Capaldi helped me sort trauma
RACH: LEW HAS AN ESSENCE OF CLASS
RISING rocker Rachel Chinouriri says Lewis Capaldi inspired her to put trauma behind her.
The Londoner’s powerful debut album What A Devastating Turn Of Events sees Rachel discuss her anxieties to moving effect.
Lewis is among Rachel’s fans, inviting her to support him on his planned arena tour before it was cancelled due to his health problems.
Rachel told me: “Even with everything he was going through, Lewis was so empathetic.
“Even when he was so sick, his professionalism was inspiring to see.
“As funny as Lewis is, he has an essence of class.
“He was really on it, while also trying to make everyone laugh on the job.”
Now Rachel reckons she’ll be able to write happy songs having poured her sadness into her debut album.
She told me: “I’ve done so much trauma dumping on this album, it’ll be interesting to see how my next one goes.
“My trauma is something that could have killed me. But it’s turned into something creative, that other people can get something from.
“I’m now in a very healthy relationship and I’m excited to have a phase where my songwriting can just be fun.” Rachel’s own headline show at London club Koko was the moment her parents realised she’s a success.
She laughed: “Because I’m not Beyoncé or Rihanna, my mum doesn’t get the in-between levels of being a singer.
“When mum came to Koko, she said, ‘Wow, this is a big deal!’ “That was the moment when I knew my parents weren’t ever going to ask me when I’m going to university again. They’re very proud.” Rachel believes her songs such as Dumb Bitch Juice have helped her overcome her past dating disasters. She said: “When I read back to myself how someone had treated me, I thought, ‘What an idiotic thing to do.’ “Then I realised, ‘Hang on, that’s me.’ I know girls who are so hardcore that no one can play with them at all in relationships. It’s because they have high self-esteem. “I know I need to love myself for someone else to love me – and for me to love someone else properly.”