Key Moments
Lewis Capaldi: The Untold Story Of Becoming A Global Superstar At 22 | E178
The Diary Of A CEOKey Moments
Lewis Capaldi discusses fame, anxiety, self-deprecation, and the emotional toll of superstardom.
Key Insights
Capaldi's early life revealed a desire for performance and feedback, potentially linked to family experiences with loss.
Hypochondria and anxiety have significantly impacted Capaldi, exacerbated by fame, leading to panic attacks and physical tics.
The pressure of fame and imposter syndrome have led to self-deprecating humor as a coping mechanism.
Despite the challenges, Capaldi emphasizes the unparalleled joy of live performance as his primary motivation.
The transition from intimate pub gigs to arenas highlighted the intense pressure and difficulty of scaling success.
Capaldi advocates for authenticity and self-expression in music and on social media, moving away from polished pop star personas.
Therapy has been crucial in helping Capaldi manage his anxiety and understand his experiences.
He finds contentment in sharing achievements with loved ones rather than solely personal success.
Capaldi aims to write music with genuine emotional depth and personal meaning, a lesson learned through co-writing.
EARLY SIGNS OF A PERFORMER
Lewis Capaldi's earliest memories hint at a natural inclination towards performance. At just four years old, he experienced the buzz of singing in front of an audience during a family holiday. This early exposure to receiving feedback and enjoying attention, combined with reciting Austin Powers characters at parties, suggests a childhood inclination towards being in the spotlight. These experiences set a foundation for his later career, even if the precise motivations remained unclear to him at the time.
THE BURDEN OF ANXIETY AND HYPOCHONDRIA
Fame amplified Capaldi's pre-existing struggles with anxiety and hypochondria, conditions that intensified significantly after he achieved widespread recognition. He describes vivid experiences of convincing himself he was dying from serious illnesses, leading to physical symptoms like dizziness and twitching. The diagnosis of Tourette's syndrome later provided some clarity for certain physical tics, but the core issue of anxiety, particularly health anxiety, has required ongoing management through therapy and medication, sometimes to the point where his mother had to provide support during severe episodes.
NAVIGATING THE PRESSURES OF SUPERSTARDOM
The immense success of Capaldi's first album brought a wave of imposter syndrome and self-doubt. Despite critical acclaim and commercial success, he felt insecure and questioned his own abilities. This led to a pattern of self-deprecating humor, particularly in interviews, which he uses as a defense mechanism to disarm potential criticism and appear more relatable. He acknowledges that while this helps him cope, it can also be perceived as him downplaying his achievements.
THE UNPARALLELED JOY OF LIVE PERFORMANCE
Despite his struggles with recording, music videos, and photo shoots, Capaldi cites live performance as the ultimate reward and his primary motivation for enduring the less enjoyable aspects of his career. The energy from a live audience provides an unmatched 'buzz' that draws him back to the stage, reminiscent of that initial childhood experience. This passion for live shows is so strong that he would continue performing for decades, even in smaller venues, if given the opportunity.
THE CHALLENGE OF SCALING SUCCESS
The transition from playing intimate pub venues to headlining large arenas presented a significant psychological hurdle. Capaldi describes the overwhelming feeling of walking into empty arenas with his family, realizing the sheer scale of his success. The jump from thousands to tens of thousands of attendees created immense pressure, leading to severe panic attacks during his arena tour in early 2020. He found it difficult to adapt to the vastly different dynamic of playing for such massive crowds compared to smaller, more intimate settings.
THE POWER OF AUTHENTICITY AND THERAPY
Capaldi advocates for embracing authenticity, moving away from the 'polished pop star' image. He shares how his genuine, often self-deprecating, online presence resonated with audiences, a strategy no label would typically endorse. Crucially, he has found immense benefit in therapy, learning to understand and manage his anxiety. He stresses that therapy is not just for crises but a vital tool for mental well-being, helping him process complex emotions and navigate the unique pressures of an 'unhuman' life in the public eye.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS AND EMOTIONAL HONESTY
Capaldi's songwriting evolved significantly when he began co-writing, learning to inject genuine emotion and personal experiences into his music. He realized that songs with real stories and feelings behind them connect more deeply. This process requires emotional honesty, a trait he values, understanding the importance of feeling and processing emotions rather than suppressing them. He aims for his new album to be more open about his mental health and personal outlook, reflecting a growth in his creative and emotional exploration.
FINDING BALANCE AND PURPOSE AMIDST FAME
The demands of fame have made Capaldi re-evaluate his personal life, recognizing the need for balance. He acknowledges a tendency to close off emotionally in new relationships due to his public profile and the fear of vulnerability. While this offers protection, he understands it can hinder genuine connection. His aspirations for the future include personal growth, such as learning to say no, traveling for leisure, and eventually finding a meaningful relationship, but he acknowledges that children are not in his immediate plans.
THE CONSTANT SHIFT OF MOTIVATION
Capaldi touches on the paradoxical nature of passion versus profession. While his love for music remains, the monetization and responsibilities that come with success can shift motivation from pure enjoyment to pressure. He notes that the industry constantly moves the goalposts, creating a perpetual state of striving. He also reflects on how external validation, like awards, feels most meaningful when shared with loved ones, rather than being solely about personal achievement.
REDEFINING SUCCESS AND FUTURE ASPIRATIONS
Looking ahead, Capaldi hopes his new music will resonate with his existing fanbase and provide a new avenue for emotional expression. He has a specific goal of writing a song for a film, seeing it as a fresh creative challenge. Beyond that, he prioritizes maintaining authenticity and ensuring his music remains fun, resisting the urge to set rigid goals that might strip away the joy. His ultimate aim is to continue making music that connects with people on an emotional level.
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Common Questions
Lewis Capaldi's first memory of performing was at age four during a family caravan holiday in France. He asked to sing 'We Will Rock You' by Queen at a karaoke night and felt a buzz from performing in front of people, leading him to sing a second song.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
A video conferencing and collaboration tool highlighted for its enterprise-grade security, which is important for the host's businesses and teams.
A social media platform Lewis Capaldi started using authentically, sharing funny and self-deprecating content, which resonated with his audience.
A comedian who once told Stephen that when observing comedic behavior, one should ask which parent the comedian was trying to cheer up, rather than if they were depressed.
An artist Lewis Capaldi supported on tour, which he enjoyed because the pressure was lower as most people were there to see Sam Smith, not him.
Mentioned as a previous podcast guest who shared that the more successful he became, the lower his confidence, as he felt he was competing with his own identity.
An artist Lewis Capaldi admired and initially set as his career goal, aspiring to play similar-sized venues in Glasgow.
Mentioned as a band Lewis Capaldi liked, inspiring him to write his own songs if he wanted to play live.
A band whose mysterious, cool aesthetic Lewis Capaldi initially tried to emulate on social media before finding his own authentic voice.
An artist mentioned as someone who is authentically herself and loved by people for it, contrasting with the 'polished pop star' image.
An artist who released a song about riding a horse ('Old Town Road') and is known for his authenticity and LGBT+ representation in hip-hop.
An artist whose song 'She's the One' is referenced as an example of a great song that doesn't necessarily have deep personal meaning, contrasting with Lewis's songwriting style.
Mentioned with Rob Brydon in 'The Trip' where a character discusses dating and fame, drawing a parallel to how Lewis Capaldi perceives his own dating life.
Mentioned with Steve Coogan in 'The Trip' where a character discusses dating and fame, drawing a parallel to how Lewis Capaldi perceives his own dating life.
A movie series Lewis Capaldi watched religiously as a child, from which he would recite parts of characters like 'Fat Bastard' at family parties.
Lewis Capaldi's first album, whose title reflects his self-deprecating humor and initial doubts about his success.
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