Reflecting on how much social media affects him, the 'In My Blood' hitmaker opens up about his struggles to ignore online comments and about learning to be authentic with his fans.
- April 9, 2019
AceShowbiz - Shawn Mendes has admitted that he struggles to ignore comments made about him on social media.
The "In My Blood" hitmaker discussed the effect that online comments have on him during an interview with the Guardian, where he claimed that he finds the pressures of fame and living in the public eye "consuming."
"I'm scared of social media and how much it affects me," he reflected. "It's literally become infused with who I am."
While the star confessed that he burdens himself by choosing to engage with the platforms, he suggested that there's "something about being human" that compels him to want to know what's happening online.
The "Stitches" star also noted that, as his number of followers has increased, he has spent a growing amount of time engaging with fans on the platforms, and pinpointed a moment in October (18) when he apologised to fans that his posts weren't "real" enough.
"For the first time I realised how many people are listening," the 20-year-old recalled. "I don't think of myself as conceited, but I definitely spend a lot of time reading about myself."
The "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" singer went on to suggest that authenticity was the key to keeping fans happy.
Shawn Mendes: ‘I’m 20. I want to have fun’ https://t.co/oVKuhzDiX2
— The Guardian (@guardian) 7 April 2019
"The more open the world is getting, the more people are craving real," he concluded. "I don't think people want to see a made-up person. At the end of it, when it comes down to you, I think it's about being authentic."
