Shawn Mendes Cancels World Tour To Focus On His Mental Health

Three weeks after postponing his Wonder: The World Tour in order to focus on his mental health, Shawn Mendes has canceled all remaining tour dates “to take the time I’ve never taken personally,” the 23-year-old wrote in an Instagram post.

“As you guys know, I had to postpone the past few weeks of shows since I wasn’t totally prepared for the toll that being back on the road would take on me,” Mendes wrote. “I started this tour excited to finally get back to playing live after a long break due to the pandemic, but the reality is I was not at all ready for how difficult touring would be after this time away.”

After speaking with his team and working with health professionals, he added, “It has become more clear that I need to take the time I’ve never taken personally, to ground myself and come back stronger. I unfortunately have to cancel the rest of the tour dates in North America, and the UK/Europe. We were hopeful that I might be able to pick up with the rest of the dates after some much needed time off, but at this time I have to put my health as my first priority. This doesn’t mean I won’t be making new music, and I can’t wait to see you on tour in the future.

“I know you all have been waiting so long to see these shows, and it breaks my heart to tell you this but I promise I will be back as soon as I’ve taken the right time to heal. I love you all and thank you all so much for supporting me and sticking by me on this journey.”

Mendes released his fourth studio album, Wonder, in December 2020. In an interview about his documentary Wonder, which debuted on NetflixNFLX
in November 2020, he opened up about the toll fame was taking.

Looking back on footage taken during his 2019 tour in São Paulo, Brazil, he said at the time, “I’m really seeing how much pressure I put myself, and in hindsight I’m like, ‘Dude, you have to give yourself a break. You really put so much pressure on yourself.’ And it was really beautiful because I was able to have this love and respect for myself that I think I only got because of the film.”

On July 8, he announced he was pushing back the next three weeks of Wonder tour dates “until further notice” because “the toll of the road and the pressure” of touring had caused him to hit “a breaking point.”

“I’ve 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,” he noted at the time. “After a few years off the road, 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 and I’ve hit a breaking point.”

He added, “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.”