Two years after his last concert, Lewis Capaldi has made a surprise appearance at a charity gig for suicide prevention.
Billboard reports that Capaldi was a surprise guest following British singer-songwriter Tom Walker’s set at the Edinburgh concert for Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) on Friday, May 2nd. CALM is dedicated to preventing male suicide through support services, awareness campaigns, and outreach programs.
Capaldi performed at Glastonbury in 2023, then announced that he would be taking a break from performing live “for the foreseeable future.”
In a post on Instagram, he wrote, “the truth is I’m still learning to adjust to the impact of my Tourette’s, and on Saturday [at the Glastonbury festival], it became obvious that I need to spend much more time getting my mental and physical health in order so I can keep doing everything I love for a long time to come.” A few weeks later, he made a quick cameo at the Vamps’ London concert, but hadn’t played live since.
Walker’s headline set at CALM was phone-free, preventing the audience from filming with their phones. As the set wrapped up, the concertgoers were advised to stick around for a surprise. Capaldi then emerged onstage. He performed six songs, ending the set with his hit “Someone You Loved.”
Speaking with the BBC, 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 [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,” Walker continued, “So for him to be able to play a little secret gig in a safe space without all the phones, the noise and the expectations was perfect. I’m buzzing to have been a part of it.”
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The surprise set does not mark Capaldi’s impending return to live performances, according to the BBC. It seems the artist just wanted to support CALM, having previously played virtual gigs for the organisation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
