Shawn Mendes Says He ‘100% Found’ Himself on ‘Shawn’ Album

Shawn Mendes has been in this phase of his life for half his life, but it wasn’t until he settled into the studio post-COVID to work on his upcoming fifth studio album that Shawn (Nov. 15) that the 26-year-old singer said he had truly found his true self.

In a conversation with longtime friend and mentor John Mayer for Interview magazine, Mayer suggested that Shawn “doesn’t sound like an artist trying to impress his or her friend,” but instead one finding their own way to the finish line, just as the artist intended, even if it felt a bit, at first well, “boring.”

Mayer described what he envisioned when Mendes listened back to the album opener – which he initially thought was boring – and layered a few instruments together, a few more top harmonies and realized, as Mendes noted: ”This is exactly what I wanted .’ Mendes even said that after a few weeks of “working through this gunk” in the studio, he got to a place where things were “so beautiful and deep.” I thought, ‘Wait, this is a drug.’

According to Mayer’s four-step rule for music: is it good? Do I like it? Is it me? and Can I replicate it live and have fun with it?, his friend killed it this time. “Dude, I never thought the most stripped down art I’ve done would bring me the most value,” Mendes said. “It’s already earned me more than all my albums, and I haven’t shown it to anyone yet.”

However, he shared the album with his parents, and in the main sign-off, his mother, who normally doesn’t really weigh in, listened to the single ‘Isn’t That Enough’ and proudly told her son: ”Oh, you got yourself found.” Mendes agrees, adding that thanks to therapy and the experience of being ‘burned and frozen’, he is no longer as extreme as he used to be, both in his relationships and in his professional life.

Overall, Mendes told Mayer, he’s “a lot more confident” in who he is these days, adding, “It feels really nice to put something out there that’s going to portray me in that way.” And while he feels more confident and centered, Mendes says he’s also still unsure how much he wants to be “in the conversation” all the time.

“It’s always on my mind: How will people react? I’m deleting Instagram because I’m like, “I’m not going to read the comments and say, ‘Did any celebrities comment on this photo?'” he said. “And then I download it again and watch it again immediately. I have a lot of acceptance and patience for my humanity, but at the same time I really want to exist in a more authentic way.”

Mendes canceled his 2022 Wonder tour to focus on his mental health. “Understanding how setting boundaries doesn’t make you an unkind person has really changed my life,” Mendes said in early 2023. “And also understanding that it’s not easy to do that. It’s hard to do. It feels uncomfortable. It makes other people feel a little uncomfortable for a moment, but ultimately it’s a very powerful and useful thing to do for any relationship. So yes, setting boundaries isn’t mean, it’s actually very important. It’s actually quite nice.”

Mayer notes at one point in the interview that not only is there that song called “Isn’t That Enough,” but another song contains the lyric “ain’t that enough,” making him wonder if Mendes has finally who has found the balance of too much versus just enough. “If you ask for enough success, it will never be enough. But I think I have learned to get enough from more places in my life,” Mendes said, with the added caveat: “I think it is extremely important to pass on to the next generation: this sacrifice of giving immersing yourself in your art is enormous.”

Mendes will preview songs from Shawn a day before the official release during a one-night-only screening of the concert film Shawn Mendes: Only for Friends and Family (A Life Concert Film)which will be shown nationwide on November 14. So far, Mendes has released the singles ‘Why Why Why’, ‘Isn’t That Enough’ and ‘Nobody Knows’.