Pop singer, Shawn Mendes made a surprise return to the stage over the weekend after taking time away to protect his mental health.
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Mendes’ unofficial return came as he joined Ed Sheeran on stage during a tour stop in his hometown of Ontario, Canada over the weekend for a performance on Sheeran’s “Shape Of You.”
The showing was Mendes’ first in a year and a half and his reaction to the big moment could be seen in a video posted to social media that showed the behind-the-scenes moments following the performance.
"I started shaking, I was like, ‘what the—,’’ Mendes expressed. “I feel a bit speechless about it, to be honest right now…”
Added Sheeran, “What a reaction. I’ve had that three times in my life at gigs — Paolo Nutini in Glasgow, Stormzy in London, and now Shawn Mendes.”
In July 2022, Mendes canceled his Wonder World tour in an effort to work on his mental health, which had taken a toll due to a hectic touring schedule.
"I started this tour excited to finally get back to playing live after a long break due to the pandemic, but the reality is I was not at all ready for how difficult touring would be after this time away,” he shared with fans at the time.
"After speaking more with my team and working with an incredible group of health professionals, it has become more clear that I need to take the time I've never taken personally, to ground myself and come back stronger."
While Mendes has taken time away from the stage, he has continued to write music and released a new song earlier this month titled, 'WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DYING FOR?’ The tune surrounds the topic of global warming and the fires devastating his homeland in Canada.
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“Started writing this song yesterday morning with my friends in upstate New York & finished it only a few hours ago,” he wrote on social media, sharing the song with fans. “Felt so important to me to share with you guys in real time.”
Mendes used the song to encourage fans to help by connecting them to Canadian Red Cross which is currently assisting in emergency relief. You can donate alongside him through this link.
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