Lewis Capaldi is a superstar. The 26-year-old was the first artist to sell out an arena before even releasing an album. That debut, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent, became the best-selling album not only of 2019 but 2020 as well. It spent 87 weeks in the Top 10 of the UK album chart and is responsible for over 25 billion streams worldwide.
The ubiquitous hit Someone You Loved is the longest-running Top 10 single by a British act and has just become the most-streamed song in the UK ever.
As his intensely-anticipated follow-up is preparing for launch next year, Capaldi tells The Big Issue that despite the success, his in-built Scottish pessimism is hard to shake.
Capaldi took time out of his incredibly busy schedule to speak to The Big Issue for a rare, exclusive interview.
Emotional honesty mixed with a shot of humour has become Capaldi’s trademark. The video for Forget Me was a shot-by-shot remake of Wham!’s 1983 hit Club Tropicana. He may not have realised, but in speaking to The Big Issue ahead of Christmas, he’s echoing the late, great pop icon George Michael, who was a great friend to The Big Issue and supporter of charitable causes. A good example to follow.
“One hundred per cent,†Capaldi agreed. “You want to do something in some small way to pay it forward.â€
Also inside:
- Christmas dinner for £20. Budgets are tighter than ever this year, but it doesn’t mean anybody has to cancel Christmas. We’ve teamed up with BOSH! to create a Christmas dinner that will feed a whole family and only set you back twenty quid
- David Jason. There were an astounding 18 Only Fools and Horses Christmas specials, and this week’s Letter To My Younger Self is like getting a 19th installment, as Jason looks back on his cushty career.
- Letitia Wright. Fresh from Black Panther, Letitia Wright, and co-star Tamara Lawrance, speak of new film The Silent Twins, bringing the true story of a terrible injustice to light.
- My Pitch. It’s not the best-loved train station in the capital but at least our vendor Victor is bringing a smile to Euston. “I always like to give people positive energy,†he says, which is what anybody travelling or working on the railway network could do with at the moment…
Plus much more!
