Shawn Mendes is finding himself at odds — in his relationship, and simultaneously, with the world. With recent headlines surrounding Mendes’ personal life, as well as contemporary global issues, his latest single, “What The Hell Are We Dying For,” feels more timely than ever.
On the song, Shawn questions the state of a relationship and where it’s going, over a rolling percussion loop and clashing guitars.
“If we don’t love like we used to / And we don’t care like we used to / What the hell are we dying for?,” he sings on the song’s chorus.
While it’s unclear when the song was written or recorded, it arrives at a strange time in Mendes’ life.
Earlier today, it was reported that Mendes and Camila Cabello had broken up again, just six weeks after they had reportedly rekindled their romance.
Also strange was the fact that the single’s cover appears to be an image of New York City engulfed in orange smog, after a wildfire in Canada caused the smoke to spread over to New York. Mendes himself is Canadian, so it’s likely that the wildfire hits close to home for him.
You can listen to “What The Hell Are We Dying For” above?