"I'm just figuring it out like everyone" — Shawn Mendes opens up about his sexuality during his Colorado show

Global music sensation Shawn Mendes made a heartfelt and candid statement about his journey during his recent show in Denver, Colorado.

On October 28, 2024, during an intimate concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, videos shared by fans and celebrity-like pages show Mendes speaking about his sexuality. He told the audience that he is "figuring out" about his sexuality like everyone else —

"The real truth about my life and sexuality is that, man I'm just figuring it out like everyone," Mendes said.

The conversation was prompted by recurring speculation online, where Mendes has often been labeled as gay. While he has addressed these assumptions in the past, he chose this moment to reflect openly on his journey and share his perspective with the audience again.

Shawn Peter Raul Mendes is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He rose to prominence in 2013, when Mendes used to post cover songs on Vine, where he was picked up by many followers. Mendes's Señorita 2018 became his first single to chart at number 1 on the Hot 100, as per IMDb.

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Shawn Mendes reflects on sexuality and self-discovery during the Colorado show:

Mendes opened up about his s*xuality (Image via X/@PopSpectator)

On Monday, during his Colorado show, Shawn Mendes took a moment to share his thoughts on being open about his sexuality, acknowledging that, in a society often quick to judge, expressing such personal truths can feel “scary.”

He further expressed his commitment to being courageous, asking for understanding as he navigates his journey, hoping others will allow him the freedom to embrace his humanity and simply enjoy life’s experiences —

"It feels really scary because we live in a society that has a lot to say about that. I’m trying to be really brave and just allow myself to just be human and feel things. That’s all I wanna say about that for now," Mendes said.

Further speaking about sexuality, Shawn Mendes suggested that sexuality doesn’t neatly fit into predefined labels or "boxes." Mendes sees sexuality as "beautifully complex," implying it’s natural for individuals to have diverse —

"I think it’s kind of silly because I think sexuality is a beautifully complex thing and it’s so hard to just put into boxes," Mendes added.

Lastly, Mendes added that he has felt "intrusion" by others’ questions or assumptions about his sexuality. He sees it as a deeply personal journey, and noted that he’s still exploring and understanding himself —

"It always felt like such an intrusion on something very personal to me. Something I was figuring out in myself. Something I had yet to discover and still have yet to discover," Mendes ended.

This is not the first time Shawn Mendes has talked about his sexuality. In 2020, during an interview with Armchair Expert, Mendes noted that people had been calling him gay since he was 15. Mendes suggested that he is not gay but had struggled because of the remarks a lot —

"Everyone's been calling me gay since I was 15 years old. I'm not gay and I'm like... and I really suffered with that sh*t," Mendes said.

He further shared that some individuals within his close circle who identified as gay had, at times, attempted to impose similar labels on him, which he found frustrating.

Mendes clarified that while there is absolutely nothing wrong with being gay, dealing with these assumptions can be challenging when they do not reflect his own identity.

Shawn Mendes is currently on a limited tour, primarily focused on select cities and international music festivals. He will next appear at the Tempodrom in Berlin, Germany, on November 13, 2024.