Shawn Mendes said that he is “figuring out” his sexuality during his concert in Denver on Monday, according to video footage shared by fans on social media.
The singer said that he had been unable to “discover” certain parts of himself because he began working at such a young age.
“I think it’s kind of silly because I think sexuality is such a beautifully complex thing and its so hard to just put into boxes,” he said during his show, which took place at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. “And it always felt like such an intrusion on something very personal to me.”
Representatives for Mendes did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Mendes made the remarks before performing his unreleased song “The Mountain,” which features lyrics referencing the speculation over his sexuality.
He said during the concert that the song was his way of addressing it “in a way that felt close to my heart.”
“The real truth about my life and my sexuality is that, man, I’m just figuring it out like everyone and I don’t really know sometimes and I know other times,” he said.
His comments spurred discussion online about how fans discuss artists’ and celebrities’ sexualities. Many fans online said they feel that the public is not entitled to know about the private lives of celebrities. Other said people should not force anyone to label themselves.
Mendes dated fellow pop star Camila Cabello in an on-again, off-again yearslong relationship. While he identified as straight, rumors have swirled online about his sexuality for years. He previously described the gossip surrounding his sexuality as “frustrating."
“You want to say, ‘I’m not gay but it’d be fine if I was gay — but also there’s nothing wrong with being gay but I’m not.’ You don’t really know how to respond to the situation,” he said in an interview on Dax Shepard’s podcast, “Armchair Expert,” in 2020.
In recent days, social media users had renewed speculation about Mendes' sexual orientation after a video of him was posted by Interview Magazine. In it, the pop star is seen sharing his phone screenshots.
During Monday’s show, Mendes said that it feels scary to open up about his journey because of how people talk about others’ sexuality. He said that he was trying to allow himself to “be a human and feel things.”
