SHAWN Mendes made a cryptic comment about his "sexuality" and "trying to be brave" during his latest concert.
Singer Shawn, 26, took a moment of vulnerability during his Colorado gig at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, where he openly discussed "figuring out" his preferences.
Fans attending his For Friends and Family tour cheered as he shared his intimate feelings.
Shawn said: "There's this thing about my sexuality, and people have been talking about it so long," adding that it was "kind of silly, because I think sexuality is such a beautifully complex thing, and it’s so hard to just put into boxes".
He continued: "The real truth about my life and my sexuality is that, man, I’m just figuring it out like everyone.
"It always felt like such an intrusion on something very personal to me. Something that I was figuring out in myself, something that I had yet to discover and still have yet to discover it.
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"And it feels really scary because we live in a society that has a lot to say about that. And I’m trying to be really brave and just allow myself to be a human and feel things. And that’s all I really want to say about that for now.
"I was really young when I started. I was 15 years old. The truth is that I didn't get to do a lot of 15-year-old things and discover parts of myself that you do at 15."
He made the comments while introducing his new song, The Mountain, in which he also explores his sexuality.
The lyrics include the thought-provoking line: “You can say I'm too young/You can say I'm too old/You can say I like girls or boys, whatever fits your mold.”
He told the crowd: “It felt like a moment where I could address it in a way that felt close to my heart.”
Shawn has previously addressed speculation regarding his sexuality in various interviews.
Heartbroken Shawn Mendes stops live concert to pay tribute to Liam Payne after his 'completely devastating' death
In a 2018 Rolling Stone feature, he expressed frustration about the assumptions made about him, stating, “You f*****g guys are so lucky I'm not actually gay and terrified of coming out.”
He explained the sensitive nature of the topic, emphasizing, “That’s something that kills people. That’s how sensitive it is. Do you like the songs? Do you like me? Who cares if I'm gay?”
In his past comments, he discussed feeling pressured to be seen with women to dispel rumors about his sexuality.
He admitted: “In the back of my heart, I feel like I need to go be seen with someone — like a girl — in public, to prove to people that I’m not gay."
Shawn also shared the emotional toll that speculation has taken on him, calling it “hurtful” and revealing the struggle of navigating public perception.
Despite being the subject of public speculation, Shawn has only publicly dated women.
Shawn's fans were recently left convinced he was the inspiration for some tracks on Sabrina Carpenter's new album.
The pop singer released her sixth LP, Short 'n Sweet, on August 23.
Short 'n Sweet has 12 tracks on it and two of them supposedly talk about her short-lived relationship with Shawn - Coincidence and Dumb & Poetic.
Sabrina, 25, and Shawn were seen hanging out together on a dinner date in Los Angeles in February 2023, after his breakup with Camila Cabello in 2021.
Despite Sabrina and Shawn's short fling, she seems to be still thinking about it as she sang about it on the new album.
In the song Coincidence, Sabrina sings, "The second I put my head on your chest/ She knew, she’s got a real sixth sense."
“Now her name comes up once, then it comes up twice/ And without her even bein’ here, she’s back in your life.”
Fans think Sabrina was calling out Camila, 27, for not being able to let Shawn go, as they got back together shortly after his time with Sabrina.
The lyrics "Now she's sending you some pictures wearing less and less" from Coincidence implies that Camila was sending Shawn pictures of herself while he was with Sabrina.
ANOTHER ONE?
Reddit users called out the lyrics and were disappointed that Sabrina was caught in another love triangle.
"Fans believe Sabrina Carpenter is calling out Camila Cabello for seducing Shawn Mendes while he was in a relationship with her in the track Coincidence off her new album and alluding to Shawn Mendes being sleazy in the track Dumb & Poetic," the thread read.
"Another love triangle involving Sabrina?" wrote one fan with a crying emoji.
"This is embarrassing for Sabrina," said another.
"The pop girlies are beefing," said one fan.
"That song is def about Shawn and Camila," added a fourth.
SHORT 'N SWEET RELATIONSHIP
After being seen together last February, Sabrina and Shawn had a short and sweet relationship.
Camila Cabello & Shawn Mendes' Relationship Timeline
Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes have been friends for years, but their relationship eventually became something more, and they continue to find their way back to each other. Here's a timeline of their relationship.
- Camila and Shawn met in 2014 when they opened for Austin Mahone.
- The singers went public with their relationship in the summer of 2019.
- They got even closer during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 as they quarantined together.
- In November 2020, the pair adopted a puppy named Tarzan.
- Camila and Shawn announced their split in a joint Instagram post the following year.
- In April 2023, they sparked reconciliation rumors after they were seen kissing at Coachella.
- They were also seen packing on the PDA weeks later at Taylor Swift's Era's Tour.
- Camila and Shawn parted ways again after that, which the Havana singer reflected on during an interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast in March.
- Camila admitted it 'didn't feel right,' prompting their breakup the second time.
- Throughout their on-and-off relationship, the former couple have written numerous songs inspired by their journey together.
- However, they might not be entirely over, as they were spotted smiling together at the Argentina vs. Colombia Copa America game in Miami on July 14.
Later that month and in March, the two of them were seen together at album parties and on the streets of L.A.
Shawn was even seen wearing Sabrina's birthstone around his neck at a Vanity Fair party.
Fans were shocked when Shawn shot down the rumors in an interview with RTL Boulevard,
“We are not dating but I think we should talk about Tommy Hilfiger probably more than Sabrina," he said.
But, just one month later, in April, Shawn and Camila were spotted kissing at Coachella.
Sabrina later seemingly called out what happened at the music festival in Coincidence.
“What a surprise, your phone just died/ Your car drove itself from L.A. to her thighs./ Palm Springs looks nice, but who’s by your side?” she sang.
The lyrics seem to indicate that Shawn told her his phone died and then drove to L.A. to meet up with his ex.
Sabrina goes on to sing, "D**n it, she looks kinda like the girl you outgrew/ Least that's what you said."
SHAWN & CAMILA ON-AGAIN OFF-AGAIN
Shawn and Camila met in 2014 when he and her ex-band, Fifth Harmony, opened for Austin Mahone on tour.
They became close friends and Shawn tried to pursue her for years.
However, Camila turned him down and said they were better as friends.
In 2019, the pop singer released their duet, Senorita, with steamy dance moves and telling lyrics, such as "You say we’re just friends / But friends don’t know the way you taste. / ’Cause you know it’s been a long time coming / Don’t you let me fall."
After that song, Shawn and Camila confirmed their relationship.
The couple were inseparable, holding hands and showing PDA wherever they went.
They even attended a few award shows together.
The two of them were quarantined together during 2020 and adopted a dog, Tarzan.
Despite looking like a strong couple, they announced their split in November 2021.
“Hey guys, we’ve decided to end our romantic relationship, but our love for one another as humans is stronger than ever," they said in a joint statement via their Instagram Stories.
They continued to sing about each other on their new albums and singles.
And then they kissed again at Coachella in April 2023.
They were even seen together in July of this year at the Copa America game.
Despite the two of them remaining friends, Shawn sang about almost becoming a father on his new track Why, Why, Why, off his upcoming album, Shawn, out October 18, which is seemingly about Camila.