Lewis Capaldi’s Biggest Hits: The Personal Stories That Inspired His Most Heartfelt Songs

Lewis Marc Capaldi was born on Oct. 7, 1996, in Glasgow, Scotland. Capaldi got his start on stage at an early age and has since impressed audiences with vulnerable lyrics, stunning melodies, and his emotion-packed voice. Capaldi has enjoyed global success by covering heavy themes in his music and connecting with fans in a raw and intimate way. Here are some of the stories behind Lewis Capaldi's most emotional hit songs.

Lewis Capaldi was only four years old during his first live performance and took up guitar by the age of nine. He would sneak off to pubs to perform his original songs, becoming a full-fledged live performer by the age of 18. Capaldi's voice covers a wide emotional range, and his tender lyrics stir up feelings for his audience.

Capaldi released "Bruises" in 2017 before he was even signed to a record label. The song took off, reaching millions of streams and helping him to sell out arenas in the U.K. Audiences were hungry for the vulnerability and haunting melodies that Capaldi would become known for. His most recent release, "Survive," has already broken records of its own, achieving the highest opening week in Capaldi's career.

With "Someone You Loved," Lewis Capaldi transformed from a rising star into a global phenomenon. Filled with tenderness and raw emotion, the breakup song explores the twin themes of losing a relationship and the risk of being vulnerable. Capaldi talked specifically about vulnerability gone wrong, saying the song reflects opening up to someone, but as "soon as you let them in something goes wrong."

It took Capaldi nearly six months to complete the song because he kept reworking the lyrics and sound. Despite his reservations, the song topped the U.K. charts for seven weeks after its release.

In one of Capaldi's most heart-wrenching songs, he reflects on the pain and grief of witnessing his Aunt Pat die by suicide. Later that same year, he lost his grandmother as well. Capaldi's exposure to extreme grief at a young age led to his struggles with hypochondria and extreme anxiety.

"Before You Go" is a creative masterpiece. Capaldi's combined lyrical prowess and emotional vulnerability create a tragic song that allows grief, pain, and regret to be fully felt. The song's depth resonated with audiences, leading it to chart at No. 1 around the world as it racked up billions of streams.

Capaldi reflects on how much his life has changed in the song "Hollywood." His lyrics are full of nostalgia and yearning as Capaldi uses his experience of moving from being an average young adult to becoming a global superstar to fuel the song. Capaldi wrote the song during a laid-back writing session, where he reflected on how surreal his life now felt.

Capaldi's ballad "Fade" was the third single from his debut studio album, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent. This vulnerable tune initially sounds like another devastatingly sad song, but the lyrics reveal a deeper meaning. Capaldi has described the song as depicting the rare moment in a romantic relationship where you can't imagine your life without the other person, despite their flaws and imperfections.

He further explains that the song shows how scary it is to be vulnerable with another person, and the lyrics address the messy, erratic feelings of being in love.

As with every musical artist, Lewis Capaldi has his own unique creative process when it comes to songwriting. While most of his lyrics are autobiographical, Capaldi has admitted to "mak[ing] a mountain out of a molehill for the sake of a song." Exaggerating details from his life's stories allows Capaldi to write emotional music that resonates with countless people worldwide.

In terms of the actual process Capaldi follows for putting lyrics onto paper, he believes that writing songs is cathartic: "It's a beautiful thing, but catharsis isn't always comfortable or enjoyable." While writing "Bruises," Capaldi worked with James Earp. Together, they wrote the song and recorded the demo in just four hours. Capaldi, as usual, drew on his personal experiences of heartbreak for the song.

Capaldi doesn't shy away from sharing the messy, tough reality of his experiences. He talks openly about his personal struggles with mental health, including his anxiety and recent Tourette's syndrome diagnosis. Capaldi shares about going to therapy, working through panic attacks, and his experiences dealing with uncontrollable tics while performing.

Capaldi took two years off from the music industry to allow himself time to focus on his mental health and adjust to his new diagnosis. The break came after a tough performance in Glastonbury: "Even though we did Glastonbury, it was really tough. I had to do two years of therapy to work through what happened." Despite his struggles, Capaldi's openness has helped him connect with fans.

Through Lewis Capaldi's tragic discography and vulnerability, listeners are reminded that it's not robots that write our favorite songs, but real people living life alongside the rest of us. They're reminders that we should all choose kindness, because you never know what someone is going through.