On The Road Again with Shawn Mendes

Recently turning 27, Shawn Mendes—multi-platinum, GRAMMY-nominated- was finally back onstage after years of uncertainty— and he wasn’t just performing. He was reclaiming his place in the lights, stepping out from the shadows of cancelled tours and personal struggles.

For years, I’d wondered if this moment would ever come. I’d been listening to him since 2015, but after his 2019 tour, I’d let go of the hope that I’d see him like this again. With a dear friend whom I have known for around 7 years because of our common interest (the interest being Mendes), we walked into the O2 Arena, were both struck by a peculiar thought: If nostalgia had victims, our names would rise to the surface without hesitation.

The last time I’d stood in a crowd like this, waiting for Shawn Mendes to take the stage, I was years younger, lifetimes lighter. Whether nostalgia is a tender embrace or a merciless ache depends on who you ask, but for me, it is an unstoppable tide, pulling me under in waves of bittersweet tears, leaving me breathless and raw. Both achingly familiar and thrillingly new, weaving together past and present in a symphony of emotion.

And then, there he was. Radiant. Unshaken. The crowd roared, and as the first notes rang out, I felt it—the warmth, the rush, the overwhelming certainty that this was exactly where he, and we, were meant to be. His voice, his presence, achingly familiar yet thrillingly new, wove past and present into a single, shimmering thread. Shawn Mendes wasn’t just back. He was home.

From Vulnerability to Power: Shawn Mendes’ Voice Stronger than Ever

At around 9 pm, the crowd heard the riff of There’s Nothing Holding Me Back engulf the arena and electrified the audience with a surge of energy, launching everyone to their feet. With an outburst of screams and cheers, Shawn Mendes is on the stage with a boyish, charming smile and jumps straight into singing. Wonder was up next and is perfectly built from tender verses to a massive, heart-bursting chorus.

Shawn Mendes shines like the star he is, naturally blending vulnerability with raw vocal power in this electrifying anthem, and there is no denying his voice has somehow become more powerful with the break he took. Treat You Better, a personal favourite of mine, is a smouldering pop plea; Shawn Mendes’ velvety vocals ride a pulsing beat as he promises devotion over heartbreak. Despite having equal parts smooth and soulful, it’s an anthem for anyone who’s ever watched something they yearn for, loved the wrong person. Yet, the crowd seems less focused on the storytelling than on the upbeat rhythm and riffs of the guitar solos.

From then on, his set list for the show produced his hit singles, such as Monster, Isn’t That Enough, and Lost in Japan. This truly had the crowd catching their breath and wiping their sweat from all the singing and dancing. In what he calls “circle time” with his band on stage, Mendes expresses the story of a childhood friend he had lost as a result of an overdose during his time touring in 2018.

A Concert of Surprises, Emotions, and Unforgettable Connections

As fans (in actuality, a lot of us were stans), we had heard murmurs of him paying for someone’s funeral back in 2018. It was not until the release of Heart of Gold that we learned the truth and how he had to deal with his grief years after his friend’s passing. Hearing the song was a surreal feeling as it took Shawn’s vulnerability to a whole new level that we did not expect; this was a song born from private grief.

This song had an aesthetic alignment with twinkling lights, orange and yellow hues swirling around, and Shawn’s vocal feeling like a warm hug. With a continuation of his older songs from his sophomore and debut album, such as Ruin, Never Be Alone, and Mercy, the London crowd were blessed with a surprise appearance of Niall Horan. Shawn Mendes referred to him as an “older brother” and “grateful” for his attendance. The night could not get better as the duo sang This Town by Niall Horan, enchanting the arena with soothing and melodic harmony. 

Shawn Mendes closing the show with In My Blood is something extremely familiar, like breathing to me, as he has often done this before for previous shows, including his last tour that I attended. It is simply something transcendent and makes you feel as if you are levitating off the ground. The chorus and bridge aren’t sung—it’s roared with the words “it isn’t in my blood.”.

This song was the perfect song to end the nostalgic night for me and my dear friend; we had left feeling like our teenage selves again. As confetti cascades like a shimmering storm, Mendes was seen sprinting the perimeter of the barricade into the roaring, outstretched arms of the crowd—a triumphant return to the place where his heart has always lived. Shawn Mendes is back singing songs again!

The Setlist:

There’s Nothing Holding Me Back

Wonder

Treat You Better

Monster

Lost in Japan

Isn’t That Enough

Heart of Gold  

Señorita

Ruin

Never Be Alone

Mercy

Youth

This Town ft Niall Horan

Stitches

It’ll be Okay

If I Can’t Have You

Why Why Why

In My Blood

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