"This breaks my heart": Shawn Mendes postpones world tour to focus on his mental health

Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes has postponed 12 upcoming tour dates to focus on his mental health. The Stitches singer had announced a world tour earlier in April in support of his 2020 album, Wonder. The tour kicked off on June 27 in Portland, Oregon. However, just days after the commencement of his tour, Shawn Mendes, in a social media post, mentioned that his decision to return to the road was premature, and that he had hit a breaking point and would need some time to heal.

In his Instagram post, the 23-year-old singer wrote:

"This breaks my heart to have to say this, but unfortunately I’m going to have to postpone the next three weeks of shows through Uncasville, CT until further notice. 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. 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.”

Providing a clearer reason for the tour being postponed, Shawn Mendes said:

“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. Love you guys.”

---

Shawn Mendes postpones 12 upcoming tour dates

The first leg of Shawn Mendes' tour, which began on June 27, was previously slated to run through August in support of Dermont Kennedy. The now affected tour dates comprise of the next three weeks of Mendes' touring schedule. The singer was scheduled to perform next in Minnesota at the Xcel Energy Center on July 9, which has now been postponed, along with all remaining July dates.

The July dates where Mendes was scheduled to perform included Omaha, Milwaukee, Rosemount, St. Louis, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Raleigh, Washington, Uncasville, and Toronto. As of yet, the rescheduled dates for the affected venues have not been announced. However, the rest of Mendes’ tour is likely to remain on schedule. The tour will also extend to the UK and Europe in 2023.

In April, Mendes spoke about his issues in an open letter to fans:

"Sometimes I ask myself what it is and what is that I should be doing with my life and what I always hear in return is ‘to tell the truth, to be the truth.’ I feel like that’s a hard thing to do though. I’m afraid that if people know and see the truth that they might think less of me. They might become bored of me. So in those moments of feeling low, I either put on a show or hide."

Adding to the letter, he said:

"The truth is even with so much success, I still find it hard to feel like I’m not failing. Hyper focused on what I don’t have, forgetting to see all that I do. The truth is I’m overwhelmed and overstimulated lol. The truth is ALSO that I’m okay. I’m just tryna tell and be the truth. I like to think that maybe me saying this might resonate with some people.”

---

Shawn Mendes' Wonder tour aims to be climate-friendly

Earlier this year, Mendes noted that his Wonder tour would be a climate-friendly one. The artist noted that both he and his team would be taking various sustainability initiatives. Additionally, merchandise for the tour will be made from sustainable fabrics and fewer dyes. Furthermore, the show would minimize emissions with the help of energy-efficient lighting and power supply. The crew will also aim to use sustainable fuel options while traveling. Finally, food at the venues will be sourced from local farms, and any excess will be donated to appropriate organizations.