On July 27, 2022, Shawn Mendes posted a message for his fans on Instagram sharing the cancellation of his world tour for the album “Wonder.” Later revealing in a New York Times tell-all that this decision lost him a potential $100 million, Mendes decided to put his mental health above stardom and subsequently disappeared from the public eye for two years.
Driving aimlessly and traveling across the country, Mendes sought refuge from the toxicity of the industry and the turmoil dictating his mental health. Feeling lost and uninspired, the singer did not return to his creative roots until the release of his single “Why, Why, Why” on Aug. 8 of this previous summer.
With this track birthed a new and grown Mendes: he is no longer the boy-next-door pop star from Vine.
The first single on his self-titled album reveals insight into how he’d been spending his time out of the spotlight. Aptly titled, Mendes is still trying to figure out why he returned to music — while also wondering why he left in the first place.
Incorporating clear influence from Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills & Nash and John Denver, the forthcoming album “Shawn,” set to release on Nov. 15, is ripe with folksy blues and harmony. Turning to stronger production and meaningful lyrics, his newest album shies away from the catchy synthetic pop his previous discography demonstrated.
Vulnerable lyrics such as “I thought I was about to be a father / Shook me to the core, I’m still a kid / Sometimes I still cry out for my mother” lead fans to question who he is referencing, specifically whether it is about ex-girlfriend Camila Cabello. However, Mendes has set the record straight about where he stands with Cabello, stating that he is one of her closest friends and would “probably be the first person I call” in an emergency.
Following the album’s first single came “Isn’t That Enough” on the same day and “Nobody Knows” on Sept. 12. Continuing his vulnerability on these tracks, Mendes alludes to his struggles and a potential lost romantic relationship.
Short but sweet, “Isn’t That Enough” continues Mendes’ hopes to return to normalcy in the unknown. He is grateful for his friends staying “patient” and the predictability of his mother’s calls. A supplement to “Why, Why, Why,” this track enforces the singer’s concerns about rejoining the spotlight.
“Nobody Knows” is a candid ballad about a relationship where two people love each other — but it may not be enough. Asking “Where does it go?” when referring to love lost, some think Mendes is referring to his previous relationship with Cabello, which lasted around two years despite the pair meeting in 2015.
The most heartfelt song so far, however, is the latest one to be debuted.
Released on Nov. 1, “Heart of Gold” honors Mendes’ childhood friend who passed away from a drug overdose. Expressing regrets of becoming estranged from his friend, the lyrics admit “In the end, we didn’t talk much / I didn’t know what you were goin’ through.”
Devastatingly honest, this track is dedicated to “anyone out there who has lost someone.” On Oct. 18, Mendes performed this song in Brooklyn and paused to pay tribute to late One Direction singer Liam Payne.
Along with his mental health struggles, Mendes has shared his grapples with his sexuality. At a show in Colorado on Oct. 28, the artist said that he is “just figuring his sexuality out.” He has long been dealing with rumors concerning his sexuality since he started in the industry — something that he believes cannot “be put in a box.”
Clearly, Mendes is turning a new leaf upon his re-introduction into the limelight: one focusing on honesty, vulnerability and passion.
“Shawn” will be fully released on Nov. 15.
