Reflecting on “Who I Am”

It seems that singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes has always had a spark of controversy in his blood. From the public’s speculation of his sexuality since he was a teenager, to the rumors of being in multiple love triangles, it was not easy for him to grow up in the public eye. It came to a head for Mendes in the summer of 2022 when he canceled his “Wonder: The World Tour” to prioritize his mental health. Two years later, on Nov. 15, Mendes released his new self-titled album, “Shawn,” which is a window into his internal struggles. This record dives into Mendes’s thoughts, reflections, and regrets in a way the public has never seen before.

The whole album feels like pages from Mendes’s diary, with raw and personal lyrics. The first track, “Who I Am,” is the perfect introduction to the record, with Mendes coming to terms with the fact that he had to disappoint his fans by canceling his tour to focus on his own issues. One of the major topics explored in the album is loss. In “Heart Of Gold,” Mendes sings about a childhood friend who died of a drug overdose, as well as the loss of a relationship in “Nobody Knows.” However, there is also a recurrent message of acceptance. “Heavy” finds Mendes finally realizing that he has mental health problems and accepting outside help. It is one of the few tracks we see Mendes truly belting out, further emphasizing letting out his pain.

In addition to having a new lyrical style, “Shawn” also broke away from Mendes’s usual pop norm. The album has its fair share of country and folk influences throughout its 12 tracks. For instance, “Isn’t That Enough” includes soothing visuals of nature with a soft guitar and harmonica melody. It feels like a tune you would chant on a camping trip in front of a crackling bonfire. The album in its entirety is very reminiscent of the works of John Mayer and Ed Sheeran, both artists who have influenced Mendes. Even if you’re not a fan of Mendes’s new style, there still is the pop-inspired single “Why Why Why,” which is the only song that has a solid beat and hit-bound catchiness. Along with his 11 original works, Mendes incorporated a cover of “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. Despite fitting well with the album’s themes, the cover is just average. Still with that, “Shawn” is a complete 180࿁ from Mendes’s usual style, propelling Mendes into a new era and possible genre.

While each song on the record does have a distinct sound and powerful lyrics, it might be difficult to get into it on the first listen if you do not like country or folk. As someone who is used to Mendes’s pop works, my personal favorites were “Why Why Why” and “Isn’t That Enough,” both still conveying strong lyricism while feeding into the mainstream influence of pop. Overall, I rate “Shawn” 3/5 stars. While this is a good intro into this new stage of Mendes’s, I am excited to see what other better creations lie on his road to finding himself.