Shawn Mendes Says He Ran New Single 'When You're Gone' By Ex-Girlfriend Camila Cabello

Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes broke up in November 2021 after over two years of dating

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Published on April 2, 2022 02:20 PM

Shawn Mendes says his latest single was inspired by the end of his relationship with ex-girlfriend Camila Cabello.

The musician, 23, released his new song, "When You're Gone," on Friday, and told Extra shortly after the single dropped that he wrote the song a month after he and Cabello, 25, split.

Mendes and Cabello were first spotted kissing in 2019, and dated for over two years before calling it quits in November 2021.

"A month later, you kind of start having all the memories of things that happened, and all the memories of so many amazing things … and I was writing about that," Mendes told Extra of the songwriting process for "When You're Gone."

Mendes also told the outlet he reached out to Cabello before releasing his song, explaining, "Camila and I have always been writers for as long as we've known each other, so we understand what that means. And we respect what that means. And there'll always be transparency between us."

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

The Canadian singer said he wrote the single because he wanted to be "open and candid," telling Extra that the "one way you can connect with actual people in a real way" is "by being truthful and being vulnerable."

The "Stitches" singer also shared how he is doing months after his breakup from Cabello, admitting he has been leaning on friends and family and managing his anxiety with meditation.

"I think a lot of it is relying on people around you," he told Extra. "I have a lot of amazing friends and family and I just kind of balanced it out between them."

Mendes recently opened up further about single life, sharing a video to Twitter last month in which he told his followers, "I think that's the reality, that kinda I am on my own now after, like, finally I am actually on my own and I hate that."

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The singer clarified his comment to Extra, explaining, "I don't hate being on my own, actually. There's a lot of amazing things about being on your own."

He continued, "I think that what I was referring to is when you're so used to always having somebody to call that second, that person isn't there anymore, it can feel like everything's falling apart. But then if you can kind of work through that and let yourself kind of get through that, you can start to be that person for yourself, and be that strength yourself, which is a huge, huge thing."

Even though he's now single, Mendes won't be putting pressure on himself to strike up a new romance anytime soon.

"I never really say yes or no to that question," he said when asked if he is "looking to stay single."

"It is what it is," Mendes added. "I really think that I'd like to be as full and satisfied and content within myself before I try to get that from somebody else."