Lewis Capaldi Reveals Shocking Backstage Ordeal That Forced His Two-Year Disappearance

Have you ever wondered what it really takes to make a triumphant return to the spotlight—especially after the kind of onstage chaos that would send most people running for the hills, not tuning up for an encore? Lewis Capaldi, the “Before You Go” hitmaker and master of brutally honest banter, has been through the emotional wringer lately . Imagine stepping onto Glastonbury’s legendary stage, only to have your own mind and body publicly betray you mid-set, leaving thousands singing in your place—awkward, mortifying, and weirdly beautiful all at once . What do you even do after that? Most of us would fake our own deaths and move to a secret cabin in Wales . But nope, Capaldi wrestled with his anxiety, his Tourette’s, and his panic attacks, taking a hard pause from music—and life as he knew it . Now, after a couple of years soaking up therapy, switching up his meds, and wrestling with the FOMO demons every artist dreads, he’s stepped back onto that hallowed Glastonbury turf for a “mental win” . If self-awareness was a sport, Lewis would be an Olympic gold medalist—and he’s got stories that sting, amuse, and inspire in equal measure . If you’ve ever felt like quitting, or if your brain’s ever ambushed you at the worst possible time… you’ll want to keep reading . LEARN MORE.

Lewis Capaldi has spoken out about his experience of ‘convulsing’ during one of his shows, leading to his hiatus.

The ‘Before You Go’ singer has been very open about his struggles with anxiety and Tourette’s diagnosis in recent years.

Capaldi’s mental health issues resulted in him infamously struggling to finish his Glastonbury set in 2023, as a result of a Tourettes flare-up.

In what is now known as one of the most touching moments of that year’s festival, the 28-year-old asked fans to sing along to finish out the set, as he couldn’t.

This year though, Capaldi made a heartfelt return to Glastonbury in a surprise appearance just weeks after making his return to the stage following a two-year hiatus from music.

The Scot only had a short set, but fans were over the moon to see the artist back in the spotlight on 27 June.

Capaldi infamously struggled to finish his 2023 Glastonbury set (Harry Durrant/Getty Images)

It was a secret that wasn’t very well kept, as many anticipated the artist’s presence on stage at the music festival.

However, Capaldi has also announced a world tour to solidify his return to the mainstream, and is now speaking about some of the struggles that led to him stepping away from the industry in the first place.

The Brit appeared on Theo Von’s ‘This Past Weekend’ podcast yesterday (15 July) and revealed that his 2023 Glastonbury performance was not the worst episode he suffered at the time.

Speaking to the American comedian, Capaldi explained: “A few weeks prior to that show we were playing in Chicago, and I had a very similar episode – probably even worse.

“I couldn’t come back and finish a song. I was backstage convulsing and having this crazy panic attack. Way worse than what happened at Glastonbury.”

Lewis Capaldi has returned to music (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Opening up on that episode in particular, he admitted: “At Glastonbury, when I came off stage, it was weird. I had this feeling of ‘Everything’s alright now. I can actually go and get help and fix myself for the next two years.'”

He said it was ‘probably the best thing that’s ever happened’ to him, and explained that he was fearful that opportunities being offered to him during his ascension wouldn’t be there later down the line if he didn’t take it.

These decisions took their toll, as the artist had to cancel tours to deal with his mental health.

“Someone upstairs was like, ‘This has to happen now, otherwise…’ I don’t want to think about where I’d be if I’d continued,” the artist candidly admitted.

He credits weekly therapy with helping him to recover from that period of his life. He revealed that he’s now on antipsychotic medication after switching from antidepressants, a move which has caused his anxiety levels to be ‘so low’.

“I really wanted to come back and do Glastonbury as a mental win—to finish the thing that I couldn’t finish before,” Capaldi further stated.