Lewis Capaldi has disclosed how Sir Elton John and Ed Sheeran gathered around him as he battled imposter syndrome in what may be the most touching celebrity crossover.
In the new Netflix documentary, How I’m Feeling Now, the Someone You Loved singer, 26, addresses how he confronts and defeats some of his mental health struggles, such as anxiety and imposter syndrome.
Lewis openly explains his tics that led to a Tourette’s diagnosis at times, while viewers get an inside glimpse at his house, family, and personal life at other times.
Lewis remembers an impassioned letter he received while battling impostor syndrome while attending ‘big star bashes’ like the Brit Awards at one point in the documentary.
He says: ‘I won some awards at the last one, which was nice, I performed at the last one, and this time I’m just there. Quite literally.
‘Which is quite sad.’
‘I wonder what Elton John’s going to sing today,’ he ponders, ahead of the now-iconic It’s A Sin performance with Years & Years.
Lewis continues: ‘He sent me quite a lovely email, have I told you about this email?
‘I had a few beers with Ed Sheeran, and I was telling him about my imposter syndrome situation.
‘Elton sent me an email saying, “Dear Lewis, I was talking to Ed yesterday and we talked about you.
‘”He said you were feeling a bit like an imposter. B*****KS!
‘”You are totally your own man, your album is still riding high all over the world, and it’s also your FIRST ALBUM.
‘”You write beautiful songs that resonate with millions of people.
‘”You are also great live and a wonderful singer, you are also very funny and original, I mean this sincerely.
‘”Stop it now please or I will come up to Suffolk and bring out the latent homo in you. Buckets of love, Elton.”‘
After reading it, Lewis says: ‘It’s nice to hear and stuff, but I obviously still feel a bit like an imposter.
‘I don’t think it’s ever going to go away, the whole thing of, “Why am I here?” I’ll go there today and be like, “What the f**k am I doing here?” For sure.’
He adds: ‘Imposter syndrome, I think you can have that at any level. That bleeds into every single decision you make and everything you do.
‘For me, it’s always just seemed quite alien, people that turn up and see me live and see me play, I love the fact that people do get to give a f**k and listen to my music.
‘I just don’t get it, I don’t know why people would turn up and see it, but I’m eternally grateful, I f**king can’t thank people enough, but I just don’t…
‘I love you but I will never understand you, that’s what I’m trying to say to you all at home, yeah, I just don’t get it.’
Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now airs on Netflix on April 5.