Shawn Mendes really became a household name after the blowup that was (and still is) “Stitches” from his debut album, “Handwritten.” He went on to open for Taylor Swift on her “1989” tour and got close with Ed Sheeran. Part of his appeal came from the fact that he was young and attractive, following the loss of One Direction. He was also a good writer and performer, with an already-established online fan base.
With every album and tour, he continued to grow as an artist. That was, until October of 2020. “Wonder” is what some people would call a flop, me included. I personally haven’t thought about “Wonder” since it came out four years ago. His label didn’t market it well, and it came out with no excitement from fans and the public. He went on to cancel the “Wonder” tour in 2022 after only a few shows. Since then, the world hasn’t really heard from him until this year.
“Shawn” is his second self-titled album and fifth release. The rollout this time around was actually good for album marketing, with a few singles and live performances at both the VMAs and EMAs. Although he had to push the release date, the excitement was still there from his fan base about this body of work.
When he announced the album on X, he said, “Music really can be medicine. Two years ago, I felt like I had absolutely no idea who I was. A year ago I couldn’t step into a studio without falling into complete panic. So to be here right now with 12 beautiful finished songs feels like such a gift.” The album cover is also a gift. I feel like I’m 15 again seeing his ad for Calvin Klein in person. God, he looks so good.
The album is 31 minutes long and starts with the opening track, “Who I Am,” which serves as an introduction to the rest of the album. It’s a simple acoustic number that touches on how he basically disappeared from the world at the start of his tour. He repeats, “Sorry, gotta do it, gotta let you down” after each verse apologizing to the different people in his life as he decides to put himself first.
“Why Why Why” was the first single off the album and seems to point towards his anxiety, which he began opening up about in 2018 with “In My Blood.” He’s desperately seeking an answer as to why he’s feeling the way he is. The post-chorus, “Feels like everything goes ‘round and ‘round / And ‘round and ‘round and ‘round it goes” depicts what it’s like to be spiraling in your head with anxiety and panic. This one also mentions the stage and tour and how it didn’t feel right to him anymore. Also: “Thought I was about to be a father.” I’m sorry, whose child!?
“That’s The Dream” has Camilla Cabello written all over it. The lore runs so deep, but lyrics like “I know we made our promises / But promises are hard to keep” and “But why’d I have to go and leave / When I know nothing good comes easily” perfectly explain his side of the final breakup, along with the regret he has from leaving someone he’s known since he was 17 and knew in the industry.
“Nobody Knows” has the sound of old James Bay. The song is about him asking where the love goes when you love someone so much, but you’re still not able to make things work. Again, hinting at his relationship with Cabello.
At first, I loved “Heart of Gold,” and then I went to look into the songs on the album to write this review, and I learned the backstory. It’s so sad; Mendes and one of his best friends, Brian (the girls know) had another childhood friend named Deijomi, who passed away from a drug overdose. Mendes hadn’t spoken to him in a while and was unable to make it to his funeral. This is a song that you really have to read the lyrics to fully understand the story and the meaning behind it. It honestly made me love it even more.
“Heavy” is him coming to terms with needing help and support from those around him. It’s hard to be open about your struggles but being able to have people to lean on emotionally is so important.
“That’ll Be the Day” is the Sabrina Carpenter song. We were all wondering if she would get a mention, and Miss “Short N’ Sweet” did! Mendes is singing about trying to move on to new relationships but being unable to lose the hold a past lover has over him, which honestly is very relatable.
Since day one, the whole world has had their opinion on whether Mendes is gay or not, and most have been hard convinced that he isn’t straight. “The Mountain” is him taking back that narrative and acknowledging that he’s been under a microscope for so long and he doesn’t have it all figured out. “You can say I like girls or boys / Whatever fits your mold / You can say I’m a dreamer / You can say I’m too far gone / But I’ve never been better / So call it what you want.” This final chorus is him putting out there that people can say what they want and put him into the box of their choosing, but at the end of the day, he knows who he is and that’s all that matters. Also, don’t speculate about people’s sexuality!
As a long-time Shawn Mendes fan, this album sounds like what I fell in love with in the first place: that singer/songwriter acoustic sound with no big productions. The vulnerability of this album is unmatched and although I’m a Camilla Cabello hater, it was a long-time relationship, so the album being partly focused on that loss is understandable. After “Wonder,” I fell off the Shawn train, but I think I’m getting back on at the next station. Who knows; maybe you’ll see me on the next tour.
Rating: 4/5 Shawns