17 Best Singers Like Lewis Capaldi

Shawn Mendes

Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes initially found success on Vine, the yesterday equivalent of TikTok. Mendes, like Capaldi, leans heavily on acoustic-pop fusion. Also, like Capaldi, his songs might just touch your heart to an uncomfortable extent.

Whether on the small screen, big screen, or the stages of the world, Mendes has done quite all right for himself, and at 24, he’s earned dozens of music awards already.

Want to see what Mendes is all about? See “Treat You Better,” “Mercy,” and “In My Blood.”

Passenger

English singer-songwriter Michael David Rosenberg, aka Passenger, also does that soulful, emotional thing you know and love Capaldi for.

Passenger has been around a little longer than some of the youngsters mentioned here. He’s had a surprisingly prolific musical release and touring schedule from 2007 onwards.

Passenger is best known for “Let Her Go,” but if you’re into this sort of thing, then you should look up “Survivors,” “Sword from the Stone,” “Heart’s On Fire,” and “Simple Song” as well.

John Legend

Singer-songwriter John Legend is best known for his largely piano-driven hits like “All of Me,” “Minefields,” and “Tonight,” among others.

Legend focuses heavily on songs that resonate emotionally with listeners, a quality you will find is a commonality with Capaldi. His songs of love and relationships have probably inspired more make-out sessions than you can realistically count.

It’s not hard to hear the DNA of Legend’s music in many of his peers mentioned here (especially Sam Smith)… or maybe it’s the other way around.

Dermot Kennedy

Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy rose to prominence with his 2019 and 2020 hits “Outnumbered,” “Power Over Me,” and “Giants.” To that extent, it’s almost like he’s just getting started, and if all goes well, he’ll have a long musical career ahead of him.

The names Lewis Capaldi and Dermot Kennedy often do get mentioned in the same breath, and you should only need to listen to a few seconds of Kennedy’s tracks to figure out why.

Looking for singers that sound like Lewis Capaldi? You’ve found another.

Louis Tomlinson

English singer-songwriter Louis Tomlinson, like Niall Horan, is formerly of One Direction fame. Stylistically, Tomlinson’s music is not miles away from the other artists referenced here.

But why is it that I found Tomlinson so much more listenable than the others…? Oh yeah, he doesn’t slur the last syllable of every line, at least not in “Bigger Than Me” (although there are some questionable moments in the second verse).

Tomlinson says his early influences include Ed Sheeran, The Fray, and Robbie Williams. You can easily hear it in his music.

Some other Tomlinson highlights include “Back to You,” “Silver Tongues,” and “Miss You.”

One Direction

With the mention of former One Direction members Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, the reference to One Direction was near inescapable, don’t you think?

And sure, One Direction was more about the feel-good, upbeat, “everyone and everything is awesome” pop of “What Makes You Beautiful,” but their vocal style was even goofier than others already mentioned.

But hey, they were a boy band, and if you want to make it in music, you’ve got to appeal to those 14-year-old girls. Seriously, they make the industry go around.

If you’re ready for a trip down memory lane, you might also want to reminisce with “Olivia,” “Kiss You,” and “Story of My Life.”

BENEE

New Zealand singer-songwriter BENEE won multiple New Zealand Music Awards in 2019 and 2020. Her singles, “Glitter” and “Soaked” helped her find her way in the industry, but it was the 2019 single “Supalonely” that would bring her international success.

And before you say no female singer can sound like Lewis Capaldi, oh how wrong you are… BENEE can slur-sing with the best of them (to an unhealthy extent).

Gavin James

Irish singer-songwriter Gavin James perhaps shares more in common with Ed Sheeran than Lewis Capaldi, but they’re all basically cut from the same cloth. James even got his start opening for Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith on their tours in 2015.

James has a smooth, clear voice with a capable falsetto. That still doesn’t mean he enunciates all his lyrics. But he’s certainly got the heartfelt, acoustic-pop thing down to a science.

Top Singers Like Lewis Capaldi, Final Thoughts

And now you should have more than enough Lewis Capaldi-style material to dig into. Who is your favorite? Is there someone else who should have been featured here?

We hope you enjoyed this guide. See you again soon!