Lewis Capaldi told students at New College Lanarkshire that he is still terrified playing to huge crowds.
The Someone You Loved singer-songwriter made a surprise return to the Motherwell campus where he once studied.
The 25-year-old, who last week revealed he had been diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome, gained an HND in Music at the college before launching his career as a global sensation.
Lewis spoke to his former lecturers Scott Cowie and Yvonne Tipping before taking a question and answer session with students from all music courses from NQ Rock and Pop, HNC/D Music and the new BA Music Performance, Sound Production and Music Industries courses.
READ MORE: Lewis Capaldi's recreates Wham!'s classic Club Tropicana video as single tops the charts
Lewis spoke in detail of the “very fond memories” he had of his time on the course and assured all learners they were in “safe hands” with all of music staff. Lewis even joked that he would like to come back and undertake the new music degree course.
And he told students that he still finds it intimidating playing in front of the massive audiences who fill stadiums to see him.
He said: “It’s much ******* easier to sing to 50 people than 50,000 people. Bigger gigs are absolutely ****** horrifying. I would be much more at ease playing to seven people than 70,000. I’m not very good with pressure it’s what I’m realising as I age gracefully.”
The audience also heard how then Lewis had listened as I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker singer Sandi Thom had given a similar interview on the Motherwell campus. Prior to Capaldi, Thom was the last Scot to enjoy a No.1 hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
Scott Cowie said: “We’re obviously immensely proud of everything Lewis has achieved in music. Personally though, what I am most proud of is how down to earth he has remained. The fact that it was his idea to want to come back and visit speaks volumes for the kind of person he is.
“I’m sure he gave the students the hope they too can emulate his success on the world stage.”
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