Lewis Capaldi had an extraordinary experience at the Glastonbury Festival in 2023. The 26-year-old singer, who has been vocal about his struggles with Tourette's syndrome, anxiety,, and depression, lost his voice during his performance and was visibly moved by the audience's singing in his place.
His band began performing 'Someone You Love' after he apologized to the crowd and explained that his voice was "packing in." When he stepped away from the microphone, the audience sang the melodies on their own.
This was Capaldi's first performance since he announced he would be taking a two-week vacation. The month prior, the 'Forget Me' singer stated that his mental health has a direct correlation with his job and that he would quit music if it ever got too bad.
Per LADBible, Capaldi acknowledged he was losing his voice, telling the audience, "I'm going to be honest with you all, but I'm beginning to lose my voice up here, but we're going to keep going until the end."
An ascending chorus of tens of thousands of voices created a crescendo of euphony. And Capaldi was awestruck by the affection emanating from the audience back at him as he stood alone on stage in the midst of a tremendous struggle.
However, the admiration for the ailing icon did not end there. After the BBC captured the momen, fans from all over the globe began sending him messages expressing how much he meant to them.
And that will likely mean the world to someone having a difficult time. One fan tweeted, "Stay courageous and keep fighting, you're incredible."
Someone else added, "Just incredible, you've got this; just be yourself."
A third said they would sing his praises even if he couldn't, stating, "Can't fathom the courage it takes to perform while living with Tourette's Syndrome, but I hope Capaldi knows his admirers are with him every step of the way."
Others claimed that his performance would "go down in history" as one of the most moving moments in the 53-year history of Glastonbury's music and magic. Others lauded him for being so open about his condition and commended him for bringing attention to an underrepresented condition.
One Twitter user with Tourette's said, "I can assure you that he would have been fatigued from holding in his tics all day. I hope he's alright; he's now my hero."
Lewis Capaldi Cancels Splendour, Australian Tour
On social media, the performer was lauded for the impact the moment had on those with Tourette syndrome who witnessed a celebrity with symptoms at a high-profile event.
During his Glastonbury performance, Capaldi told the crowd, "I feel like I'll be taking another wee break over the next couple of weeks. So you probably won't see much of me for the rest of the year, maybe even."
However, he assured that he would come back with the hope that the fans would be "still up for watching us."
According to Daily Mail the singer became emotional as he began to lose his voice while performing, prompting him to apologize to the audiences before announcing he would be taking additional time off to focus on his health.
Tuesday on Instagram, Lewis confirmed that he was canceling the 24 live performances he had scheduled for the remainder of the year. 24 dates remained on Lewis' Broken by Desire to Be Divine Sent tour, which concluded on September 3 at Boucher Road Playing Fields in Belfast.
Per USA Today, Capaldi announced on social media earlier this month that he was canceling all tour dates preceding Glastonbury to "rest and recuperate" as he was "struggling mentally and physically." In September, the musician first disclosed his Tourette syndrome diagnosis.
