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By Stefan Armitage
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At today's Glastonbury set, Lewis Capaldi endured a challenging performance as he openly grappled with Tourette's Syndrome.
Amidst his struggle with vocal issues and frequent tics, he persisted on the main stage, informing his fans about the need for a forthcoming break.
Viewers were left emotional after 26-year-old Capaldi, known for his emotive melodies and honest lyrics, struggled to perform parts of his hit track, 'Someone You Loved'.
To make matters even more heartwrenching, the adoring crowd took over, and started singing the song for the Scottish singer-songwriter. At times, the camera caught an emotional Capaldi watching on as the thousands of fans supported him.
Check out the moment below:
Viewers watching from home took to Twitter to comment on the emotional moment, with one person tweeting: "Watching Lewis absolutely broken by not being able to perform like he wanted to brought me to tears. We love you @LewisCapaldi we'll be here waiting for you when [you're] ready."
A second added: "Actual tears in my eyes watching @LewisCapaldi and that Glastonbury crowd. It was beautiful, one of my favourite moments of Glastonbury ever."
Following his performance of "Hold Me While You Wait", Capaldi expressed self-frustration, earning himself a chorus of cheers and support from the crowd with chants of "Oh Lewis Capaldi" echoing around the stage.
The singer, who recently took a brief hiatus, shared his motivations with the crowd, saying, "I recently took three weeks off just because I've been nonstop the past year and I wanted to take a wee break from my head for my mental health."
His decision to return for Glastonbury, he revealed, was rooted in the festival's incredible atmosphere. He thanked his fans, saying: "I wanted to come back and do Glastonbury because it's obviously so incredible so I just want to thank you all for coming out. I was scared but you've really made me feel at ease so thank you very much for that."
Capaldi hinted at the need for another break, telling his fans: "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. But when I do come back, when I do see you, I hope you're all still up for watching."
Last month, the Scottish crooner unveiled his latest musical masterpiece, his second studio album, Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent. Throughout this work, he bravely opens up about his struggle with anxiety, hypochondria, and his recent Tourette's diagnosis in his Netflix documentary, Lewis Capaldi: How I'm Feeling Now.
The singer gave a powerful insight into his struggle, stating in his documentary, "This twitch became out of control, and it was awful. It was absolutely horrific. I started to get in my head about these pressures about things. There's skin in the game there, rather than just me singing my silly little songs. Other people are depending on me."
Earlier this year, he admitted in an interview with The Sunday Times the potential impact of his Tourette’s syndrome on his career, saying: "It’s only making music that does this to me. 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 I will pack music in."
Capaldi's courageous performance at Glastonbury and the open discussion of his personal battles serve as a reminder of the humanity behind the celebrity, and the amazing support fans can provide in times of need. Well done, Glastonbury.