Shawn Mendes Released A New Song About The Canadian Wildfires, And People Are Having Really Strong Reactions
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Shawn Mendes released a surprise new single, and it's receiving a lot of attention — some good and a lot bad.
On Thursday, the 24-year-old Canadian singer announced on Twitter and Instagram that he was dropping a new song, "What the Hell Are We Dying For?," at midnight.
The single artwork was a recognizable image for everybody in Canada and the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Midwest US experiencing the wildfire smoke, and it received a lot of mixed reactions.
The Lyle, Lyle Crocodile star shared a snippet of the single along with a caption that read, "Started writing this song yesterday morning with my friends in upstate New York & finished it only a few hours ago...felt so important to me to share with you guys in real time."
WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DYING FOR ? OUT NOWStarted writing this song yesterday morning with my friends in upstate Newyork & finished it only a few hours ago..felt so important to me to share with you guys in real time ♥️♥️ https://t.co/9ODeE5v5FB pic.twitter.com/S3HUpk672s
— Shawn Mendes (@ShawnMendes) June 9, 2023
And yes, if you're wondering, the writing-buddy friends he is talking about are the "Smoothie Squad" from this infamous photo a while back.
Although Shawn included that he's "also donating to the Canadian Red Cross," a lot of people still had negative reactions to the single and album artwork for the song.
it’s giving pic.twitter.com/BuhZgJjwvl
— viviana (fan) (@repmiIas) June 9, 2023
Oh, that’s not — https://t.co/AmY5unqjVU pic.twitter.com/ulgYiwMnVA
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) June 9, 2023
Dreamworks Animation / Via Twitter: @notcapnamerica
not him profiting off of a natural disaster chi
— LOVER ERA | ROSÉ⁴ (@rosestdreams) June 9, 2023
Oh god this is Shawn Mendes’ “we are the world” isn’t it 😭
— a girl with no face ⚡️ (@Stop_Hammerzeit) June 9, 2023
It’s been a day and we’re already using the polluted NY skyline as cover art this is insane 💀💀 https://t.co/OhXo6ET86G
— Nicholas (@NicholasPas5) June 9, 2023
shawn mendes seeing the dangerously hazardous skies of new york and thinking what a beautiful album art aesthetic that would make pic.twitter.com/Y9vsSND2Yy
— ethan #CrackerBarrelHasFallen (@ethanshumjr) June 9, 2023
he tried to be like lana and have those long ass titles but failed.. miserably.
— #h (@hoefied) June 9, 2023
Other users even accused Shawn of using the song as a metaphor to sing about his relationship with Camila Cabello.
listened to shawn mendes’ new song and it’s not even a climate change song? lmao. it’s a breakup song. and i actually like it. boy that cover is so unnecessary.
— gabe (@____gabe__) June 9, 2023
thinking Shawn's new song was going to be about climate change with that cover, but nope it's actually a breakup song about Camila?? the things I could say about this especially with the timing of his release😶
— I_just_ship_people (@ijustshippeople) June 9, 2023
Lmao with the title and the cover art and the way he dropped it I expected Shawn's single to be about climate change and the crisis in the Canada and US... it's about Camila 💀
— ryan 💚 (@lmolmsupremacy) June 9, 2023
While some users came to Shawn's defense, citing this is nothing new because he's always been vocal about climate change.
one thing i really respect shawn mendes for is he does NOT hesitate to make & release music to raise awareness to a current situation SO quickly
— saskia (@beersgravity) June 9, 2023
twitter: i wish artists used their platform to bring up whats happening in the world right now, even just talking about it would do so muchshawn mendes: *does it*twitter: does he really think a song is gonna change the world??? all hes doing is profiting off tragedies!!!
— bella ♡ loves smallville (@fearlesshoax_) June 9, 2023
