Singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes opened up about her sexual journey in an emotional onstage speech at a recent concert.

Following high-profile relationships with other pop stars Camila Cabello And Sabrina Charpentierthe 26 year old spoke to the crowd Monday evening during a performance at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, where he revealed he was still discovering his sexuality in his free time.

“When I was very young there was this story about my sexuality and people were talking about it for so long. I think it’s a bit silly because I think sexuality is such a complex thing and so hard to put into boxes,” Mendes says, strumming his guitar. “I always felt such an intrusion into something very personal to me, something that I was discovering in myself, something that I had not yet discovered and have not yet discovered.”

He then referenced lyrics from his song “The Mountain,” which appears on his upcoming album. Shawn and, as he noted, it represented “a moment where I could approach it in a way that was important to me” rather than letting others do it for him.

“I guess I speak freely now because I just wanted to be able to be closer to everyone and kind of be in my truth. The real truth about my life and my sexuality is that, man, I’m just figuring it out. like everyone else,” he continued. “And I don’t really know sometimes, and I know other times. It’s really scary, because we live in a society that has a lot to say about it, and I try to be really brave and allow myself to be a human and feel things That’s all I really want to say about it for now.

Mendes then launched into a rendition of “The Mountain,” which also includes lyrics referencing his sexuality. “You can say I’m too young, you can say I’m too old, you can say I like girls or boys, depending on your mold,” he sang in the song. “Or you can say I’m a dreamer, you can say I’ve gone too far. But I’ve never been that good, so call it what you want.”

In the past, the “In My Blood” singer has responded to criticism regarding his sexuality. In 2016, the Canadian artist shared a Snapchat post addressing speculation about his sexuality when he was only 17 years old.

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“So I don’t usually do this and raise issues, but I was on YouTube watching some of my interviews, and I was going through the comments and I noticed that a lot of People said I gave them a ‘gay vibe’. ‘First of all, I’m not gay,’ Mendes said during a break on his. Manuscript World tour. “Secondly, it shouldn’t make any difference if I was or not. The focus should be on the music and not my sexuality.

In 2022, Mendes made headlines by canceling his tour dates prioritize his mental health, although he later returned to the stage for a surprise set with fellow artist Ed Sheeran the following year.

Weekly Entertainment has reached out to Mendes’ representatives for additional comment.