How’s your Shawn Mendes problem doing? My attraction to Shawn Mendes wavers every time I’m reminded of his age. He’s 19. He’s legal so we’re (Lainey and Sasha also have Shawn Mendes problems) not THAT creepy but I still keep trying to forget this. There are points in his episode of Carpool Karaoke with James Corden where I am still very into Shawn Mendes but as I’ve been saying since he started to release undeniably great pop songs, it’s the music that makes him appealing to me.
When he’s not singing during Carpool Karaoke, his age is very apparent. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still as adorable as a puppy eating ice cream and he’s definitely a handsome dude but when he opens his mouth, he reminds us that he’s just a kid whose mom still does his laundry. Shawn also reveals to James Corden that he would buy Justin Bieber’s used underwear. There is not a celebrity in the world I love enough to want to be anywhere near their janky undies. Shawn and James are clearly kidding about paying for Biebs’ boxers but Shawn has been very open about how much he stans for Justin Bieber and his album is steeped with JB’s influence so maybe he would pay $500 to get a whiff of the little Biebs. That was disgusting and I apologize.
Shawn also talks about his obsession with Harry Potter that means nothing to me but Lainey is probably swooning. Shawn’s totally a Hufflepuff. Did I do that right? (Lainey: I’m impressed. He is TOTALLY Hufflepuff, like Duana and Maria LOL.) Shawn Mendes is unashamed of his fanboy tendencies and that makes him hot again. I love it when celebs don’t try to pretend that they’re above nerding out over the same sh-t we do. Shawn Mendes is also unashamed of his Canadian roots. He and James play hockey in a bit that ends up being more corny than charming but mainly because James Corden’s shtick is stale as f-ck.
The biggest takeaway from Shawn Mendes’s Carpool Karaoke is that he’s just a nice boy from Canada. There is no edge to Shawn Mendes. He can’t even convincingly fake road rage. The idea of getting into a fight with James Corden makes him so uncomfortable that he says, “We would just have to get out and hug them.”
This is very on brand. I’ve said this before but Shawn Mendes gets to grow up and enjoy the fruits of adult pop stardom while keeping his childlike personality and good guy image intact. His female peers don’t have this luxury. I don’t think Shawn should be judged for this but I’m still fascinated by his trajectory. Again, I think it goes back to the music.
Watch Shawn’s full Carpool Karaoke below. He hits at note at the 3:40 mark that revitalized my Shawn Mendes problem. Let’s just pretend he’s 25?
Attached - Shawn playing Wango Tango on the weekend.
