachieved goals?
I never really had any concrete goals. Maybe one goal was to make an album. But I don't really have any goals in life. It was never my goal to have a number 1 song. It was never my goal to tour the world. I always thought that would be great, but I only thought that. I never set myself a goal.
But now you must be excited about all the opportunities you have?
Yes, I'm excited about traveling the world and playing in front of people.
Doyou still live in your hometown?
Yes, I still live with my parents, in the house where I grew up.
How has the relationship with your parents changed?
Not much. My father is a fishmonger, and sometimes he puts autograph cards on the kitchen table for me to sign for his customers.
How do you experience these different places around the world?
I've already had the chance to play at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, which was incredible. The respect that the Japanese have! During the songs it was really quiet and at the end they were clapping and cheering like crazy. I also like Copenhagen, Los Angeles, New York, Dublin and Ireland in general. I have really euphoric fans there.
Do you have any role models?
I love the Beatles, especially Paul McCartney. That's one of the reasons why I sing. Also Bob Dylan, Fleetwod Mac and Queen.
The first song I sang in front of an audience was "We will rock you" - I was only four then.
Do you also write songs when you're on tour?
I'm not very good at it. I write little things that I then record. But the most important thing is the audience.
LEWIS CAPALDI
Sat 27.8.2022 Zurich Openair
Wed 2.11.2022 Baloise Session
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