Shawn Mendes (alternatively Shawn Mendes: The Album) is the third studio album by Canadian singer Shawn Mendes, released through Island Records on May 25, 2018. It is primarily a pop record, with ingrained influences of pop rock, blues, and R&B. Mendes worked with Ryan Tedder, Julia Michaels, John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid, Camila Cabello, and Khalid. Among the producers are Tedder, Teddy Geiger, Louis Bell, Ian Kirkpatrick, with Mendes serving as an executive producer. It is a follow-up to his 2016 album Illuminate (2016). The album debuted at number one in Canada, making it Mendes' third number one album in his home country. It also debuted at the top of the US Billboard 200. It marked Mendes' third number one album in the US, making him the third youngest artist to top the chart at least three times. The album also topped the charts in Australia, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. It received generally positive reviews from music critics.
The lead single, "In My Blood" peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and reached the top ten in several other countries. "In My Blood", "Lost in Japan", and "Youth" were certified gold or higher in Canada. The album was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album and "In My Blood" for Song of the Year at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
On July 26, 2019, a deluxe version of the album including Mendes' "If I Can't Have You" and the Billboard Hot 100 number-one collaboration with singer Camila Cabello, "Señorita", were released on digital platforms and physical format in certain countries.
Background
The album was recorded over three to four months, primarily at The Woodshed Studio in Malibu, California. Recording sessions also took place in Port Antonio, Jamaica. Mendes drew inspiration from music artists Justin Timberlake, Kings of Leon, Kanye West and Daniel Caesar while making the record. In an interview with The Recording Academy, he declared:
Promotion
To announce the release date, album artwork, and title, Mendes hosted a 9-hour live video stream on YouTube, culminating on April 26, 2018, at midnight. The livestream featured a crew setting up a floral arrangement to recreate the album's cover.
In promotion of the album, Mendes played a concert at the Ford Theatres in Hollywood on May 17, which was live-streamed by Apple Music and followed by a Q&A with radio presenter Zane Lowe. In a surprise PR stunt, Mendes and his team made a stop at Simon Baruch Middle School in NYC, performing three acoustic songs off the new album. The recording of the performance, titled Shawn Mendes: Live In Los Angeles, was released by Apple Music.
Mendes also spent the week of June 4, 2018, on The Late Late Show with James Corden where he performed one of his new songs each night. The full week event was hashtagged as LateLateShawn on social media. He also did a Carpool Karaoke episode where he sang some of his new songs alongside his old ones.
Spotify invited Mendes’ fans for an intimate Spotify Fans First event held on July 19 at Beverly Hills, California.
To promote the album, Mendes embarked on his third solo world tour, called Shawn Mendes: The Tour.
Singles
"In My Blood" was released on March 22, 2018, as the album's lead single, and sent to contemporary hit radio on March 27. "Lost in Japan" was released as the second single on March 23, 2018. "Youth", which features American singer Khalid, was released as the third single. "Where Were You in the Morning?" was released as the fourth single on May 18. "Nervous" was released as the fifth single on May 23. "If I Can't Have You" and "Señorita" were originally released as standalone singles on May 3, 2019, and June 21, 2019, respectively. They were later added to the deluxe edition of the album.
Critical reception
Shawn Mendes received generally positive reviews from music critics, with particular praise towards Mendes' songwriting and artistic maturity compared to his previous work.