It’s been 3 weeks since Shawn Mendes released his brand-new album, Shawn. After listening nonstop for the past few days, we think Shawn is entering an era that could change his career forever. Why? In the album, Mendes is his truest self by telling the world his story and what he’s been through in the past years. Being honest in the music industry is a challenge for all artists. The risk of being vulnerable in front of the world should always be celebrated. Because of this, we at The Honey Pop believe that after years of being under the spotlight, Shawn Mendes is starting again as a musician who isn’t afraid of showing the good, the bad, and the horrible.
Let’s talk more about the album! This time, Shawn experimented with a new genre and left the usual pop aside. Folk and Alternative Rock are the main genres that Mendes uses in this project, allowing us to see him experiment. In this decade, Folk music has been through a rebirth, with artists like Taylor Swift and Noah Kahan making this genre something that all audiences would love to hear and enjoy. The key to Folk is the comfort of the acoustics and how organic it feels. In Shawn, Mendes dives into this genre and makes it his own by staying authentic and experimenting on a new path. Through the album, he shows us through the instruments the emotions that he can’t express with words.
Lyrics
The main character of the album is the lyrics. They are like reading Shawn’s journal or walking through his brain. In the record, he discusses various topics like heartbreak, loss, grief, and anxiety and how he battles these every day of his life. Back in 2018, with ‘In My Blood,’ we got the chance to hear about Shawn’s battle with anxiety, and now, with songs like ‘Why Why Why,’ Mendes shows us a new perspective on his journey. As a songwriter, Shawn always amazes us since he always finds a way to transmit his emotions, and we almost believe that he and we are close friends. That’s one of the beauties of music: being able to transmit universal feelings by telling your own story.
Songs That Stole Our Heart
We loved the whole album! However, a few songs deserve the crown for being outstanding and marvelous!
‘Heart Of Gold’
For us, this is the best song of the album. In this, Shawn talks about a friend who sadly passed away. Mendes reflects on his grief and commemorates his friend and how wonderful he was. The instrumentals remind us of ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac, which gives the song a nostalgic atmosphere that perfectly fits the song’s theme. In ‘Heart Of Gold,’ Mendes comes out of his comfort zone and puts his songwriting skills to a new level.
‘Why, Why, Why’
This is the type of song Shawn would release: a cheerful rhythm with sad lyrics…we love it! As we said before, in this song, Shawn reflects on his anxiety and what he’s been through in the past couple of years, asking himself why all of that happened to him. Also, the folk rhythms are the main characters of the song, making ‘Why Why Why’ a song that shows us how Mendes dissolves in the genre and does it flawlessly. Don’t forget that this song was a single, and it gave us a glimpse of the album and the topics that the singer was going to touch on.
‘Isn’t That Enough’
In this song, the Folk takes over. ‘Isn’t that Enough’ feels organic. The acoustics of the guitar and the harmonics remind us of singing around a bonfire. In theory, the song is pretty simple; however, we think it was the perfect addition to the album. For example, in ‘Why Why Why,’ Shawn talks about his journey with anxiety, making this song feel honest and raw. Also, as a slow song, it reminds you of a lullaby you would hear after a long day. The whistles at the end of the songs are the perfect ending for the song.
‘Heavy’
You know that feeling when you’ve kept all your emotions to yourself? Well, in this song, Shawn discusses exactly that and how heavy he feels because of all the things he’s been through. In the lyrics, he also talks about how hard it is to open up and get help. However, it is the only way to get better. The best part of the song is how the rhythm builds up until the chorus, which is powerful and ecstatic. ‘Heavy’ is the catharsis of the album!
‘Nobody Knows‘
In this last song, we encounter ourselves with a pop ballad led by an acoustic guitar. Shawn performed this song for the first time at the VMAs this year, giving us a glimpse of how the studio version of the song would be. The song talks about thinking you have everything in your life because you love someone. The thing is, what if you feel an emptiness inside you? This feeling brings a lot to the table to process, but in the end, nobody knows the reason behind it. The song has folk influences, but for us, the blues are the sound addition to the album that nobody has seen coming.
Shawn Mendes’ new album, Shawn, is an emotional ride. The album is full of deep and meaningful lyrics that allow us to get closer to Shawn as an artist. The album is something refreshing and even a new start for Shawn’s career. We know for a fact that taking risks as an artist is hard; however, Mendes took the challenge and gave us one of the best albums of 2024!
You can hear Shawn here!
What is your favorite song from Shawn Mendes’ new album Shawn? Be sure to let us know by tweeting us at @thehoneypop or visiting us on Facebook and Instagram!
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