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Shawn Mendes opened up about his decision to cancel his 2022 Wonder: The World Tour. Speaking on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast on September 30, Mendes reflected on the mental health struggles that led to the tour's abrupt end and how it helped him regain balance in his life.
The singer-songwriter had kicked off the Wonder: The World Tour in June 2022 but canceled it after performing just seven shows. He cited his need to prioritize his mental health, battling anxiety and depression throughout the tour.
He shared that while the choice was incredibly difficult, it ultimately became a life-changing moment for him. Mendes emphasized that this break allowed him to focus on self-discovery, describing it as the greatest decision of his life.
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"Canceling that tour was by far the hardest decision of my life and by far the greatest decision of my life — and it gave me a life, you know?" He said.
Shawn Mendes's struggle with mental health
In his conversation with Jay Shetty, the 26-year-old musician opened up about the internal challenges that pushed him to step back from touring. Mendes described experiencing a "general darkness or lowness" that affected his ability to enjoy life, explaining that he viewed everything around him through the lens of depression and anxiety.
"I had nowhere to go when things were getting hard," the singer shared.
Shawn Mendes noted that despite having gone through difficult times on previous tours, this experience was different. He shared that he felt 'disconnected' from other aspects of his life, making it impossible to take a break and find balance. The pressure of constantly being on the road, combined with his mental health struggles, left him feeling isolated.
"I didn't have other aspects of life that I felt connected to, that I could have leaned into to have a little bit of a break from touring," Mendes explained, "And I knew there was only one way of doing that. And it was just like creating a life." He added.
Canceling the tour was not an easy choice for Shawn Mendes. He admitted that the decision impacted not only his fans but also the nearly 100 members of his touring team. Mendes expressed guilt about the sacrifices his team had made, saying,
"It was like, 'Oh man, people were excited,' you know? People were proud of what they created, and that was the hard part."
However, despite the challenges, the singer believes that canceling the tour gave him the time he needed to reconnect with himself and take care of his mental health.
Before canceling the tour, Shawn Mendes had tried to reschedule several shows to keep the tour going. But as time passed, he stepped down and declared that he required some time to ensure that he got back to his best physically. In a message posted on Instagram in July 2022, Mendes said,
"It has become more clear that I need to take the time I've never taken personally, to ground myself and come back stronger."
Shawn Mendes recently headlined the promotion of his upcoming studio album, Shawn, which is expected to be out on October 18, 2024.
