We’ve all heard the song “There’s Nothin’ Holding Me Back” by Shawn Mendes, but have you heard Mendes’s new self-titled album Shawn? Believe it or not, Mendes has done more than bless us with his good looks; he has created an introspective album to help us overcome life’s greatest challenges.
Shawn is Mendes’s fifth studio album, released on Nov. 15 through Island Records. Influenced by his mental health break in 2022, when Mendes canceled his upcoming tour called Wonder: The World Tour, he put his time and ideas into Shawn, making it the most personal album of his career. It addresses themes of exploration and self-reflection.
The opening track, “Who I Am,” sets the tone for a voyage of self-discovery. He starts with a bare acoustic sound and slowly builds his way up into a catchy anthem about personal growth. Mendes says, “I feel pressure from the people that I love, and it hurts,” making a very relatable song about balancing all the expectations put on us by the people we love. He also says, “Losin’ myself tryna make you proud,” which is something that we have all thought about when trying to live up to the expectations set by those around us.
My favorite track is “Why, Why, Why,” where Mendes asks tough questions about life that no one seems to have an answer to. The groovy beat feels like a late-night thinking session where you’re pretty sure you’ve just figured out life, except you haven’t. This track is made for anyone struggling to manage relationships and find meaning in their life. It’s relatable, catchy, and the perfect song to listen to when you have a lot on your mind.
The track “Nobody Knows” is a standout song on this album, where Mendes dives into his feelings about loneliness and the “no one gets me” feeling that we all have felt at least once in our lifetime. Mendes sings, “When you’re so in love / And your souls touch / But it’s still not enough,” sharing some of his deepest thoughts and feelings that no matter how perfect things may seem, there is still a chance they won’t work out.
The fifth track on Mendes’s album, “Isn’t That Enough,” is a mid-tempo song that asks the question, “Is love and validation from others really what matters to make us feel complete?” It’s the kind of track that makes you question your life choices and think deeply about what you bring to this world. Mendes hits us with lots of questions here, like a friendly reminder that we could do a bit more than love ourselves.
Another deep track on this album called “Heavy,” is an emotional baggage-carrying track, and the production matches with long acoustic guitar chords, dark, atmospheric beats, and its intensity. This is the song everyone should listen to after making a major life decision. “Heavy” is the climax of the album when Mendes vents to the listeners about all the weight he’s been carrying and that it is okay to ask for help sometimes.
All in all, Shawn is a sure step ahead for Mendes, proving he is not just a pretty face on magazine covers but a real artist who can tug at your heartstrings while making you rethink life choices. Whether you want deep emotional reflection or a song to just scream in the car, this album has got it all.
