Shawn Mendes says he’s still ‘figuring out’ his sexuality in candid concert speech

Shawn Mendes addressed rampant speculation astir his sexuality — and confessed he is still “figuring it out.”

Before performing his caller opus “The Mountain” astatine nan Red Rocks Amphitheatre successful Colorado connected Monday arsenic portion of his For Friends and Family Only tour, nan Grammy nominee delivered a candid reside that has since gone viral connected TikTok.

“I was really young erstwhile I started. I was 15 years old,” Mendes, now 26, began. “The truth is that I didn’t get to do a batch of 15-year-old things and observe parts of myself that you do astatine 15.”

The vocalist went connected to opportunity that “people person been talking about” his sexuality “for truthful agelong … since [he] was really young.”

He noted, “I deliberation it’s benignant of silly, because I deliberation sexuality is specified a beautifully analyzable thing, and it’s truthful difficult to conscionable put into boxes.

“It ever felt for illustration specified an intrusion connected thing very individual to me,” Mendes continued. “Something that I was figuring retired successful myself, thing that I had yet to observe and still person yet to observe it.”

The songwriter added that he was “speaking freely” successful bid ” to beryllium capable to beryllium person to everyone and conscionable benignant of beryllium successful [his] truth.”

He concluded, “The existent truth astir my life and my sexuality is that, man, I’m conscionable figuring it retired for illustration everyone. And I don’t really cognize sometimes and I cognize different times.”

Mendes called this “really scary because we unrecorded successful a nine that has a batch to opportunity astir that.”

However, nan performer was “trying to beryllium really brave and conscionable let [him]self to beryllium a quality and consciousness things.”

Mendes has spoken retired astir his sexuality aggregate times complete nan years while romantically linked to Camila Cabello, Sabrina Carpenter and much stars.

“I feel for illustration I request to spell beryllium seen pinch personification — for illustration a woman — successful public, to prove to group that I’m not gay,” he told Rolling Stone successful November 2018. “Even though successful my bosom I cognize that it’s not a bad thing.”

The pursuing year, Mendes admitted to nan Guardian that nan rumors were “hurtful” and sewage him “riled up.”

His astir caller comments connected nan taxable took spot during an “Armchair Expert” podcast interview successful 2020.

“I had these problems pinch nan measurement my sound sounded,” nan “Treat You Better” vocalist said astatine nan time. “I’m like, ‘How do I sit?’ I’m ever first to transverse my legs and beryllium pinch a position of this feminine style, and I really suffered pinch that s–t.”

Notably, Mendes sings successful “The Mountain” that fans tin “say [he] likes girls aliases boys, immoderate fits your mold.”