In 2022, singer and songwriter Shawn Mendes canceled his “Wonder” tour to prioritize his mental health, stepping back from the industry.
After his two-year hiatus, Mendes unveiled his fifth studio album, “Shawn,” on Nov. 15.
He initially set the album’s release for Oct. 18, but announced the delay on Instagram, writing that he and his team needed more time “to bring some new inspiration and ideas to life.”
And it’s safe to say that this album brought something new to his sound.
“Shawn” is a journey of discovery and soul-searching, letting go of and remembering who he is. I think it’s the most organic of his albums — it has a quiet vulnerability grounded in his raw songwriting.
I really didn’t expect this album; it hits the heart and strikes a chord.
“Shawn” strips away any form of radio pop Mendes relied on in his past and marks a new era of his music, leaning into the acoustic guitar and layered vocals.
I listened to all 12 tracks in a short 30 minutes. But I had to go back and listen to each one again, taking in everything I’d waited years for.
The album opener, “Who I Am,” conveys that it’s OK not to know everything about yourself. At 26 years old, Mendes weighs the expectations of others while finding the right balance for himself.
Mendes sings, “I feel pressure from the people that I love, and it hurts / But I know I gotta do it, gotta put me first / Losin’ myself tryna make you proud / Sorry, gotta do it, gotta let you down.”
He tries to find himself again after becoming famous at a young age. At age 15, he entered stardom with his debut single, “Life of the Party,” which charted No. 24 on the Billboard 100, making him the youngest artist to have a debut song in the top 25.
With so much of his life in the media, many of Mendes’s songs reflect on early self-perception and the hardships of constantly performing and making music.
But “Shawn” is about him falling in love with music again and listening to it was very therapeutic.
His early release on Aug. 8, “Why, Why, Why,” is by far the most radio-friendly song, as he grapples with how to process his fame. Through the “why” refrain, he questions his own life choices — going through a pregnancy scare, he has almost a healing breakthrough.
“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,” he sings.
One of my favorites from the album, “Isn’t That Enough,” is soft and warm. It explores themes of love and validation, delving into the coexistence of pain and happiness.
This song felt very individual. He’s not falling back on past pop methods; he’s branching out in a way that speaks more to himself than to collaborators or producers.
In an interview with the New York Times, Mendes explained that he wanted this album to “break down any walls that were remaining between me and people listening.”
As I listened to his album, one of his overarching messages was not lost on me: the media’s fixation with his sexuality. He addresses it on the track “Mountain,” and in the chorus, he gently sings, “You can say I like girls or boys/ whatever fits your mold.”
Mendes relinquishes control and accepts that he can’t meet everyone’s expectations. Call him what you want; he doesn’t have to prove anything.
In a surprising ending, he wraps up the album with a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” He did a solid job; I just don’t know why it was included.
Even though this album has some great messages within songs and a stronger sense of individuality, it doesn’t speak volumes. There’s not a lot of melodic distinction between the music.
The pace is a bit dull, it feels like a collection of tunes that string together familiar images, airy strums and melodies.
While I appreciate his new direction and folk-country tunes, the album is nothing special. But I acknowledge that this may be the beginning for Mendes and his new era of authentic, down-to-earth songwriting.
