- Lewis Capaldi revealed in 2022 that he has Tourette Syndrome.
- Tourette’s is a neurological disorder that causes uncontrollable physical or vocal tics.
- In 2023, after his Tourette’s affected his performance at Glastonbury, he took a break from touring.
“I’m very sorry to let you know I’m going to be taking a break from touring for the foreseeable future,” wrote Lewis Capaldi on Jun. 27, days after his performance at the Glastonbury Festival. At one point during the performance, Lewis, 26, struggled to complete the song “Someone You Loved” due to his Tourette Syndrome. The tics interrupted his singing, so he let the fans finish the song. I really apologize. You’ve all come out, and my voice is really packing in,” he told his fans, per Rolling Stone. “We’re gonna play two more songs if that’s cool, even if I can’t hit all the notes.”
Days later, Lewis announced he would take a break from touring in order to get “my mental and physical health in order” and to “adjust to the impact of my Tourette’s.” The decision came nearly a year after Capaldi went public with his diagnosis. Here’s what we know about his health struggles.
Lewis Capaldi Diagnosed With Tourette’s Syndrome
Lewis went public with his condition in September 2022. “I have Tourette’s, I’ve always had it, apparently,” he said, per the BBC. He said he divulged this condition because his twitches make people think he’s taken drugs before his concerts. “I do the shoulder twitch quite a lot. And you see underneath every TikTok and stuff, people are like, ‘Why is he twitching?’ Do you think before performing [in front of] 20,000 people, as an anxious person, I’m going to take a big line of cocaine? Never going to happen.”
In April 2023, Lewis said that his condition was getting worse when he is on stage. “I’m trying to get on top of that,” he told The Time. “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.”
During an Instagram Live session, he told his fans,” “My shoulder twitches when I am excited, happy, nervous, or stressed. It is something I am living with. It’s not as bad as it looks.”
What Is Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette Syndrome – aka Tourette’s – is a “neurological disorder that may cause sudden unwanted and uncontrolled rapid and repeated movements or vocal sounds called tics,” according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Tics could be simple motor issues – blinking, eye movements, shoulder shrugging, and/or head jerking. There are simple vocal ticks – barking, grunting, throat clearing – while complex vocal tics include repeating words or phrases, repeating what other people say, or using vulgar words at odd times. There are also complex motor tics, like jumping, bending, twisting, or touching.
Tics may worsen with excitement or anxiety. Some people can manage/control their tics through practice, and others may be able to treat the complex tics with medication. However, no medication completely treats Tourette’s.
The cause of TS is unknown, the NIH points to abnormalities in certain brain regions, in circuits that connect these regions, and issues with neurotransmitters responsible for communication between nerve cells.
How Long Has Lewis Capaldi Been Sick?
The exact date of when the twitches began is unclear, but Lewis said in his 2022 film, Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling, that the diagnosis” “makes complete sense now, when I look back,” per The Independent. “This twitch became out of control, and it was awful. It was absolutely horrific. I started to get in my head about these pressures. ‘F***, there’s skin in the game now.’ Rather than me just singing my silly little songs. Other people are depending on me.”
How Is Lewis Capaldi Doing Today?
In 2023, Lewis announced he would take a break from touring after performing at that year’s Glastonbury Festival. During the performance, his Tourette’s led him to pause and have fans finish the lyrics to one of his songs as the symptoms subsided, per Rolling Stone. “The fact that this probably won’t come as a surprise doesn’t make it any easier to write, but I’m very sorry to let you know I’m going to be taking a break from touring for the foreseeable future,” he wrote.
“I used to be able to enjoy every second of shows like this, and I’d hoped three weeks away would sort me out. But the truth is I’m still learning to adjust to the impact of my Tourette’s,” he continued, “and on Saturday, 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.”
“I know I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to take some time out when others can’t, and I’d like to thank my amazing family, friends, team, medical professionals, and all of you who’ve been so supportive every step of the way through the good times and even more so during this past year when I’ve needed it more than ever.”
“I’m so sorry to everyone who had planned to come to a show before the end of the year,” he concluded, “but I need to feel well to perform at the standard you all deserve. Playing for you every night is all I’ve ever dreamed of, so this has been the most difficult decision of my life. I’ll be back soon as I can possibly can.”