Lewis Capaldi says he’d be prepared to quit music for his mental health

Lewis Capaldi has said that he’d be willing to step away from music to protect his mental health if he had to.

• READ MORE: Lewis Capaldi – ‘Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent’ review: overwrought and frustrating

The artist admitted that fame has proved a detriment to his mental health, and if necessary, he wouldn’t rule out walking away to look after himself.

Speaking to Rebecca Judd on Apple Music, he said: “I think on this album in particular I talk a bit more about my mental health, which has taken a beating over the last little while.

“I’m managing it better now but I think in 2020 I was kind of glad when we got put in lockdown because I had done my first arena tour in the UK, and we had just done an Australia and Asia tour before that.

“I was in a bad way where I was just having panic attacks every single day on stage and I was just shy,” he continued. “I still haven’t quite got there, but it’s interesting that this thing that you love to do and you’ve always wanted to do becomes something that causes you such distress, but such is the modern world.

“”If I did another album and my head was scrambled and I felt horrible, right now I’m at a point where I can balance my mental health and how I feel in general. Not even just mental health, but the trade-off is worth it.

He added: “I’ll take a few panic attacks and my Tourettes and stuff for what’s happening, but if it gets to the point where things get worse mentally and I stop kind of looking after myself in that regard, I think that would be a point where I’d be like, ‘I’m just not going to do this anymore’.”

Capaldi also said that the main thing that keeps him doing music is playing live.

“The main reason I got into music was to play live and if I’m struggling to do that ever, I think that’s where I’m in trouble, because otherwise that’s the payoff, that’s the point of doing it,” he explained.

“At that point, if it felt like it was becoming something that I was not into or was causing me stress or I hated (it), then that’s when I would probably pack it in.”

Last month, Capaldi also said that he could quit music if his Tourette’s worsens. His symptoms are exacerbated by making music and performing. “Right now, the trade-off is worth it, but if it gets to a point where I’m doing irreparable damage to myself, I’ll quit,” he told The Times.

The Scottish singer released his second album ‘Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent’ yesterday. In a three-star review, NME wrote: “On ‘How I’m Feeling Now’, he ironically toasts his so-called “beautiful life”, one that “seems to leave me so unsatisfied” and has left him wanting: “Thought I’d be happier somehow”. Moments like this – candid, coarse – are where Capaldi shows growth and where he should go next. You just wish he’d realised this sooner.”

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