Shawn Mendes wants to be more "vocal and vulnerable".
Shawn Mendes
The 'If I Can't Have You' hitmaker - who won Solo Artist at the GQ Men of the Year Awards on Thursday (26.11.20) night - feels it is important to "drop his guard" and hopes his decision to be more open and honest will "inspire other people to do the same".
He said: "It opens the door up for softness and sweetness and support. I really just want to be someone who drops his guards and hopefully inspires others to do the same.
"I’m not really caring if that affects whatever my image should be, or would be or what, because I think there’s something so important here. And that’s to make people feel better and make people feel safe and supported. But the truth is, it’s so hard to be human."
And Shawn admits there was a time where he feared losing fans if he didn't exercise.
Speaking about his fear if he didn't work out, he shared: "Some days I would have three hours of sleep, because I’d get up two hours early just to be able to work out, [with a voice in my head telling me], 'If you don’t work out, you're going to lose fans.'"
However, seeing how his girlfriend Camila Cabello responded to his critics "changed his life".
He said: "So strong, so clear and confident with her body and so articulate and empathetic about other people's and it really changed my view of mine. It really changed my life. Taking that extra few hours of sleep, instead of waking up to pump iron, is a better choice sometimes."
Shawn has enjoyed being able to do "mundane" things in lockdown.
He told GQ: "I had a routine, watched a movie nightly with family, did the dishes, stuff that sounds pretty mundane, but actually when you’re living in a hotel room, you never do laundry."
Tagged in Shawn Mendes Camila Cabello