Lewis Capaldi has been through a lot since his last appearance in Abu Dhabi in 2021. He has certainly changed, but his voice has not. If anything, it has grown stronger, richer and more controlled.
That much was evident during a poignant and powerful set at Saadiyat Nights on Saturday that ran just over an hour and 15 minutes, mixing crowd-pleasing old favourites with his new, self-reflective material.
Capaldi spent about two years offstage, out of the public eye and working out whether he could keep doing what made him famous in the first place.
So when he walked out on a cool evening in the UAE capital, it felt less like the arrival of a chart star and more like the return of someone who had fought his way back to himself.
Dressed simply in a long-sleeve black top, white trousers and trainers, the Scottish singer, 29, looked relaxed and grounded. There was no spectacle or visual distractions. This was about songs, and about a voice that has always carried more weight than its owner’s self-deprecating humour would suggest.
Capaldi revealed in September 2022 that he had been diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome. He returned to live performance about six months ago after taking a two-year break to focus on his mental health, stepping away at the height of his fame. That decision, difficult as it was, appears to have done him the world of good. He now carries himself with a quiet assurance, comfortable enough to speak plainly about what he went through.
“Mentally things are going well,” he told the crowd midway through the set. “I feel really good and happy.” It was said without drama or self-pity, just as a statement of fact. The audience responded with warmth rather than sympathy, which felt exactly right.
Moments later, seated at the piano, he introduced The Day That I Die, a song he released last year when, as he put it, he was “feeling really low and in a bad spot”. He has described it as the song he is proudest of, and hearing it live made that pride easy to understand.
Stripped back and emotionally direct, the performance was beautifully controlled, deeply moving and utterly sincere. Whatever courage it took to write and release the song, it was matched by the assurance with which he delivered it on stage. This was not a man revisiting old wounds, but one showing how far he had come.
That sense of perspective ran through the night. In between songs that dig deep into heartbreak, anxiety and self-doubt, Capaldi was upbeat, relaxed and genuinely funny. He joked with fans in the front row that they were in the “spray zone”, such is the sheer force of his vocals when he really leans into a chorus.
“If you’re here for rock n’ roll, you’re in the wrong place,” he laughed. “This will be a night of ballads.”
Brilliant ballads, as it turned out.
He opened with Survive, his June comeback single that went to number one in the UK after he performed it at Glastonbury. Known for its punishingly high chorus, it has become something of a talking point among fans.
Capaldi has often joked about how hard it is to sing live. On this evidence, those concerns are firmly in the past. He hit the song’s demanding peaks with elegance and control, a clear sign of renewed confidence.
Newer tracks such as Love The Hell Out Of You and Something In The Heavens sat comfortably alongside familiar material, while Leave Me Slowly drew a hushed, attentive response from a crowd happy to let the songs breathe. Before You Go, one of his most recognisable hits, landed with the emotional punch it always has, voices rising across the open-air venue as the chorus hit home.
The mood shifted noticeably with Forget Me, his 2022 single, which brought a welcome change of pace. The tempo lifted, the lights brightened, and suddenly Saadiyat Nights felt more like a celebration than a confessional. People were on their feet, dancing and singing, and Capaldi clearly enjoyed watching the atmosphere change around him.
Still, the standout moment of the night came with Hold Me While You Wait. Already one of his finest songs, it was delivered with extraordinary restraint and power, his voice cracking just enough to keep it human.
It was the kind of performance that reminds you why Capaldi connected with audiences in the first place. No theatrics. No over-singing. Just a great song, sung by someone who understands exactly what it’s about.
As the set drew to a close, Capaldi thanked the crowd warmly and promised he would be back in Abu Dhabi “very soon”. After everything he has been through, that simple tease felt meaningful. This was not just another stop on a tour schedule. It was proof that Lewis Capaldi is back, on his own terms, sounding better than ever, and very much ready to stay.
The Saadiyat Nights concert series continues, at present, until February 11
