Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran’s “Bam Bam” Lyrics May Allude to Her Breakup with Shawn Mendes

Camila Cabello rang in her 25th birthday by dropping her first song since her split with Shawn Mendes. The Fifth Harmony alumna shared snippets of "Bam Bam" featuring Ed Sheeran on TikTok in February. Since then, fans have been speculating that the uplifting Cuban-inspired song alludes to her breakup with her "Señorita" collaborator.

Shawn released his song, "It'll Be Okay," just two weeks after their breakup, and the lyrics definitely detailed the heartbreak and hope he felt after the split. "Bam Bam" has similar sentiments, only it's more of a party anthem than a ballad. "This is my first time being single in my 20s, which is not even what I'm looking forward to right now," Camila told James Corden in a March 2022 interview promoting the song. "I think right now it's about my girlfriends, and I feel like my focus is on my friendships and just growing as a person."

You may be wondering if the lyrics to "Bam Bam" have anything to do with Camila and Shawn's breakup. Ahead, find a full breakdown of the lyrics to Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran's new track, "Bam Bam."

Lyrics provided by Genius

[Verse 1: Camila Cabello]
You said you hated the ocean, but you're surfin' now
I said I'd love you for life, but I just sold our house
We were kids at the start, I guess we're grown-ups now, mmm
Couldn't ever imagine even havin' doubts
But not everything works out, no

While he was on tour in 2019, Shawn Mendes was asked about his weirdest fear during a fan Q&A in Nashville. "I was in the ocean in Miami at nighttime and I literally had a full panic attack and started crying. It was — you ever, you ever heard of sea fleas? That's a real thing. They bite you in the ocean at nighttime. It's freaking me out," he answered.

In October 2020, he also told Jimmy Fallon his "biggest fear is deep water." However, after Shamila called it quits in November 2021, it seems like Shawn may have moved past his fear since he posted some photos of himself surfing on Instagram.

When Camila says "We were kids at the start, I guess we're grown-ups now," she may be referring to how she and Shawn originally met as teens before they were romantically linked. When they were together, the former couple publicly addressed engagement rumors and revealed that they had plans for marriage. Shawn also explored this detail in "It'll Be Okay," where he sang "The future we dreamed of is fading to black." The former couple also lived together in Miami during the COVID-19 lockdown.

[Pre-Chorus: Camila Cabello]
Now I'm out dancin' with strangers
You could be casually datin'
Damn, it's all changin' so fast

Before diving into the chorus, Camila reflects on her current situation where she's trying to go out and move on from her past relationship. She also alludes to her ex potentially seeing new people.

On March 1, Clevver News reported that Shawn had been allegedly spotted with a new girl according to an anonymous submission to celebrity gossip outlet DeuxMoi. The source claimed to have heard the "Summer of Love" singer talk about how excited he was to see someone named Hollis (or Halle — it's unclear at this time as the news hasn't been confirmed by Shawn or his reps).

[Chorus: Camila Cabello]
Así es la vida, sí
Yeah, that's just life, baby
Yeah, love came around and it knocked me down
But I'm back on my feet
Así es la vida, sí
Yeah, that's just life, baby
I was barely standin', but now I'm dancin'
He's all over me (Goza)

Luckily for non-Spanish speakers, Camila immediately translates "Así es la vida, sí," in the next line, "Yeah, that's just life, baby." The chorus explores the idea that Camila is moving on from her past relationship by dancing with strangers and meeting new people. She says she was "barely standin'," which could mean that the breakup took a toll on her for a bit.

[Post-Chorus: Camila Cabello]
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam (Así es la vida)
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam (Uh-huh)
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam (Eh, eh, uh-huh)
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam (Uh-huh)
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam

[Verse 2: Ed Sheeran]
It's been a hell of a year, thank God we made it out
Yeah, we were ridin' a wave and trying not to drown
And on the surface, I held it together
But underneath, I sorta came unwound
Where would I be? You're all that I need
My world, baby, you hold me down
You always hold me down

Ed's verse refers to having a tough year, which could be because of the global pandemic or other personal factors in the relationship. It sounds like the couple tried to make it work as much as they could but the fate of their relationship unraveled before them.

[Pre-Chorus: Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran]
Well, I've been a breaker and broken
Every mistake turns to moments
Wouldn't take anything back

Before the second chorus, Camila and Ed accept that certain things happen for a reason. They even admit that they made their own mistakes in past relationships.

[Chorus: Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran]
Así es la vida, sí (Así es)
Yeah, that's just life, baby
Yeah, love came around and it knocked me down
But I'm back on my feet
Así es la vida, sí
Yeah, that's just life, baby
I was barely standin', but now I'm dancin'
She's all over me (He's all over me)

[Post-Chorus: Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran]
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam (Ahí, ahí)
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam
Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam (Pónganle azúcar, mi gente!)

[Bridge: Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran]
Y sigue bailando, hey
Y sigue bailando, a-ha
(Keep dancing, yeah)
Y sigue bailando
(Keep dancing, yeah!)
Y sigue bailando (Hey!), a-ha (Hay amor en todos lados)
Y sigue bailando
(Keep dancing, yeah) (Sigue, sigue, sigue bailando)
Y sigue bailando (Hey!) (Hay amor en todos lados)
Y sigue bailando, woah (Sigue, sigue, sigue bailando)

[Chorus: Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran]
Así es la vida, sí
Yeah, that's just life, baby
Yeah, love came around and it knocked me down
But I'm back on my feet
Así es la vida, sí
Yeah, that's just life, baby
I was barely standin', but now I'm dancin'
She's all over me (Hey! Hey!)

[Post-Chorus: Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran]
Now I–, Now I'm dancin' (Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam)
Keep dancing, yeah
Now I–, Now I'm dancin' (Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam)
Keep dancing, yeah
Now I–, Now I'm dancin' (Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam)
Keep dancing, yeah (Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam) (Hey! Hey!)
(Ba-da, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam)
And now I'm dancin' (Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam)
Keep dancing, yeah
Now I'm dancin' (Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam, bam-bam)
Keep dancing, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (Ba-da, bam-bam-bam-bam)
Yeah

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