Entertainment

Lewis Capaldi's Irish roots and why Ireland is his favourite place to perform

Lewis Capaldi performing during the Brit Awards 2023 at the O2 Arena, London.
Lewis Capaldi performing during the Brit Awards 2023 at the O2 Arena, London.

Lewis Capaldi, the 23-year-old popstar from Glasgow, Scotland, recently cancelled his shows in Ireland due to his health struggles.

Here’s a look at his Irish roots and why it’s one of his favourite places to perform.

Lewis Capaldi performing on the Pyramid Stage, at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. (Yui Mok)
Lewis Capaldi performing on the Pyramid Stage, at the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. (Yui Mok)

In an interview with Today FM's Ian Dempsey in 2019, Capaldi disclosed that his mother's side of the family originates from Donegal in the north west of Ireland.

Capaldi, who also boasts Italian ancestry on his father's side, shared the story of his great-grandmother's migration from Ireland to Scotland years ago.

The Someone You Loved singer said his father's great-great-grandfather immigrated from Italy and established an ice cream shop.

Lewis Capaldi playing an acoustic rendition of two of his biggest tracks Before You Go and Someone You Loved
Lewis Capaldi playing an acoustic rendition of two of his biggest tracks Before You Go and Someone You Loved

Capaldi also has a great friendship with Irish singer-songwriter Niall Horan.

The pair embarked on a trip through Ireland for a documentary titled Niall Horan's Homecoming: The Road To Mullingar with Lewis Capaldi for Guinness. 

Throughout this trip, Niall and Lewis shared numerous moments of laughter and camaraderie.

They visited the Guinness factory in Dublin, indulging in the rich history and flavors of the iconic Irish stout. Additionally, the duo ventured to Niall's hometown of Mullingar, where they visited a local pub.

Niall and Lewis also treated fans in Grafton Street, Dublin, to a rendition of Lewis' song Before You Go.

The Scottish artist's single Before You Go soared to the top of the charts, marking his status as the artist with the most number-one singles of 2019 in Ireland.

In a social media post in 2022, Capaldi expressed gratitude for the warm reception he received from Irish crowds during one of his earliest performances at Electric Picnic.

Despite having only one song released at the time, he was overwhelmed by the packed tent of 5,000 fans singing along to unreleased tracks.

 "That was my first experience with an Irish crowd and Ireland and for it to be as welcoming as it was, I think Ireland's been one of my favourite places to come and play shows," he said.