Lewis Capaldi has opened up about his friendship with Sam Fender and Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten.
- READ MORE: Lewis Capaldi – ‘Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent’ review: overwrought and frustrating
The Scottish singer-songwriter returned in November last year with an EP, ‘Survive’, marking his first new music since his 2023 album ‘Broken By Desire to Be Heavenly Sent‘.
Now, he’s opened up about how his relationship with Fender and Chatten helped inspire him when getting back in the studio.
In a new interview with Billboard, Capaldi said that the trio – who all live near each other in north London – send each other new music recommendations, which have included NME 100 artist Bleech 9:3, as well as Aaron Rowe and Jacob Alon.
He also explained how attending the 2025 Mercury Prize Ceremony, where both Fender and Chatten were nominated (with Fender ultimately winning for ‘People Watching’), motivated him to take more creative risks.
@spamfender This clip has me creasing 💀 #samfender #fontainesdc #lewiscapaldi
♬ Hello – Adele
“[Fender and Chatten] talk about music as art – and I know this sounds fucking mental coming from someone who is also a musician – but they really fucking care about everything they’re putting out,” Capaldi told the publication.
“It is so inspiring. What they have instilled in me is to really take time [in the studio], and start properly giving a fuck about what I’m saying and what the songs sound like.”
The group also jokingly refer to themselves as “The Syndicate”, and last summer were spotted hanging out together in Mayo, Ireland, and even went on a 90-minute cruise together along the Galway-Mayo border.
In other news, Capaldi is topping the bill at BST Hyde Park and Roundhay Festival 2026 on Saturday July 11 and Sunday July 12. The massive outdoor gigs will form part of his UK and Ireland headline tour this summer, and you can find any remaining tickets here.
Last month, the Scottish singer-songwriter played a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden, and ahead of the gig, surprised fans with a pop-up concert outside a florist in New York’s Penn Station. It was there that he debuted new track ‘Stay Love’, and the gig drew such a big crowd that it was almost shut down by police.
In other news, Capaldi was recently revealed to feature on the “mystery vinyl” with pitched-down vocals, with the official release set to arrive in record stores on Record Store Day.
His 2025 EP followed his surprise set on the Pyramid Stage at last year’s Glastonbury, which was a particularly poignant slot as his break from performing live started after he was forced to cut his set on the same stage in 2023 short due to struggling with tics caused by Tourette’s.
Since making his comeback, Lewis Capaldi has made a surprise appearance at a charity event alongside Matty Healy, made a cameo in Taylor Swift’s ‘Opalite’ music video, and hinted at new music on the way.
