Calum Scott: ‘I can be very destructive with my mental health if I don’t talk about what’s bothering me’-Rachael O'Connor-Entertainment – Metro

Britain’s Got Talent star Calum Scott has spoken on the importance of being open about your mental health (Picture: Redferns)

Calum Scott has opened up on protecting his mental health on the road amid an influx of artists cancelling shows and tours.

The singer-songwriter, who rose to fame on the 2015 series of Britain’s Got Talent, is currently on a hugely demanding world tour which has seen him travel across the United States and Europe.

Calum will also hit over to the other side of the world for shows in Australia, as well as Asia and Africa for the Bridges World Tour, which will finish up with a final show in Johannesburg at the end of November.

At a time when major acts, including Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber, have cancelled their tours to look after their mental health, Metro.co.uk asked how Calum was coping, and whether the music industry does enough to protect their artists.

The Dancing On My Own singer admitted he ‘feels’ for artists who have had to cancel their tours to put their mental health first, explaining it’s ‘a strange industry with lots of pressure and expectation, no real off switch, sometimes not a lot of privacy or rest and everyone deals with it differently.’

Calum, who was on vocal rest when he took part in the interview, had to cancel two shows last year due to losing his voice, and insists: ‘I never cancelled a show before and if I can help it, I am never doing it again.’

The star is in the middle of an extremely long and busy world tour (Picture: Redferns)

The worldwide pandemic, restrictions and lack of freedoms that came with it ‘definitely’ had an impact on artists’ mental health – though, Calum said, it ‘also highlighted that we need to talk more, check in more and not feel embarrassed to speak up about how you feel.’

This is something Calum knows first-hand, as he explained to Metro.co.uk: ‘I can be very destructive with my mental health if I don’t talk about what’s bothering me or on my mind.

‘There have been moments where I’ve had to take some time to reconnect with family and friends and spend time in my hometown to just reset and see things a bit more clearly.’

It comes after Justin Bieber cancelled the remainder of his Justice World Tour to put his mental health first (Picture: WireImage)

Shawn Mendes is also among some top artists who have cancelled their tours to protect their health in recent months (Picture: Getty Images)

‘Obviously on the road, that is usually very difficult, but I try my best to check in on FaceTime where I can.’

He points to exercise, clean eating and sleeping well to keeping him ‘in check’ on the road, as well as the fact ‘I am doing a job I absolutely love. The honour of performing in front of these crowds keeps my spirits very high.’

But is there really enough time to rest properly when you’re on the road? Simply put – ‘No.’

‘It’s part and parcel of the industry,’ Calum said.

Calum shared some tips to keeping your mental health in check on the road but admits it can get hard (Picture: Getty Images)

‘One of the saddest things about touring is that you visit all these incredible places, but you only have a couple of hours to spend in each one before you sound check, get ready, on stage, meet and greets with the label and then back on the tour bus and off to the next country.’

‘There have been some low moments on the road in my personal life,’ he admitted, pointing in particular to missing his sister and nephew’s birthday, but praised his team for ‘rallying around me.’

Missing out on things at home is also ‘balanced with the absolute highs of performing in front of sold-out crowds across the world which is just dream come true territory,’ he added optimistically.

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‘I love what I do and it’s because of every single person who buys a ticket – I feel an immense amount of gratitude which is a high every single night.’

Calum Scott is on tour now.

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