Shawn Mendes, the charming Canadian singer-songwriter that has won the hearts of millions, is returning to Florida with his self-titled run of shows featuring special guest Alessia Cara. Shawn Mendes: The Tour comes to Tampa on July 27 and continues in Orlando on July 30.
Mendes has ventured a long way from his early years of learning to play guitar by watching YouTube videos and then posting soon-to-go-viral cover songs on the online platform. After captivating viewers with his charismatic style and a voice that reaches well beyond his years, Mendes released his first single, “Life of the Party,” in 2014, becoming the youngest artist to debut in the top 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
At the age of twenty, Mendes is hitting the road with the same fire that helped ignite a critically-acclaimed international career on the heels of his third studio album, 2018’s Shawn Mendes. This latest album showcases a new sense of refined maturity as Mendes has had to learn to overcome recent challenges that a young star often faces on a quick climb to fame. With a more refined sensibility to his musicality and newfound lyrical depth that only comes through experience, Shawn Mendes shows an artist that is both more vulnerable and braver than ever.
This album stands as a testament to the incredible growth and stability Mendes has championed as his skyrocketing appeal has changed more than just the size of his live audiences. With 44.7 million Instagram followers and surpassing 1 billion global streams on Apple Music, Mendes has become the pop sensation of the digital generation, as countless fans follow his every move on the internet’s ever-growing stage.
The album’s lead single, “In My Blood,” echoes the inner strength that the singer has developed over the past few years of greeting a music career in the modern age with courage and grace. In the song, Mendes openly declares, “Sometimes I feel like giving up, but I just can’t / it isn’t in my blood.”
But anxiety is nothing new for Mendes, yet it has become a growing hardship that the musician has now needed to conquer in the spotlight. Since the release of this groundbreaking album, Mendes has opened up about his difficult struggles with anxiety disorder. He has stated that he very much grapples with the fear of how he is perceived in the media. Mendes has also shared that he finds much needed respite by meditating and journaling his honest feelings—which have become one of Mendes’ favorite ways to fashion ideas for songs. While admitting his fears and facing them head-on through his music certainly wasn’t easy, Mendes has discovered how much his truthful words have resonated with people all over the world.
Along with his more empowering songs, Shawn Mendes is known for filling his live shows with an excess of excitement, spirit, and passion that show off Mendes’ incandescent happiness to be doing what he loves to do most. With unforgettable tracks like “Lost in Japan” from his third album and earlier favorites such as “Stitches,” “Treat You Better,” “Mercy,” and “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back,” Shawn Mendes: The Tour is the musical event of the year that fans will not want to miss.
