LEWIS IS A RISING STAR
Local musician gets 60m YouTube hits
West Lothian singersongwriter Lewis Capaldi has been named one to watch in 2018 - but he revealed he once got the knock-back from Britain’s Got Talent.
The 21- year old from Bathgate, who has had more than 60million YouTube plays and made the BBC’s prestigious Sound of 2018, sells out shows wherever he plays and counts Rag ‘n’ Bone man among his biggest fans.
He is also one of the Vevo music video channel’s “Ones to Watch” and won the Best Breakthrough Award at the Scottish Music Awards.
But unknown to his army of fans, Capaldi’s initial bid for fame fell flat when he tried to get in front of BGT judges including Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and David Walliams.
The singer admitted: “When I was 13 I went on Britain’s Got Talent. I auditioned.
“I sang a cover of a song called ‘White Blank Page’ by Mumford and Sons.
“It was in the round where they did the filming with the producers. Looking back, thankfully I never got on to the TV stage or the chance to be in front of the likes of Simon Cowell but I did audition for that show.
“I didn’t get in, I got a resounding, ‘No’, – but here we are now so I’m pleased.”
Capaldi began performing live when he was just 12 years old.
He said: “I used to go into pubs and hide until it was time to play the set because I was underage.
“I’d duck into the bathroom at the back of the pub hoping that nobody would huckle me.
“Usually, by the time I got the point of starting my first song I knew I was good to go.
“One time I went to play a gig at Box in Glasgow when I was 16 and it didn’t work out so well. My mother blew my cover and I got thrown out before I was due to play.”
Capaldi now insists he’ll keep his feet firmly on the ground despite his growing army of fans.
“If you take yourself too seriously, something like a bad review could put you off your stride. My mum and dad have made Twitter accounts and they will send me links if there is a bad review and tell me they’ll find out where the reviewer lives.
“I don’t know about being a pop star eventually.
“I’m just a wee chubby boy that happens to sing songs.”
Meanwhile, Capaldi and Kilsythborn singer Tom Walker lost out to a Norwegian pop singer Sigrid in the BBC Sound of 2018 poll.
One time I went to play a gig at Box in Glasgow when I was 16. My mother blew my cover and I got thrown out before I was due to play. Lewis Capaldi