Lewis Capaldi Says He May Quit Music If His Health Condition Worsens
Singer Lewis Capaldi's music career might be coming to an end earlier than he could have predicted. The 26-year-old Scottish performer was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, which he says is making playing guitar miserable. In a new interview ahead of the release of his sophomore album, the "Someone You Loved" singer said the condition is only getting worse. He also suggested that imposter syndrome could lead him to quit music.
"My tic is getting quite bad on stage now," Capaldi told The Times, via PEOPLE. "I'm trying to get on top of that. If I can't, I'm f—ed. It's easier when I play guitar, but I hate playing guitar. I know, I'm a walking contradiction."
Capaldi dealt with shoulder twitches for years before he was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, he told fans in an Instagram Live session last year. "The worst thing about it is when I'm excited I get it when I'm stressed I get it when I'm happy I get it. It happens all the time," he said in September 2022. "Some days it's more painful than others and some days it's less painful. It looks a lot worse than it is. Sometimes it's quite uncomfortable... but it comes and goes."
Tourette syndrome is a disorder involving repetitive movements and making unwanted sounds that cannot be controlled, according to the Mayo Clinic. The condition might cause a patient to repeatedly blink their eyes, shrug their shoulders, or make unusual sounds. Tics begin developing between ages 2 and 15, and males are three to four times more likely than females to develop the condition.
Capaldi found sudden fame in 2019 with "Someone You Loved," which scored a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year and won the 2020 Brit Award for Song of the Year. The track was featured on his first album, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent. His second album, Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent, is set to be released on May 19. Capaldi is also the subject of the Netflix documentary How I'm Feeling Now and announced plans to tour.
In his Times interview, Capaldi said he also has imposter syndrome. "It's only making music that does this to me," he explained. "Otherwise I can be fine for months at a time. So it's a weird situation. 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. I hate hyperbole but it is a very real possibility that I will have to pack music in."
How I'm Feeling Now will be released on Netflix Wednesday. The documentary chronicles Capaldi's music career and his struggles with mental health and Tourette syndrome. Capaldi also released his new single, "How I'm Feeling Now," which he told fans is "absolutely without a doubt the most personal song I've ever written."