Shawn Mendes took a moment during his For friends and family at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater to address his evolving understanding of identity and love. He’s spoken and even sung about this topic in his track “The Mountain,” which he debuted at recent shows and directly addresses these introspective themes.

“Some days I changed my mind / You can say what you need to say,” he sings. “You can say I’m too young / You can say I’m too old / You can say I like girls or boys / Whatever fits your mold.”

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The song’s lyrics resonated deeply with fans, primarily when Mendes brought up the conversation about his sexuality, a persistent topic throughout his career. “Ever since I was really young, there’s been this thing about my sexuality, and people have been talking about it for so long,” he shared. “I think it’s a bit silly because I think sexuality is such a complex thing and so hard to put into boxes.”

Mendes discussed how invasive these conversations have felt and noted how his understanding of himself continues to evolve. “It always felt like an intrusion into something very personal to me, something that I was discovering in myself, something that I had not yet discovered, and that I have not yet discovered,” said he added. Mendes said he “speaks freely now” to foster a connection with his audience.

“The real truth about my life and my sexuality is, man, I’m figuring it out like everyone else. I don’t really know sometimes, and I know other times,” Mendes continued, noting the challenges of self-discovery. in a society often quick to label. “I’m trying to be really brave and allow myself to be a human and feel things. And that’s all I really want to say about that right now.”

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In addition to addressing his identity, Mendes spoke candidly about his thoughts on relationships. Reflecting on the societal expectation to find “The One,” he remarked, “When you’re single, there’s this pressure to look for “The One,” which is “The One?” “…Damn, that’s a lot of pressure to put on. on someone when you start dating someone. He encouraged a more relaxed approach to romance, expressing an intention to enjoy love and relationships without the weight of long-term expectations. “Man, we all need a little hug, a little hug,” he added before segueing into his song “In Between.”

Mendes’ onstage vulnerability adds a new chapter to a conversation he first opened up in 2020 on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, where he opened up about his frustrations with rumors about his sexuality. Mendes explained the complexity of responding to such scrutiny, especially when close friends are still struggling with their identities. “It’s such a delicate thing,” he then told Shepard. “You want to say, ‘I’m not gay, but it would be nice if I was gay – but there’s nothing wrong with being gay, but I’m not.’ You don’t really know how to react to the situation.”

He is “afraid” to share his “truth”

In 2022, he took to social media to admit he had difficulty sharing his truth. “Sometimes I wonder what I should do with my life, and what I always hear back is ‘tell the truth, be the truth.’ But I feel like it’s a hard thing to do,” he began.

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According to the singer, he worries about people’s perception of him. “I’m afraid that if people know and see the truth, they will have a lower opinion of me. They might get bored of me. So in these moments of depression, I either put on a show or I hide.” , he added.

Camila Cabello’s ex-boyfriend said he “constantly felt like he was flying or drowning.” Mendes also wonders if more people are experiencing the same thing. “The truth is, I really want to show up in the world as my 100% true, honest, unique self and not care what anyone else thinks. Sometimes I do!!” he wrote. Sometimes I really don’t care what people think and I feel free. But most of the time it’s a struggle.”

The singer said he was “fine” and hoped his words “resonate with some people.”