Lewis Capaldi on his plans for the future

Lewis Capaldi shot to fame in a mere ten weeks with the release of his debut track Bruises in the middle of 2017. His debut EP Bloom only cemented this following, with just under 40 million global streams on Spotify. The Scottish singer-songwriter’s CV doesn’t stop there, he was also recently named one of Vevo dscvr's Artists to Watch 2018, as well as being longlisted for the prestigious BBC Sound of 2018.

Capaldi is one of those people that sounds like he grew up on the stage. Guitar entered his life at nine years of age and songwriting joined at 11. He tells us stories of how he managed to steal the stage before he was even a teenager: “I spent a lot of time waiting in bathrooms, in pubs, until it was my turn on stage so no one could tell I was only 12 and throw me out!”

This passion for performing stems from his childhood inspirations. “My parents listened to Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, Queen and Elvis, so I heard those a lot growing up and my brother was big into rock’n’roll, but I preferred Busted. I think the first time I heard Paolo Nutini was the first time I thought, that is great music!

“I love artists like The Maccabees and Kings of Leon, so quite indie, but I started listening to more pop music when I was about 18 and got really into Sia’s stuff.”

His indie loving style is clear but Capaldi’s vocals are also very iconic and there’s a story there too. Watching a BBC documentary about The Beatles as a child, he saw Joe Cocker singing With a Little Help From My Friends and just fell in love with the low gravelly, gritty voice. “I just thought, I want to do that, but I was 12-years-old with a high-as-hell voice so it took time.”

Now his voice has matured, his live shows are selling out and his fans can’t get enough of the beautiful humility of such stripped-back sets. With such success on his hands, his future has masses of potential, along with the added pressure to write what he thinks the audience wants to hear. Some artists would cave in this situation, but I think we can safely say Capaldi won’t be one of them.

Currently in the process of writing his debut album, we of course ask how it’s coming along? “I’ve got six albums worth of music, I just don’t want any songs that feel sour or bitter. If I don’t think a song could be released as a single then I won’t put it on the album. I’m putting music out that I like and I listen to, so if people don’t like it fuck ‘em!”

With plans in place to release his debut later this year/early 2019, Capaldi also has some collaborations in his sights. After working so well with Malay – who has worked with the likes of John Legend and Frank Ocean – on his debut EP, there are some more names he’d like to work with. “I haven’t thought much about that but obviously I’d love to work with Justin Vernon; Kanye West would be very cool, and definitely Sia.” With Ellie Goulding and One Direction’s Niall Horan already among his fanbase, perhaps these dreams aren’t so unrealistic.

Capaldi’s success straight out of Bathgate is one that he hopes will show that you don’t need to move to London or New York to make it big. He credits his school’s music facilities and enthusiasm for furthering his skills as a musician from a young age. “My school was always supportive of playing music and I had lessons there, so I think that helped… I was the kid who was shit at P.E. and good at singing. If I wasn’t doing music I’d just be sat in my house on my Xbox in my pants.”

His love for music and performing is not one of a lonely detached singer-songwriter, it’s welcoming, and Capaldi is an obvious supporter of everyone having an opportunity to be involved in music. “Being able to turn people’s heads and inspiring them to play music would be brilliant – I’d love it if the story of my journey had that effect.”

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Lewis Capaldi plays O2 ABC, Glasgow, 17 Feb

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