It’s been two years since Shawn Mendes took a hiatus to focus on his mental health. But as the singer just revealed, he’s ready to make his return, announcing the arrival of his new self-titled album, Shawn, on October 18.
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Ahead of the album’s release, Mendes dropped an album trailer, sharing a sampling from Shawn, an acoustic ballad called “Isn’t That Enough.” One of the two singles Mendes is set to release on his birthday, August 8. The other being “Why Why Why.”
“Music really can be medicine. 2 years ago I felt like I had absolutely no idea who I was. A year ago I couldn’t step into a studio without falling into complete panic. So to be here right now with 12 beautiful finished songs feels like such a gift,” Mendes wrote in an the announcement post on IG.
“Honestly thank god for my friends and family. Life can be brutal but having a small group of people you deeply trust to walk you through makes it so much better. I have no idea how I would have made it through the last couple years let alone make an album without you.”
Mendes began teasing his return to music just last week, sharing a video on social media, captioned, “Day 1 at the clubhouse,” referring to the Clubhouse Studio in Rhinebeck, NY. Just one of the many locations Shawn recorded his impending album, others being — Nosara in Costa Rica, Bear Creek Studio in Washington State, Darkhorse Recordings in Nashville, and New York City’s Electric Lady. A couple of which received individual recognition posts.
The footage, taken on January 30, shows Shawn in the studio on the first day of recording the new material, working with Scott Harris, Mike Sabath, Nate Mercereau and Alex Pyle.
Following the release of 2020’s Wonder, canceling the subsequent Wonder World Tour, and his mental-health break, Mendes remained generally off the radar aside from a few things here and there. Obviously his make-out sesh at Coachella with Camila Cabello was perhaps the most memorable. Mendes reemerged for a few musical moments as well, to release a song about the climate crisis, “What the Hell Are We Dying For?” as well as link up with Jacob Collier, Stormzy, and Kirk Franklin for the collaboration, “Witness Me.” And then last June, Mendes returned to the stage for the first time since canceling his tour, showing up at Ed Sheeran’s concert in Toronto (Mendes’ hometown) to help Sheeran perform “Lego House,” as well as an acoustic rendition of his own song, “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back.”
Check out Shawn’s exciting return announcement above.