GRAMMY winner Mary J. Blige has been cast as Cha-Cha in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of Gerard Way's comic series "Umbrella Academy."

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Way felt he needed a series to tell his story and Blige's Cha-Cha is in for year one as a sadistic "pain specialist" and hit woman who can travel through time to make her kills. The comic's family-like assortment of superheroes overcome both personal and external obstacles with a dysfunctional diversity that has won loyal fans and awards.

Blige also has two Oscar nominations this year thanks to Netflix's feature Mudbound, reflecting two sides of her many talents — Supporting Actress for her role as Florence Jackson and Original Song for "Mighty River." We'll see what unfolds in her future relationship with Netflix as a superhero.

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Blige received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last month. Her most recent album Strength Of A Woman was released in April 2017.

Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

Like many of his peers, Charles Esten has known music is his calling since he was a kid. But at 58, he's just now getting the opportunity to do what his contemporaries are long past: release a debut album.

As fans of the beloved ABC/CMT series "Nashville" or the hit Netflix drama "Outer Banks" know, Esten first established himself in the acting world. But as his "Nashville" role revealed, the actor also had some strong singing chops, too — and it wasn't a coincidence.

Due Jan. 26, Love Ain't Pretty is a testament to both Esten's patience and his passion. Combining his soulful country sound and emotive songwriting, Love Ain't Pretty poignantly captures his years of loving and learning. And with a co-writing credit on all 14 tracks, the album is the purest representation of his artistry possible.

"Being the age I am, and the difference of what this album is to what maybe my first album would've been if I was 28, is the intentionality," he tells GRAMMY.com. "I can chase what's thoroughly me, and the facets of that. And in the end, that, I think, makes better music anyway."

As the title suggests, Love Ain't Pretty mostly focuses on finding the beauty in life. Along with several odes to his wife, Patty ("One Good Move," "Candlelight"), Esten delivers tales of self-reflection ("A Little Right Now") and simply enjoying the moment ("Willing To Try"), all with a grit that's equal parts inspiring and charming.

Perhaps the most fitting sentiment on the album is "Make You Happy" — not because of its lovestruck narrative, but because it captures Esten's goal with Love Ain't Pretty and beyond: "Wanna make you happy/ Wanna make you smile."

"I know that musical superstardom is not an option," he acknowledges. "I don't even seek it. So, what do I seek instead of perfection? Connection."

Below, Esten recounts his fateful journey to Love Ain't Pretty — from his first taste of stardom to finally fulfilling his lifelong dream.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

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All the way back in third grade, our elementary school had a contest to write the school song. They said, "Find a Disney song and use the melody and then put new words to it." I did it to "It's a Small World." I probably wrote little doodles on my own [before that], but that was the first one with any bit of fame. 

I went back, like 10 years later, and they were singing that. They actually made it as part of all the assemblies and everything. That feeling, to hear people singing words that you thought of, I'm sure that was the beginning of this path.

Eventually, when I went to college, I was in a band. But, even before I was in a band, my grandmother passed in my sophomore year of college. And, I didn't get back in time to see her. She had helped raise me when I was little, after my parents' divorce, so it hit me hard. I somehow was able to put what she meant to me in a song, and that made a big impact in a lot of ways. Whereas that third grade little ditty made everybody laugh and smile and everything, this made my mother and my aunts and uncles [cry] in a warm, loving way. I could see it affecting them. 

I could [also] feel it help me process what I was going through. That was another bit of an aha moment, like, "Oh wow, writing a song can do that also."

Right after that, I started a band. That experience of hearing a band bring your song alive — it was so much more full, this experience, and hearing somebody else add a thing you hadn't thought of, that was another true revelation, the power of that. So I got hooked rather quickly. 

Honestly, I probably would've stayed in that world if my band had stayed in that world. They all made the decision to graduate and go be doctors and lawyers and stuff, as the song says. When that finished up, I didn't know what I was going to do next. But, having experienced that made it clear to me that I was not cut out for a desk job — even though I had an economics degree. 

I had some friends that had gone to L.A. and started becoming actors. I thought, "Maybe I'll give that a try." But the long and the short of it is, if you had asked me, "Will you continue in music?" I'd be like, "Absolutely. I'm going to go out there and I'm going to meet another bass player and a drummer and another band will come."

It didn't happen. I went to London and played Buddy Holly for two and a half years in the musical "Buddy." When I went back to L.A. after that, then the family started to come, and so the band just never happened. But I had a piano, had guitars — I never stopped writing or playing.

At one point, I had the thought, "Well, I might have missed the boat in terms of ever getting to be a performer myself, but I can write songs." And by this point, I was really listening to a whole lot of country, '90s country, 2000s and all.

So, I decided I was going to start writing in a more formalized way, in a more intentional way, instead of just whenever a song came to me. And, as soon as I sort of said that, things started happening.

I met my friend Jane Bach, who is a great Nashville songwriter. She was going back and forth between LA and Nashville at the time. She invited me to sing at the Bluebird [Cafe in Nashville], which I knew very well, and I said yes. And twice, I had to cancel because I got other work. And at a certain point, I literally said to my wife, "When am I going to get to go to Nashville? That'll never happen."

[That] maybe was two or three years before "Nashville." And then I get this script that says, "Nashville." Next thing I know, I'm here and I'm literally doing my first scene in the Bluebird.

I understand, very cleanly, that ["Nashville"] opened all these side doors that most people don't have access to. But, I also know that there's a chance they could have all been opened and I could not have been ready. 

When it finally [happened], for a lot of people, just looking at an actor who's playing a singer/songwriter, I get the feeling that it was a pleasant surprise — I like to think that there was a little more there than they expected. It was actually more authentically who I was than the actor.

I never really quite verbalized this, but the feeling [of landing "Nashville"] was one of — it'll make me emotional — completion. I felt like the show was an answer to so many unsolved things in my life. And that's, I think, why we haven't left. And it's also why the album meant so much to me.

It meant so much to me that I didn't just get here and do an album. I got here at 46. To be that old and not really know who you are as an artist — I never had to define myself. So, I didn't chase that immediately. I just wanted to make music in Music City and make as much as I could. 

I always felt behind, because all my contemporaries that had been here, very many of them were already incredibly famous and already had done so much. But you can't [focus on] the road not taken. 

I have to admit, there's some part of me that would be like, "What if you were putting out your first album at 28?" That's nothing I sort of worry about. I know that it wouldn't have been this. I wouldn't change anything. I have this wife and this family and this career that brought me here. It feels like this was the way it was meant to happen, as strange as it all is.

I felt more prepared than people might expect. And I had something that most people didn't have, which was, Deacon walked in places before I did. Deacon sang at the Bluebird before Charles did. Deacon was at the Grand Ole Opry before I was.

That began what I would call my 10,000 hours in this town. Between the number of hours I've been able to be on stage at these incredible venues, and play music with these incredible people, and all the singles I was able to put out over the last 10 years, I now feel like that, in some ways, I have as much of a catalog as people that have been here for those 30 years. But, it's still my first album, which I've held onto for something special, and I'm so grateful for the way it turned out. I couldn't be happier.

I knew that I wasn't emptying the whole toolbox to play Deacon. But, having said that, I'm so moved by how much playing that guy influenced my music and my songwriting. A song like "A Little Right Now," it roars at the top and rages a little bit, but in general, that is a Deacon song through and through. "I'm a farmer praying for rain/ I'm a gambler that needs an ace of spades/ I'm a sailor hoping for a gust of wind/ I'm a singer looking for that song/ I'm a prisoner that ain't got long/ I'm a dreamer waiting for my ship to come in/ But lately all my roads have been running out/ There ain't no silver linings in these clouds/ Help me, Lord, and show me how to find the kind of faith that I once found/ 'Cause I could sure use a little right now." When you watch the show, you'll go, "That's the Deacon-est thing I've ever heard."

There's other songs on this album as well. "Maybe I'm Alright" — Deacon's journey was from utterly broken to "maybe I'm alright." As I look at it, he informs this album.

I'm a procrastinator. That's why I released so many singles in 2016, that world record. [Editor's note: Esten released 54 original songs once a week for 54 straight weeks, earning a Guinness World Records title in 2018 for the "Most consecutive weeks to release an original digital single by a music act."] 

That was a mind hack — a life hack — to arbitrarily create deadlines. And, my God, did that work, because I just started putting it out. [After that,] I started thinking about an album, and I even made an early attempt at it, and then COVID hit. 

They felt like songs from a thousand years ago [after the lockdown]. I pretty much scrapped it and didn't use any of them, and said, "I've just got to do this again in a different way. It's a different me. It's a different world."

My wife is not a procrastinator. And I'll show her, sometimes there's an upside of procrastinating. It's like using a crockpot when there's a microwave right there — it stews in all the ingredients. 

Deacon's a major ingredient, but if you just put that major ingredient on it and cook it real quick, it's too pronounced. Stew it in there with all the other ones until it's a new flavor, a new thing in its entirety. And that's what happened.

It's also interesting that, being the age I am, and the difference of what this album was to what, maybe, my first album would've been if I was 28, is the intentionality in terms of radio success or chart success — or chasing something that might not be thoroughly you, but might be a little more popular than thoroughly you. There's no reason for it at my age, so I can chase what's thoroughly me, and the facets of that. And in the end, that, I think, makes better music anyway.

There's a video I put out for "Somewhere in the Sunshine." Already, the impact of that song is sort of blowing my mind. The video is full of quotes from people that commented on YouTube about who they lost, and how it's giving them a little moment of peace, and how it's blessing them. That's my radio play. That's my GRAMMY.

I try to always realize how blessed I am to be able to do this. It's so much more precious later in life. I think people sometimes meet me and I have an enthusiasm for it that is younger than my years. And, maybe [that's] just because I've been waiting at a distance so long and it finally came true. I might get jaded someday, but it hasn't happened yet.

There's still an outsider mentality. I also feel like an anomaly. All the great artist friends I have, I'm not like them. They've been on the radio, they've had cuts, they've had hits. And then, all the new ones starting off doing their first album, I'm not in their group either — they have a whole career and future ahead.

On the other hand, I feel warm and welcomed in all of those arenas, and in everyone in this town. It always has been unusual for me here. All the reasons I'm here, all the why's, all the how's — but I guess, in the end, that's how I fit, and that's how I belong.

I was blessed that I was able to take my time. I think, once you let go of the outcome, freedom is available. It's just really hard to let go of that outcome. But, as I said, I'm a different beast. What I am means I better let go of that outcome, because the odds of me getting a No. 1 smash off this, they're not great. But the odds of me moving somebody with this music? I think they're pretty good.

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Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

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He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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Thanks to the prevalence of streaming platforms and social media, it's become easier than ever for a song to be catapulted to the top of the charts. And combining hot pop tracks with must-see TV is a recipe for a viral moment — and a boost in sales for music makers. 

For some artists, licensing music to a popular show is one of the fastest ways to rack up streams and downloads, attract a wider audience, and secure a new stream of revenue. sLuckily for music makers who hope to land a sync deal on a major streamer, the market is thriving. In the first half of 2022, synchronization royalties were valued at $178 million according to the Recording Industry Association of America's mid-year report — a $50 million increase compared to the same period in 2020.  

While sync licensing can offer exposure to new talent, it can also introduce older artists to a new wave of fans — see Harry Nilsson's dozen or so uses in "Russian Doll," which brought the singer renewed attention 25 years after his death — or elevate a song from obscurity, as with Malvina Reynolds, whose 1962 song "Little Boxes" became the theme song for the Emmy-winning Showtime dramedy "Weeds."

As syncs gain ground in the music industry, expect more pop hits from yesteryear to make a viral comeback — and some, like Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill," may break world records in the process. Check out seven pop tracks that experienced a resurgence on TV. Spoilers ahead.

"Running Up That Hill" Unlocked The Key To Survival

From memes of Eleven stealing waffles to epic Halloween displays, the hit Netflix show "Stranger Things" has had its fair share of viral success across social media — including breathing life into classic rock songs from the '80s. When music supervisor Nora Felder was tasked with finding the perfect song for the showdown between Vecna and Max in the season 4 episode "Dear Billy," Kate Bush's alt-rock classic "Running Up That Hill" was high on the list. 

"It immediately struck me with its deep chords of the possible connection to Max’s emotional struggles and took on more significance as Bush’s song marinated in my conscious awareness," Fedler told Variety in 2022. 

The song, which peaked at No. 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1985, was an instant hit among "Stranger Things" fans. Shortly after season 4 hit Netflix, Bush landed the first Top 10 Billboard 100 hit of her career; the song reentered the charts and peaked at No. 4. And on the heels of this milestone, the visionary singer will take her place alongside the greatest artists in music history when she gets inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year. 

"Long Long Time" Underscored A Post-Apocalyptic Love Story

Toward the end of one of the most touching episodes of 2023, HBO's post-apocalyptic drama "The Last of Us" brought fans to tears when "Long Long Time" crackled to life on an old truck radio, punctuating the love story between two beloved characters. Linda Ronstadt's GRAMMY-nominated 1970 ballad of enduring unrequited love received a huge bump on the streaming, racking up a 4,000-percent increase in streams on Spotify alone.

"I knew that song needed to hit certain things about longing and aching and endlessly unrequited love," Craig Mazin, TLOS director and executive producer, told Variety. "I could not find the right song for the life of me. I was trying and trying, and then I texted my friend Seth Rudetsky, who is the host of SiriusXM on Broadway and a savant. I told him, ‘Here’s all the things I need,’ and two seconds later: Linda Ronstadt, 'Long, Long Time.' I was like, there it is. That’s it!"

"Drive" Highlighted Characters' Motivations, On & Off The Road

When selecting a song for "Beef" — a show about a pair of elder millennials on a mission to destroy each other's lives over a road-rage incident — Incubus' breakthrough single "Drive" might not be the first track to come to mind. Even though the characters are introduced to each other while driving, music supervisor Tiffany Anders and "Beef" creator Lee Sung Jin chose the song because it touches on how fear can drive a person's behaviors and actions. 

Anders and the creators used the 1999 track in two different ways. First, Danny (Steven Yeun) offers a compelling performance in front of an audience of adoring parishioners. As the credits roll, Danny's cover transitions into the track by Incubus. Thanks to the sync, "Drive" received a 15-percent bump in streams while quadrupling its weekly digital downloads shortly after the series launched on Netflix. After a clip of Yeun's performance went viral, Incubus lead singer Brandon Boyd uploaded his playful reaction to the cover on TikTok.  

"Cornflake Girl" Drew Lyrical Connections In A '90s Teen Drama

From props and dialogue to a stacked musical lineup, the Showtime drama "Yellowjackets" is a love letter to the 1990s. The gripping, suspense series follows the aftermath of a plane crash that leaves an all-girl high school soccer team stranded in the middle of nowhere with a narrative that unfolds in 1996 and the present day. To reinforce the nostalgia, the series brought in a slew of actors from hit '90s movies to play present-day versions of the distressed high schoolers: Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci and Lauren Ambrose. 

The sounds of the '90s are also given new life in the series. Among them, Tori Amos' 1994 single "Cornflake Girl" was deployed during a pivotal scene in the season 2 opener. (The song also closes out an episode of the A24 revenge comedy "Beef.") "The lyrics in connection with the ending of the first episode felt like a befitting underlying message," music supervisor Nora Felder, who also revived Bush's "Running Up That Hill," told Variety.  

"I’ve always felt that the meanings behind Tori Amos’ lyrics tend to be multi-layered, which adds to their fascination. When I first heard 'Cornflake Girl,' my take on its core meaning was that it deals primarily with betrayals between women," Felder continued. "'Cornflake Girl' adds to the anticipation of things to come with these rich multilayered and downright compelling female characters, our Yellowjackets."

"I Was Made For Lovin' You" Brought Disco To The Battlefield 

Released in 1979, KISS' platinum-selling hit marked a new era for the group and was initially met with criticism for featuring elements of disco, instead of the band's usual hard rock. Decades later, "The Umbrella Academy" ushered the track back into the pop-culture conversation — for an epic fight scene between a group of assassins known as the Swedes and series' heroes Lila, Diego and Five. 

More than four decades after its release, "I Was Made for Lovin' You" received over 4 million U.S. streams in August 2020, a month after the Emmy-nominated series' launch.

Based on the graphic novels created by My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way, the Netflix superhero series is known for repurposing pop anthems for fight scenes. Included in the soundtrack are They Might Be Giants' "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" in the pilot and Frank Sinatra's "My Way" in the season 2 opener.

"Master Of Puppets" Summoned The Underworld In The Most Metal Way Possible

Season 4 of "Stranger Things" had another knock-out musical moment, courtesy of GRAMMY-winning heavy metal rockers Metallica. In the season finale, edgy fan-favorite Eddie Munson attempts to draw Vecna's underlings' attention in the Upside Down by playing the title track of the band's 1986 album as loudly as possible.   

"It was another one of those ‘it has to be this song,’ moments," Felder told Variety. "This part of the story was anticipated to be a pivotal and especially hair-raising scene in which Eddie heroically stood tall for the fight of his life. I believe the Duffer Brothers felt that playing ‘Master of Puppets’ throughout the extended scene was the clear choice. No other song was discussed further, and we jumped in to clear it straight away."

Metallica embraced the song's resurgence and expressed gratitude for the wave of love being shared across social media for the influential thrash metal banger. "It’s an incredible honor to be such a big part of Eddie’s journey and to once again be keeping company with all of the other amazing artists featured in the show," the band said in a statement about the track which received a 400 percent bump in streams after the series launch. 

"Goo Goo Muck" Made Wednesday Addams Go Viral

This supernatural horror comedy follows the clever and morose Wednesday Addams as she tries to find the culprit behind a local murder spree while navigating the never-ending drama at Nevermore High. As with all great series about high schoolers, there's always peak drama at the school dance. Wednesday's spin on the trope took social media by storm thanks to a dance sequence set to the Cramps' 1981 psychobilly cover of "Goo Goo Muck." 

Across TikTok and YouTube, fans donned their best Wednesday getup to recreate her dance routine, giving the novelty song about a monster that lurks at night a major bump in streams and a new lease on life. According to Billboard, two weeks after the show hit the streaming platform, listeners in the U.S. streamed "Goo Goo Muck" more than 2 million times.  

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From playing sets in pubs to selling out arenas, Lewis Capaldi’s career has grown on a massive scale in recent years — and the journey was all caught on camera.

Capaldi’s life forever changed thanks to his pained ballad "Someone You Loved," which was nominated Song Of The Year at the 2020 GRAMMYs and hit No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart in 2019. Four years after his breakout stardom, the singer is now poised to release his second album ​​Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent on May 19.

Before the album arrives, Capaldi gave an inside look into the process with a new Netflix documentary, Lewis Capaldi: How I'm Feeling. The intimate film takes viewers everywhere from the Scottish star’s childhood home to his late nights in the studio, with an emphasis on mental health struggles as his fame skyrocketed.

Balancing Capaldi's vulnerability with his wryness, the documentary has a lot to say about the acclaimed musician. As it hits Netflix on April 5, take a look at five takeaways from Lewis Capaldi: How I'm Feeling.

Lewis Is Proud Of His Scottish Heritage — And Outlook On Life

Early on in the documentary, Capaldi acknowledges his family and Scottish heritage during a drive through Whitburn, his hometown. He's come to love where he's from, though touring makes it impossible for him to stay at home for long.

"I do love the fact that I am a Scottish person, and I like the patter that people have," he said. "I do like the mindset of realists everyone just stays on that level of like, 'Let's give this a go and we'll probably f— it up, but we'll have a good time.'"

This lighthearted mentality is clear throughout the documentary, which highlights Capaldi's natural comedic talent. Even when Capaldi is struggling with imposter syndrome or anxiety, he manages to find hope in his art and loved ones. Director Jon Pearlman excellently captures Capaldi's personality and self-deprecating demeanor — and of course, all with his thick Scottish accent.

His Parents Give Him Tough Love

"It's s—," Capaldi's father, Mark, said, agreeing with the singer’s mother, Carol, after Capaldi asked for song feedback. "You asked me my opinion, so I'll give it to you."

The documentary often frames Capaldi's parents to be big on tough love, unflinchingly sharing their sarcasm or cutting honesty. But their care and pride for their son are heartwarming above all else. Mark drove Capaldi to gigs around town when Capaldi first picked up his guitar, and Carol frequently expresses worry about her son's rising fame: "I don’t want him to change. I don’t want us to change. It wouldn’t be worth it."

How I'm Feeling shows Capaldi returning home due to the pandemic, capturing his family dynamic on screen (along with clips of the star completing his everyday chores from feeding the dog to folding laundry). The documentary flips through Capaldi's family photo albums, portraying his early interests in music as well as sharing exclusive commentary on how the singer's parents helped him follow his passion.

His Single 'Bruises' Was A Career Turning Point Before 'Someone You Loved' Existed

"If only I could hold you, you'd keep my head from going under," Capaldi belts across a montage of old concert videos. Shown early on in the documentary, the tender lyric appears to foreshadow his future emotional struggles — but the song is also the impetus for his stardom.

His crushing 2017 single "Bruises," which Capaldi released independently, was boosted through Spotify's addition of the song to its popular New Music Friday playlist — which quickly helped him get signed to a branch of Universal Music Group in the same year.

"You see the smile on his face when the crowd sang back," his father said in the documentary. "We knew that's what he was going to do for the rest of his life."

The documentary portrays Capaldi's quick escalation to fame, but it also provides a look into more intimate songwriting sessions the musician has with fellow collaborators such as Dan Nigro, Amy Allen, Nick Atkinson, and Edd Holloway. From voice memos to iPad demos, it's evident Capaldi belongs in the studio and on stage.

He's Open About His Mental Health And Tourette's

How I’m Feeling zeroes in on the impact fame has had on Capaldi’s mental health, and details his anxiety pricking up after the global success of "Someone You Loved" — especially as he felt the pressure to craft another No. 1 hit.

Amid echoey vocals, shadowy crowds, and whining microphone feedback, the documentary captures the dizzying anxiety Capaldi felt — and sometimes still feels — when confronting his career. The singer opens up about his Tourette syndrome diagnosis, debilitating panic attacks, and fear of death.

"Is it worth it? Making you feel like this?" asks his concerned mother at one point in the documentary.

Yet, as How I’m Feeling shows, Capaldi has found ways to prioritize his well-being and still continue his musical career. He regularly attends therapy, takes his vitamins, and knows when to take time off; the documentary portrays how this re-energized approach to life allowed him to pour his full passion into Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent.

He Still Doesn't Understand How He’s Famous

"People started getting their phones out. Why are they all so interested in what we're doing?" Capaldi queried in a vertical video, recalling a casual night out on the town. "And then I remember: it's 'cause I'm f—ing famous."

Although he said the line with his signature wit, How I'm Feeling demonstrates how genuinely easy it is for Capaldi to forget about his celebrity status. On a more personal level, he still struggles to understand why people like him — even with billions of streams and millions of followers.

"I just don't get it, I don't get why people would turn up and see [me perform], but I'm eternally grateful," he said, laughing, "I love you, but I will never understand you."

In one part of the documentary, Capaldi recalls grabbing beers with Ed Sheeran and chatting about impostor syndrome. A little while later, the singer received an email from Sheeran’s close friend Elton John, who wrote a kind note of encouragement to remind Capaldi: “You write beautiful songs that resonate with millions.”

Even so, Capaldi modestly disregards the power of his "silly little songs," and How I’m Feeling hints that he may always be in that mindset, even if Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent proves to be another massive success. Whether he understands the fame or not, Capaldi’s story is a reminder that achieving your dreams may not always be easy — but if you stay true to yourself, you’ll find a way to keep your head above water.

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