After taking a break from music for two years, Shawn Mendes released his most personal album yet on Nov. 15, 2024, titled “Shawn.” This album makes listeners feel the emotions Mendes was feeling throughout each song. 

Before the album’s debut, Mendes put out four singles “Why Why Why,” “Heart of Gold,” “Isn’t That Enough” and “Nobody Knows.” All four of these songs captivate how he has been discovering himself over the years. Mendes did not disappoint once the full album was released. Each song takes you into his mind and shows you how he has been feeling through different experiences.

Compared to his other albums, “Shawn” shows the vulnerable side of him. The lyrics in every song have a different story that draws the listener to become more connected to Mendes. Mendes rose to fame as a teenager, and his albums had been fun and upbeat. However, with this new album, it brings out his mature side, and you can see a clear shift from his teenage years to his adult years in his music. 

Immediately, “Why Why Why” became my personal favorite. Compared to the other 11 songs, it is more upbeat, but the storytelling is what really drew me in. Parts of the song were easy to connect with, because it talks about why he doesn’t know why he decided to do certain things, which many others can relate to. However, there were also sections of the song that only relate to him, and that’s what really connected the whole story of the song together. 

Overall, the album stuck with me. I have always liked slower and more personal songs, and “Shawn” is the epitome of that. This album deserves any of the hype that it gets, because it is such a touching and emotional roller coaster. “Shawn” is a great album to listen to if you are ready to experience some deep emotions.