I have something to admit. When ‘Somebody You Loved’ started climbing the charts I truly thought Lewis Capaldi and Dean Lewis were the same person.
Before you start saying ‘BUT THEY’RE SO DIFFERENT,’ hear me out. Not only do they share at least one name in common, Dean Lewis’ banger ‘Be Alright’ came out just one year before Lewis Capaldi’s ‘Somebody You Loved,’ and let’s be honest, they’re a similar style of song.
I was quickly enlightened to the fact that Dean Lewis and Lewis Capaldi weren’t the same guy when I incorrectly labelled Capaldi as an Aussie. “Kate – he literally could not be more Scottish if he tried!?” my colleagues said.
I was shocked, I was embarrassed, and so began a 30-minute lesson on who Lewis Capaldi truly is. The first video I was shown was the ‘Friendship Test’ he did with Niall Horan for Glamour. Already a fan of Horan, I was delighted to see that the pair were not only best buds but shared a hilarious bond you just don’t see so candidly amongst a-list celebs these days.
Weeks passed and every now and then I’d see a tweet or gif of Capaldi and think, this guy really is my cup of tea. Then I started watching Love Island UK and I was utterly shaken to learn that one of the contestants, Paige Turley, had dated Capaldi in a past life. She even claimed ‘Somebody You Loved’ was written about her!
As I researched their past relationship, I came across an interview Capaldi did with The Edge in which he addressed his former flame in the most refreshing way.
Capaldi said, “She never told me she was going on it, that would have been a nice heads up, but fair play, good luck to her.” As for his relationship with Turley, the singer said, “I’ve known her for years, we were 18 when we first met, 19 when we first started going out and 20 when finished going out.”
Later, he joked, “The prize is like £50,000 and I’ll be like ‘Well, listen. They asked you to go on it right I’m not saying I’m the reason but also…slide me two grand.”
As if that wasn’t the most unpretentious answer you’ve ever heard, Capaldi found himself at this year’s Grammy Awards and sang a similar tune. In a red carpet interview, the singer was asked “Where do you think you’re headed after such a massive hit?” He replied by singing “it’s all downhill from here” and later likened winning a Grammy to eating a satisfying chicken parm.
The cherry on top of an already enchanting cake was when Capaldi tweeted that he’d been mixed up for seat filler at the awards show. That was it, I was sold.
I don’t know what it is about this Scottish larrikin, but in an era where celebrities look perfect, act perfect and live ‘perfect lives,’ Lewis Capaldi is everything I want and need. He’s honest, he’s cheeky yet self-deprecating and most importantly, he’s 100% himself and that is something we can all get behind.