Hot Press cover star Lewis Capaldi performs NPR Tiny Desk Concert

This month’s Hot Press cover star, Lewis Capaldi, took his talents to the NPR tiny desk for a four song set of his best new and old music.

The Scottish singer-songwriter, who is set to headline this year’s Electric Picnic Festival, impressed his audience with a stunning vocal performance of tracks from his new album, Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent. Hits from his record-breaking 2019 debut Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent also made the cut.

Accompanied by a large six-piece band that barely managed to squeeze into frame, Capaldi opened the show with Before You Go.

Capaldi joked at the size of the desk,“I thought the desk was gonna be bigger. I thought it would be bigger.” Despite such impressive vocals, he never takes himself too seriously, and finds any chance he can to crack a joke.

He then introduced a new song of his, 'Wish You The Best': “This next song is a new one. Fuck it, here we go.” The emotion-driven track marks Lewis Capaldi’s most recent single, already reaching number 4 in the Irish charts, and number 1 in the U.K. charts.

Capaldi’s iconic sense of humour was well on display “What does NPR stand for? National Public Radio. Ye, NPR sounds better.”

In between songs, the Scottish singer-songwriter’s infectious joy and unserious nature acts somewhat in conflict to the heartbreaking ballads he sings about former lovers and complex romantic feelings.

Introducing his third song, 'Heavenly Kind of State of Mind', a song about how empowering loving someone can be, and how much they can change your life, Capaldi says: “This next song. What can I say about this next song? It’s three minutes long.”

'Heavenly Kind of State of Mind', appears on Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, which is due to be released tomorrow, May 19th. Check out our review of the album here.

He closed the show with a gorgeous rendition of his chart-topping smash 'Someone You Loved', earning more applause from the appreciative audience, before joking, “What happens now?”

The new issue of Hot Press, featuring Lewis Capaldi, is out now.