Lewis Capaldi returned to the live stage Saturday night, opening his Survive tour at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena in front of about 12,500 fans, marking the Scottish singer’s first headline run since stepping back from performing to focus on his mental and physical health.
The 28-year-old launched the 17-date United Kingdom and Ireland tour with back-to-back shows in Sheffield before heading to his native Scotland for dates in Aberdeen and Glasgow. Capaldi shared a video from the empty arena on Instagram ahead of the performance in which he teased new music, writing, "First night back on tour and new song coming soon, life is good x," and lip-syncing to an unreleased track titled "Something In The Heavens."
During the concert Capaldi acknowledged the crowd, performed a mix of his known material and new material teased online, and shared smaller surprises for fans. In the run-up to the Sheffield shows he sent mystery parcels around the U.K. that included a Freddie's Flowers bouquet, a signed card and a recording of a lyric from an upcoming single reading, "I love you til' my last breath." He also arranged for signed posters to be hidden at merch stands for early discoverers, and posted clips on social media after the show showing fans holding up phone torches and waving signs.
Capaldi’s return follows a near two-year hiatus from major touring after an episode at Glastonbury in 2023, when he was unable to finish his set because of a manifestation of Tourette’s syndrome. He made a high-profile comeback at Glastonbury this year before announcing the Survive tour.
Speaking in recent media appearances and a livestream, Capaldi described the break as necessary for his wellbeing and discussed his recovery. He said Elton John called the day after the 2023 Glastonbury incident and advised him to take a break, and he praised musician Niall Horan for his ongoing support. Capaldi also said some people who had claimed to check in on him during his absence did not, calling it "bizarre" without naming individuals.
On the livestream he announced he was no longer taking the antidepressant sertraline and said stopping the medication had been difficult. "I'm not on antidepressants anymore," he told fans, adding that the process of getting off sertraline had been hard and that therapy had helped him feel "the best I've felt in a long time." He said he continues to manage anxiety and described acceptance and response to anxiety as part of his recovery.
Capaldi’s Survive tour will continue across the U.K. and Ireland over the coming weeks, with the singer promoting forthcoming material while balancing live dates with his stated focus on maintaining his health.