Wonderland.
Shawn Mendes in conversation with Kevin Abstract
"I think at this point I’ve just learned that
it is what it is, and it’s all changeable, you
know? You don’t have to wish and wait for
your wish to come true to change something
about yourself, you can work at it."
At 14-years-old, he taught himself how to
At 14-years-old, he taught himself how to
play the guitar at home in his native Toronto.
By 15, he was on social media app Vine,
amassing over half a billion views before
its subsequent close quickly chucked him
headfirst into the spotlight – blissfully
ambitious and unprepared for what fame
could throw at him. But unlike other
pop stars with a following as big as him,
each time he delves into his past, the
narrative isn’t the same polished,
pre-packaged tale churned out and
chewed over by the mouths of many.
Mendes undoubtedly radiates in his
ability to be honest, repeatedly delving
deeper and deeper into the crippling
anxieties and struggles he’s faced as
one of the biggest pop stars of our
generation. Perhaps because underneath
it all, Mendes is still just a small-town boy
from Canada who willingly gave over his
heart to music.
Ahead of the eagerly awaited drop of new
Ahead of the eagerly awaited drop of new
single “ Summer of Love”, more music to
come and a rumoured global tour, Mendes
covers our summer issue delving into
everything from crippling self-pressures to
unrealistic expectations. In a refreshingly
frank and sincere conversation, Mendes
opens up to Kevin Abstract on everything
from comparison culture to the power of
therapy, and how he struggles to live up
to the idealistic projection of his own image.
Photographer: Max Montgomery
Fashion Direction: Gorge Villalpando
Entertainment Director + Producer: Erica Cornwall
Groomer: Anna Bernabé at The Wall Group
Styling: Tiffany Briseno
Styling: Tiffany Briseno
Editorial Director Huw Gwyther
Videographer: R.J. Goni
Digital Tech: Aladdin Islim
Lighting Assistants: Thomas Patton and Daniel Byun
Fashion Coordinators: Anissa Silvas and Britt Frascht
Fashion Assistants: Bree Banuelos and Nash Koshiro
A very special thanks to @Mav_farm and @lost.sho_w
Location thanks to Jack Joseph Puig and Linda Mathis
Wonderland's SUMMER 2021 Issue Ships Now
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