Lewis Capaldi has said Tourette’s syndrome may force him to quit performing.
“I hate hyperbole but it is a very real possibility that I will have to pack music in,” the 26-year-old singer told The Times.
“It’s only making music that does this to me, otherwise I can be fine for months at a time, so it’s a weird situation,” he explained. “Right now, the trade-off is worth it, but if it gets to a point where I’m doing irreparable damage to myself, I’ll quit.”
Capaldi revealed last September that he is living with the neurological disorder that causes tics – involuntary twitches, movements, or sounds. “Some days it’s more painful than others … sometimes it’s quite uncomfortable but it's not that big a deal,” he said at the time. “It looks a lot worse than it looks.”
MORE:
Lewis Capaldi Reveals He's Living With Tourette's
Lewis Capaldi Fans Keep Singing As He Experiences Tourette's Tics
In the new interview, Capaldi said he is trying to “get on top” of the symptoms. “If I can’t, I’m f**ked,” he said. "It’s easier when I play guitar, but I hate playing guitar. I know, I’m a walking contradiction.”
In February, fans at Capaldi’s concert in Frankfurt continued singing his 2018 hit “Someone You Loved” when the tics affected his ability to sing.
Capaldi opens up about Tourette’s in the new streaming doc How I’m Feeling Now, which debuts Wednesday. He shares how the twitching “became out of control and it was awful.”
Capaldi performs April 11 in Laval, April 14 in Toronto and April 25 in Vancouver.