Lewis Capaldi Makes Surprise Live Return at Edinburgh Benefit Concert

Lewis Capaldi returned to the stage for the first time since 2023 as the singer was a surprise guest at a Scotland concert benefiting a suicide prevention organization.

Billboard reports that Capaldi, who hasn’t performed a concert since Glastonbury 2023, served as a surprise guest following Tom Walker’s charity concert for Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) in Edinburgh.

Following Walker’s set — which barred fans from filming with their phones — concertgoers were advised to stick around for a surprise. Capaldi then emerged onstage to perform a six-song set of his own music, concluding with his hit “Someone You Loved.”

“When Lewis confirmed he wanted to do it last minute, I was delighted. We’ve bumped into each other a few times over the years backstage at [festivals] and events and he’s a total legend,” Walker told the BBC.

“I know how much pressure this industry can put on artists at times, especially after a bit of a break. So for him to be able to play a little secret gig in a safe space without all the phones, the noise and the expectations was perfect. I’m buzzing to have been a part of it.”

Following Capaldi’s Glastonbury gig in 2023, the singer announced that he would be taking a break from performing live “for the foreseeable future,” explaining that he had difficulty performing due to tics from Tourette’s. 

“I used to be able to enjoy every second of shows like this and I’d hoped three weeks away would sort me out,” he wrote on Instagram. “But the truth is I’m still learning to adjust to the impact of my Tourette’s, and on Saturday [at the Glastonbury festival], it became obvious that I need to spend much more time getting my mental and physical health in order so I can keep doing everything I love for a long time to come.”

A few weeks later, in July 2023, Capaldi made a quick cameo at the Vamps’ London concert, but he hadn’t played live since. According to the BBC, Capaldi’s surprise set in Edinburgh does not mark his impending return to the performing live, as he just wanted to support CALM, having previously played virtual gigs for the organization during Covid.