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Artist News
Paolo Nutini buys Lewis Capaldi’s Chewbacca mask, raffles it off for Frightened Rabbit charity
By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 29 July 2019
Paolo Nutini has forked out £10,000 for a Chewbacca mask worn by Lewis Capaldi at the TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow earlier this month. You’re not likely to see him wearing it himself though, as he’s giving it away in a raffle. All of this is in aid of Frightened Rabbit’s Tiny Changes charity.
Capaldi’s mask was a nod to the ongoing insults being hurled in his direction by Noel Gallagher, who has taken a real dislike to pop music’s newest star and recently referred to him as “fucking Chewbacca”. After his TRNSMT performance, Capaldi signed the mask and it was put it up for auction on eBay to raise money for the aforementioned Tiny Changes.
Unfortunately, the winning bidder subsequently withdrew their £7401 offer, leaving the fundraising effort unsuccessful. Until Nutini stepped in.
“I really wanted to find a way to help out the Tiny Changes charity”, says Nutini. “Not only am I a big fan of Frightened Rabbit but I was lucky enough to share the stage with them on various occasions – most memorably for me on Hogmanay in Edinburgh 2017. When I found out what happened regarding the money raised for the [mask], I felt like I could help. The idea is now to give people another chance to take it home and contribute to this very important cause”.
Launched in May this year, marking the first anniversary of Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison’s death by suicide, Tiny Changes aims to improve mental health among children and young people in Scotland.
In a statement, Hutchison’s family said: “Once again we’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone who has gone above and beyond to make this happen. We’d like to thank DF concerts, Paolo Nutini and his team, and of course Lewis Capaldi and his face. We hope you can all be a part of this wonderfully weird little story and get your name in the pot to win this mask. Many tiny changes can start the movement for massive changes”.
As that statement suggests, Nutini isn’t risking having another buyer pull out and, instead of another auction, is instead raffling the mask this time. To be in with a chance of winning it, you just need to text TC to 84902, which will enter you into the competition and take a £1 donation for Tiny Changes. The competition will close at midnight on 5 Aug.
You can also donate to Tiny Changes via the charity’s JustGiving page here.
