Shawn Mendes is taking a break from his tour to focus on his mental health. On Friday, the 23-year-old “Stitches” singer announced that he is pushing back the dates of his upcoming shows for his Wonder world tour.
“This breaks my heart to have to say this, but unfortunately, I’m going to have to postpone the next three weeks of shows through Uncasville, CT, until further notice,” he wrote. He added that he’s “been touring since I was 15, and to be honest, it’s always been difficult to be on the road away from friends and family.”
Mendes said that because he had “a few years off” from touring, “I felt like I was ready to dive back in, but that decision was premature, and unfortunately, the toll of the road and the pressure has caught up to me I’ve hit a breaking point.”
“After speaking with my team and health professionals, I need to take some time to heal and take care of myself and my mental health, first and foremost. As soon as there are more updates, I promise I will let you know; I love you guys,” he concluded. In support of his 2020 album Wonder, Mendes kicked off his world tour in Portland, Oregon, on June 27.
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He was set to continue his tour in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Saturday. The final show he postponed in Uncasville, Connecticut, was scheduled for July 29. In a vulnerable Instagram post shared in December, the Grammy-nominated singer opened up to his fans and said he was having a “hard time with social media at the moment.”
He first thanked his supporters for connecting with his new song, “It’ll Be Okay,” which he released just weeks after splitting from his girlfriend of over two years, Camila Cabello. A source told PEOPLE Magazine that Mendes is now getting the help he needs, adding that he’s a sensitive and caring guy. The insider added, “When he gets frustrated with things around him, he turns inward and suffers. He said he is getting help, so that is admirable.”
The singer first spoke about having anxiety in a 2018 interview with Zane Lowe and said one year later that opening up about the struggle was “one of the scariest but most important things I’ve ever done.”
At the time, Mendes said that addressing his anxiety by releasing the single “In My Blood,” which would go on to earn a Grammy nomination, was cathartic. “Just doing that helped me the most,” he said. “I still struggle with it but just remember every day that everyone deals with some level of anxiety or pressure; we’re all in it together.”
There’s nothing wrong with admitting that you’re overwhelmed and need help. It doesn’t make you weak, and people won’t look down on you due to your decision. In fact, people would admire the fact that you’re opening yourself up to receiving help. Mendes’ decision reminds us that celebrities are regular people who go through the same struggles that we do. Let’s pray that Shawn Mendes gets the help he needs to resume his tour.
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