Shawn Mendes opens up about his sexuality and relationships

Shawn Mendes recently made headlines with his heartfelt speech during his performance at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado. While introducing his new song MountainMendes, now 26, addressed ongoing public speculation about his sexuality, openly admitting for the first time that he’s still “figuring it out.”

“Sexuality is such a beautiful and complex thing.”

–Shawn Mendes

Referring to his career, which started at the age of 15, Mendes shared that growing up in the public eye left little room for self-discovery. “I wasn’t able to do a lot of the things I was at 15 and discover parts of myself,” she explained. Mendes stated that it was ironic that others would make assumptions about his sexuality, calling it “silly” that society would try to classify such a deeply personal aspect of his identity. “I think sexuality is such a beautiful and complex thing, and it’s so hard to just fit it into a box,” she said. “It’s something I’m trying to figure out in myself, something I haven’t discovered yet and still can’t.”

Mendes’ raw honesty touched his fans; many praised her for her vulnerability in an age when public figures are under pressure to conform to societal expectations. “The truth about my life and my sexuality is, I’m figuring it out like everyone else, man,” Mendes continued. “Sometimes I really don’t know, other times I know.” She expressed both the fear and freedom of being candid with her fans, admitting that sharing this side of herself felt “really scary” but also liberating.

Mendes has been associated with high-profile relationships throughout his career, most notably Camila Cabello. The duo made headlines for their intense love, manifested both on and off stage, especially through their hits. senorita. But even after their breakup, rumors began to circulate, causing Mendes to open up about his personal life and relationships on multiple occasions.

in 2018 Rolling stone In the interview, Mendes admitted that he felt pressure to publicly showcase their relationship to combat rumors. “I feel like I have to appear in public with a girly person to prove to people that I’m not gay,” he said at the time. He also revealed his struggle with his own perceptions, pointing out how social stereotypes affect his image and how he presents himself. “I had these problems with my voice. “I’m always the first one to cross my legs and sit in this feminine way, and I really suffered from that,” she shared in 2020.

In recent years, the Mendes-Cabello dynamic has continued to captivate fans. Following their split in 2021, they briefly publicly rekindled their connection with a kiss at Coachella in 2023. Still, they chose to remain friends and Mendes emphasized their mutual respect. In an interview with Jay Shetty, Mendes described their post-split relationship as “brutal” but emphasized their closeness by saying, “We have deep respect for each other.” Cabello expressed this feeling herself Call His Father podcast interview in which he described their reunion as “fun” but ultimately decided the timing wasn’t right.

Recently, Mendes has faced rumors about possible relationships with Sabrina Carpenter, masseur Jocelyne Miranda, and even her. Big Brother Alumnus Charlie Travers. But while photos of Carpenter and Travers sparked fan theories, none of these romances were confirmed.

Madison Scott

Madison Scott is WHO Magazine’s Digital Editor, writing Entertainment and Lifestyle content while also curating the publication’s social media accounts. With a Bachelor of Arts (English Literature/Public Relations and Social Media) from Macquarie University, Madi enjoys giving people detailed information about all the books she’s read, keeping up with celebrity shenanigans, and obsessing over the latest niche TikTok trends . If she’s not aimlessly scrolling through Pinterest, she’s probably fine-tuning her endlessly long fashion wish list, daydreaming about her next travel destination, or re-watching a Nora Ephron classic.