Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now is a brand-new docufilm following the Scottish singer’s instant fame and the pressures that came along with it. Directed by Joe Pearlman, the film dives deep inside the artist’s world that the audience rarely gets to witness. The documentary has a runtime of approximately 90 minutes.
The synopsis of the docufilm reads as:
This intimate, all-access documentary chronicles Lewis Capaldi’s journey from ambitious teen with a viral performance to Grammy-nominated pop star.
– Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –
Following the success of his breakthrough single, Someone You Loved, Lewis Capaldi’s popularity skyrocketed through the roof. The 26-year-old artist from Glasglow became a worldwide sensation after the commercial boom of his melancholic song from his second extended play, Breach (2018), and was later included on his debut album, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent (2019). The song was written by Capaldi alongside Samuel Romans. He became the second Scottish artist in history to top the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
And with the success came the pressure to live up to the expectations. After his debut album became the biggest seller in the UK, he was determined to create another set of tunes worth remembering. In the midst of the heavy talk, glimpses of young Capaldi appear to showcase a calmer and innocent version of the artist. He endured some grave traumatic events during his childhood which left a huge impact on him. Those instances reflect in the music he composes and the lyrics he jots down.
On the outside, he shows off his charming and goofy self most of the time. His social media is his sweet escape as he posts hilarious pictures and funny captions that keep the audience entertained. The happy-go-lucky persona, however, has made things worse for him as people tend to ignore the part of him that he fails to display. His family included sometimes looks past his troubles and the sufferings that he goes through alone.
Slowly the anxiety and poor mental health of the artist tend to get to him. It starts to show up in different ways, especially physically. Tics and twitching of his body parts begin, which does not only affect his daily life but also his professional. During his tour, he had to stop the performance as the tics were worsening and interfering. His family decided that he should take a break and keep the new album on hold for the sake of his mental health.
However, after four months, the artist returned and looked much healthier than before. During the break, he discovered that he has Tourette syndrome, which is the cause for his sudden twitches. Even though he had symptoms from a very young age, the condition was mainly triggered due to anxiety and pressure to create another successful song and not let his family, friends and fans down.
Capaldi started his treatment and actively went to therapy. Additionally, he also started to follow a schedule which did not demand much of his time. Slowly his condition has become better than before, and has more control over the trigger points. Recently, he has released a few songs which became smash hits in the UK and internationally.
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Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now Review: Final Thoughts
The docufilm looks deeper into the pressure that artists feel after becoming a viral sensation overnight. They often feel more insecure and carry the burden of living up to the expectations of their loved ones and supporters. Most of them forget to rest and seek help when they need it the most. Mental health is put on the back burner, and they are made to work relentlessly.
Lewis Capaldi is a brave and unique individual apart from being insanely talented at what he does. Through music, he expresses his innermost feelings which also resonates with the audience. The documentary is definitely a must-watch as it not only gives us a closer look at Capaldi’s professional life but also at his mental health struggles.
Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now is now streaming on Netflix. Did you watch the docufilm? Let us know in the comments below!
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