Washington [US]: Shawn Mendes has taken a bold step in addressing the long-standing rumours surrounding his sexuality through his latest song, ‘The Mountain,’ which he debuted during a recent performance in New York City.
The 26-year-old singer performed the track from his forthcoming album, ‘Shawn’, and the lyrics seem to tackle speculation about his identity and the commentary he has faced throughout his career, as per E! News.
As per E! News, in a clip shared by a fan on TikTok on October 19, Mendes strummed his guitar and sang, “I have a change of heart / you can say what you need to say / 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.”
The audience erupted in cheers, showing their support for the artist as he tackled these themes head-on.
Mendes’ new song is not the first time he has addressed speculation regarding his sexuality.
In a 2020 interview, he expressed frustration over being labelled gay since his teenage years.
“Everyone’s been calling me gay since I was 15 years old,” he stated, adding “I’m not gay and I’m like, ‘What does that mean?’,” as per E! News.
He opened up about the insecurities he faced, particularly regarding his voice and posture, revealing how these perceptions affected him.
Shawn further elaborated on the emotional toll of the rumours, saying, “It was so, so frustrating for me because there were some people in my life that I was very, very close to, who were gay and in the closet.”
He conveyed the complexity of navigating the conversation, acknowledging the difficulty of stating, “I’m not gay but it’d be fine if I was gay–but also there’s nothing wrong with being gay but I’m not.”
Since rising to fame as a teenager, Mendes has also had his romantic relationships scrutinized, particularly his four-year on-again/off-again relationship with Camila Cabello, which concluded in 2023.
Despite their public breakup, he emphasized the importance of maintaining their friendship, stating, “Honestly, I think Camila and I have just done the best job at preserving our private little fire of love for each other,” as per People magazine.