Lovable Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi has become known for his heart-felt ballads and relatable humor. He’s had incredible success, but what was his very first song?
Lewis Capaldi’s debut track ‘Bruises’ was released on 31 March 2017 and was followed shortly after by the release of his debut EP ‘Bloom’. The song was written about a real-life breakup Capaldi had gone through and was written on his 20th birthday.
Read on to learn more about the origins of Capaldi’s music, his breakthrough single, and his wicked sense of humor.
Early Music and ‘Bruises’
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Lewis Capaldi began making waves with his music at a young age, and would sing in pubs at only 11 years old. His musical education began at the age of two when he began to learn drums and guitar, and he eventually graduated from school with a Diploma in Music.
His efforts to become a musician gained real momentum when he was discovered on SoundCloud by Ryan Walter, who would go on to become his manager. Walter told Music Week that he’d been searching for potential on SoundCloud for a while, and when he found Capaldi he thought “this guy’s voice, it cuts through”.
Capaldi and Walters would begin working on releasing Capaldi’s debut music, and his first track ‘Bruises’ was released on 31 March 2017. The single was an enormous online success and would eventually win him the Best Breakthrough Artist Award at the Scottish Music Awards.
Capaldi told Atwood Magazine, about the success of ‘Bruises’, “that was quite sudden and crazy”.
He wrote ‘Bruises’ on his 20th birthday about a real-life breakup he’d experienced. Capaldi told MTV that “it was the first time that I’d ever written a song that was proper about heartbreak and stuff like that”, adding that the song was unlike anything else he was writing at the time.
Whilst the song was initially released in March 2017, and also appeared on his debut studio album ‘Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent’ in May 2019.
Listen to Lewis Capaldi’s debut track ‘Bruises’ in the YouTube video below.
Success with ‘Someone You Loved’
The Scottish singer was unsure that his success would last, but he was entirely mistaken.
Capaldi released his debut EP ‘Bloom’ in October 2017, before supporting artists like Niall Horan, The Rag‘n’Bone Man and Sam Smith on their commercial tours.
After gaining extensive touring experience supporting other acts, Capaldi announced his late 2018 headline tour across the UK and Europe, whilst continuing to work on his music.
His second EP, ‘Breach’, was released in November of that year, but the best was still to come. The EP’s third single ‘Someone You Loved’ was later included on his debut studio album and brought the singer international acclaim and success.
Capaldi told NME that the song was the result of “bashing my head against a brick wall for hours and hours on end to get one good melody”, but it clearly paid off.
The song would top the UK singles chart for 7 weeks and whilst the song was a massive hit internationally, the Official Charts Company announced in May 2020 that the song had broken the record for the longest-running top 10 UK single by a British artist.
Ever humble about his success, Capaldi told Rolling Stone, “my first gig was me sitting with a guitar, and now you can see me standing with a guitar at an arena. Maybe all that’s showing is I haven’t evolved since I was 11”.
Undisputed King of Selfies
Whilst there’s no doubt of Capaldi’s talents, he’s also adored for his hilarious online presence. His selfies have even caught the attention of Justin Bieber.
He frequently delights fans with comedic selfies and is refreshingly authentic. He told NME, “I make jokes because I’m comfortable with who I am. I say that I’m a chubby bastard because I am a chubby bastard”.
Scroll through his Instagram for some selfie content.