LEWIS CAPALDI RETURNS WITH INSPIRATIONAL NEW SINGLE 'SURVIVE' |

SINGLE REVIEW | LEWIS CAPALDI – SURVIVE by Jenna Laband

Scottish singing sensation, Lewis Capaldi, has returned with his powerful new single ‘Survive’ after a nearly 2 year long break from the industry after his emotional Glastonbury performance, in June 2023.

Aptly named ‘Survive’, Capaldi’s new single pays homage to his struggles as a singer songwriter over the past 7 years of his mainstream music career, and in life as a whole. An impactful return to the industry, the new single’s lyrics seemingly make art from the artist’s struggles, a poetic ‘rise from the ashes’ style single which has already touched the hearts of many, being streamed on Spotify over six million times in less than a week.

Lewis Capaldi’s rise to fame came after the release of his chart topping single ‘Someone You Loved’, becoming the UK’s best selling single of 2019 and topping charts internationally. Quickly being loved by the world for his carefree presentation and attitude, Capaldi’s rebellion from the societal stereotypes surrounding musical fame has certainly made him one of the most likeable and relatable stars in the industry. Taking the stage without all the glitz, glamour and styling, Capaldi’s presentation reflects his shock rise to fame and his humble beginnings representing all of the facets of a true human being, a stark contrast to what the media shows us every day. It is this relatability which allows people to connect even deeper to his music, relating to the words, but also to him as a person, trying to navigate life just like the rest of us.

Throughout the singer’s wildly impressive career, Lewis has opened up to fans about his struggles both in and outside the industry. Being incredibly transparent with the realities of his career and the pressure it brings, resulting in the release of his documentary Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now following the cancellation of various shows due to his mental health. It is Capaldi’s unfiltered pop-star lifestyle which has really helped fans recognise his struggles, channeling them into musical art for us all to enjoy, ‘Survive’ is certainly no exception to this. The main lyric “I swear to God I’ll survive” epitomizes Capaldi’s struggle, experiences, but most of all, his ability to persevere and rise again. The following line “I’m gonna get up and try/ if it’s the last thing I do”, continuing the triumphant tone whilst recognising his struggle, the perfect way to begin his re-entrance to the public eye.

The already chart topping hit has certainly marked a new era for Capaldi, taking a huge step back into the world of music with a performance at Glastonbury, 2 years after the emotional day where fans carried him through his final song ‘Someone You Loved’ after losing his voice. Aside from few smaller scale feature performances, this performance at Glastonbury 2025 is the first time the artist has stepped on stage to perform since the festival two years prior, with Lewis himself saying “I just wanted to come and finish what I couldn’t last time”, performing the same setlist as he previously set out to, but with the addition of the debut performance of ‘Survive’.

‘Survive’ has certainly acted as the gateway to an impactful return for the artist, being welcomed back by the cheers of fans, even with Google adding, under a search for ‘Lewis Capaldi’: “Welcome back Lewis – Someone we love”. Only a few days after the release of the Single, Capaldi has also announced his UK and Ireland tour for this September, a set of shows which we can expect to be underscored with the new era that ‘Survive’ has brought to us – with presale opening at 9am on Tuesday 8th of July. As part of the song’s release, Capaldi also has collaborated with TikTok for a pop up in Covent Garden, London. The pop up booth comprises a space which encourages people to “take a moment out of your day and enter the room to reflect”, with a guided mindfulness session voiced by Lewis himself. It is details such as these which add that extra layer of authenticity to his work, involving fans in this new era by creating meaningful points of engagement which encourage an awareness of mental health and encouragement of self love.

Through the release of ‘Survive’, Capaldi has certainly brought a new, positive mindset back to music, an empowering track which discusses the highs whilst recognising the lows. Our beloved Scottish singer is well and truly back, and ‘still got something to give’.