After two years away from the spotlight, global superstar Lewis Capaldi is breaking the silence with his new single “Survive” – a bold, brave anthem that addresses a challenging period in his career that culminated at Glastonbury 2023 when, in an extremely difficult but unifying moment, the Pyramid Stage crowd helped carry an emotional Capaldi over the finish line.
“Most nights I fear that I’m not enough, I’ve had my share of Monday mornings when I can’t get up,” sings Capaldi on the hair-raising, brutally honest track. “Survive” explores the mental health challenges of self-doubt and despair but comes out swinging in a chorus full of defiance – “I swear to God I’ll survive, if it kills me to, I’m gonna get up and try, if it’s the last thing I’ll do.”
Watch the official video, directed by Hector Dockrill (Sam Fender, Post Malone), HERE (live at midnight PT).
For “Survive,” Capaldi reunited with RØMANS, who also co-wrote on “Someone You Loved.” The 2019 global megahit has been certified Diamond (10x Platinum) in the U.S. and stands as the UK’s most streamed song of all time and the fourth highest ever streamed song in the world. Found on Capaldi’s blockbuster debut album Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent, “Someone You Loved” topped the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, received a GRAMMY® nomination for “Song of the Year” and won the BRIT Award for “Song of the Year” alongside his “Best New Artist” trophy.
His new track comes on the heels of a May run of Scottish warm-up shows that saw Capaldi perform as a guest of mental health charity CALM, in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week. With no pressure, and no level of expectation, the shows allowed Capaldi the space to gauge his comfort and emotional response before returning to the limelight.
Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent – which was the biggest selling UK album of 2019 and 2020 – propelled Capaldi from bedroom musician to superstar. With Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, he scored his second UK No. 1 album and three UK No. 1 singles, “Pointless,” “Wish You The Best” and “Forget Me.” The 2023 album earned praise from the likes of Rolling Stone, The Guardian, NME, GQ, Stereogum and TIME, with the later noting that “Capaldi’s talent is tugging at heartstrings – or rather, pulling at them with all his vocal might.” The New York Times observed, “Capaldi has a scorched cannon of a voice, and it’s best deployed on songs about anguish. To date, his career has lurched forward one vocal bloodletting at a time.”
April 2023 brought the release of the raw and compelling, GRAMMY®-nominated music documentary Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now, in partnership with Netflix, BMG, & Pulse Films – available to watch globally on Netflix now. The feature-length documentary shot straight to the top of the Netflix chart, making it the most watched film on the platform since its release.
Today, after weathering a severe emotional storm, Capaldi begins a new era with a renewed sense of purpose. “Survive” proves that even in the darkest moments, there’s still strength in showing up. Capaldi isn’t just surviving, he’s come back even stronger, with his heart wide open.