It's not often an artist comes along that can unashamedly appeal to our dad and little sister alike; but Shawn Mendes is that act. On paper, he should've all too easily been written off as tween pin-up fodder as he made the transition from Vine star to musician, but Shawn's music has always spoken for itself.
Yes, he's arguably quite aesthetically-pleasing and yes, we've set a certain underwear ad as our phone background; but Shawn's talent as an actual-authentic-artist means he's managed to transcend the teen pop genre and get audiences to listen, not just look.
The first time we saw Shawn live was back in 2015 at 600-capacity London venue The Garage. Now, just four years later, he's headlining the O2 Arena at the first of three sold out nights and we're flapping about like a proud mum. Think proper "You're doing amazing, sweetie" Kris Jenner vibes.
So, does Shawn's latest show cement his status as this generation's big male pop star? Let's find out.
The setlist
What with this tour being called Shawn Mendes: The Tour after his self-titled 2018 album, we were expecting to sacrifice some of our old faves in favour of the latest record. But the best bit? He somehow managed to curate a setlist spanning his entire career.
With Shawn's output maturing with each of his three albums, it can't have been easy to seamlessly integrate his earlier, poppier tracks with the more soulful sound of his latest material; but it works.
Fans who've been with Shawn since Handwritten days will be pleased to know that debut single Life of the Party's in there, as is our favourite Never Be Alone (this time replacing the whistled hook with a euphoric chant - such a moment.)
It was newer album tracks like Particular Taste and Nervous that properly brought the house down; suggesting that his fanbase are totally willing to let go of his 'teeny bopper' past in favour of some falsetto and all-out live instrumentation.
The staging
You know how there's always that worry that your seats are gonna be a bit sh*tty and you'll end up squinting to watch someone the size of an actual ant on stage? Not here, hun.
The main stage itself is a far cry from that tiny 2015 gig at The Garage; super-slick, huge production values and the obligatory big screen to see every pore of his oh-so-perfect face.
Then there's the b-stage. Ensuring he can get up close and personal with those at the back, Shawn runs down to the second stage - complete with its giant white rose - for a section of the set. Hoorah.
The best bits
Opener Lost in Japan may have potentially left us with perforated eardrums (the screams were REAL), but it bops so hard it's a sacrifice we're glad we made. Elsewhere, his inspiring speech before Youth left us feeling like we could take on anything (or Helen from HR on a particularly bad day, at least.)
Introducing the song, he told the audience they have 'the power to change the world,' and we got the vibe everybody truly believed it. While the world's a bit messed up right now, Shawn Mendes could be our unexpected saviour.
Also we hate to objectify the chap, but there was a moment the biceps came out and we weren't mad about it.
The final verdict: 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There aren't many popstars we witness flourish from 16-year-old heartthrob to acclaimed musician in one natural, seamless transition, but Shawn's done it. If you'd told people he'd be performing sold out arena dates back in his Vine days, they might've laughed in your face or written him off as a 'flavour of the month'-type.
Now, we can genuinely see him performing headline stadium shows in the next couple of years. There's nothing holding him back (yep, we went there).
WATCH: Shawn Mendes plays The Brit Quiz with heat
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