Shawn Mendes dropped a surprise new single on Friday that suggested that it was composed as a response to the ongoing wildfires that covered large portions of southern Ontario and across the U.S. east coast early in the week.
The Canadian pop singer released the new track, entitled “What The Hell Are We Dying For?,” in the early hours of Friday night, following a teaser the day before.
With a cover image featuring an image of the New York City skyline shrouded in a cloud of burning orange smoke, the tune seems to be written as a reaction to the ongoing wildfires in Canada.
“Smoke in the air, the city's burnin' down / I wanna speak, but I don't make a sound,” sings the opening line of the song in the song, and it then moves into a rousing chorus.
Mendes The singer, who is 24, posted on Twitter on Friday, early in the morning. He began writing the song during the week with some friends from the state of New York. He completed the song only hours before the public release.
“Felt so important to me to share with you guys in real time,” He wrote on a social media site.
Mendes is a native of Ontario and grew up in Pickering, Ont., has also asked his followers to make donations money to the Canadian Red Cross, which helps with disaster relief efforts in the United States.
Although the new single has received praise, others have criticised Mendes who used the wildfire to highlight his music.
While there is a nod to climate change in a few lyrics, critics said the majority of the songs be about the ending of a relationship. Some speculate the possibility of a split together with Camila Cabello. (The two have been involved in having an off-and-on relationship.)
“If we don't love like we used to / If we don't care like we used to / What the hell are we dying for?” Read the lyrics to the chorus.
“What The Hell Are We Dying For?” is the first single by Mendes in 2023.
The singer has made a statement regarding climate change before. In 2022, he declared the “Wonder” world tour would comprise a number of sustainable initiatives in the hopes of cutting down the carbon footprint of each show by 50.
“We are in a pivotal moment for climate, and it's crucial to me that this tour is a step in the right direction,” Mendes stated in a letter to Billboard in the year 2000.
Listen to Shawn Mendes – WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DYING FOR? below:
WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DYING FOR?
by Shawn Mendes
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