About a week ago, Camila Cabello released her sophomore album Romance. Based on the title, and her very public relationship with Shawn Mendes, fans and pop-culture lovers alike were highly anticipating what the new songs would reveal about their relationship. But, this relationship has been a long time coming. For years, my mom has been saying, “If Shawn and Camila don’t end up with each other, there is something wrong with this world; they obviously like each other.” Now that they’re together, it’s time to hear what their music catalogs reveal about the relationship that has been brewing since they met in 2014.
Below I compiled Shawn and Camila’s songs, new and old, that tell their love story, as close to chronologically as I could get it. So sit back, relax, and take a listen to this playlist of sorts.
- “Roses” – Shawn (2016)
-
In this song, Shawn is afraid to tell a girl his feelings because she is happy with another guy. However, he’s not afraid of rejection; he’s scared of hurting her by telling her the truth. Based on what we find out from the following songs, chances are high that he is singing about Camila.
Some key lyrics: “It’s not that I’m afraid I’m not enough for her… But when she’s with him, she seems happier, and I don’t want to take that away;” “I’m worried that your heart might feel the same;” “It’s not that I don’t want to see you smile, but there’s no way that he can feel the same, ‘cause when I think of you my mind goes wild;” “You can tell me stop if you already know… but the look on your face says, ‘don’t let me go.’”
- “Lost in Japan” – Shawn (2018)
-
With “Lost in Japan,” Shawn sings about being so into someone that he can’t stop thinking about her, and he would be willing to go to any length to spend time with her. He also sings about tension and knows that the relationship with this person is more than just friendship. Conveniently, his “friend” Camila was on a press tour in Japan about a month and a half before this song was released. Coincidence? I think not.
Some key lyrics: “I’m a couple hundred miles from Japan, and I was thinking I could fly to your hotel tonight, ‘cause I can’t get you off my mind;” “I could feel the tension, we could cut it with a knife. I know it’s more than just a friendship, I can hear you think I’m right;” “I was hoping I could get lost in your paradise, the only thing I’m thinking ‘bout is you…”
- “All These Years” – Camila (2018)
-
From her debut album, this song is about a time when all her feelings for Shawn came back, but he was unaware and with someone else (presumably Hailey Bieber).
Some key lyrics: “Your hair’s grown a little longer, your arms look a little stronger;” THE WHOLE CHORUS, “Sounds like you’re happy with her, but does she kiss you like I kissed you?”; “I never told you after all these years.”
- “Why” – Shawn (2018)
-
This one is undoubtedly about how Shawn and Camila both liked each other, but they never did anything about it. Instead, they distracted themselves with other people and pretended that there wasn’t anything there. Every single lyric in this song is extremely revealing about his history with Camila. It’s hard to narrow it down, but…
Some key lyrics: “We want each other, no one will break first;” “When people ask about us, now, we just brush it off;” “I pretend that I’m not ready — why do we put each other through hell? Why can’t we just get over ourselves?”; “When I hear you sing, it gets hard to breathe, can’t help but think every song’s about me;” “You are the muse in the back of my mind.”
- “Mutual” – Shawn (2018)
-
Listen, this song could be about either Hailey Bieber or Camila. But, since Shawn refers to Camila as his muse in “Why,” I’m including it. Simply, he’s saying he doesn’t want to play a game anymore; he just wants to know if she has the same feelings he does.
Some key lyrics: “My feelings never change. What do you want from me?”; THE WHOLE CHORUS, “You got me questioning, the way you act and take it back;” “Are you playin’ me, is this a game?
- “Because I Had You” – Shawn (2018)
-
In this song, Shawn talks about having to move on because he messed up — he set someone he loved free, and now she’s happy with someone else. This screams Camila, with all their history, and even the mention of her younger sister.
Some key lyrics: “Should’ve told you not to go, thought I knew just what I wanted…”; “You’re with somebody I can’t be, but I can tell that you’re happy;” “It’s time for me to finally meet somebody new, and tell myself that she’s the one to get me through;” “And does your sister ask about me? You and I, what we had, is it gone forever?”; “There’s nothin’ left to lose because I had you… nothin’ that I could do, I wish I had you.”
- “When You’re Ready” – Shawn (2018)
-
This one pulls on some serious heartstrings. Shawn has finally realized that he is completely in love with Camila and that he’s willing to wait for her.
Some key lyrics: “Don’t know why I try, cause ain’t nobody like you, familiar disappointment every single time I do. Every single night my arms are not around you, my mind’s still wrapped around you;” “Even ten years from now, if you haven’t found somebody, I promise I’ll be around;” “What if my dad is right when he says that you’re the one? No, I can’t even argue, I won’t even fight him on it;” “And if I have to, I’ll wait forever. Say the word and I’ll change my plans.”
- “If I Can’t Have You” – Shawn (2019)
-
This one is much more upbeat than his last. In this song, even though he’s been keeping his distance, Camila is still all that Shawn thinks about; his love for her completely consumes him.
Some key lyrics: THE WHOLE CHORUS, “It doesn’t matter ‘cause I’m so consumed, spending all my nights reading texts from you;” “I’m good at keeping my distance, I know that you’re the feeling I’m missing;” “I’m so sorry that my timing’s off, but I can’t move on if we’re still gonna talk. Is it wrong for me to not want half? I want all of you, all the strings attached.”
- “Should’ve Said It” – Camila (2019)
-
“Should’ve Said It” is Camila’s angry and frustrated reaction to Shawn finally confessing his feelings for her; even though she wanted to be with him before, she had found happiness dating someone else by the time Shawn was ready.
Some key lyrics: THE WHOLE CHORUS, “Sendin’ me our songs, but they don’t really sound like before;” “I was crazy for you, all caught up and confused;” “Isn’t it magic that when you stop lookin’ for it, it happens;” “I knew it was you from the very first night and it took you two years to make up your mind.”
- “Feel It Twice” – Camila (2019)
-
This song and “Should’ve Said It” are about Shawn confessing his feelings. However, while “Should’ve Said It” is anger and frustration, “Feel It Twice” is the guilt, hurt, and awkward tension. It chronicles telling/hurting him, how they drifted apart, and Camila getting in her head. She painstakingly thinks about how much Shawn must be hurting and the fact that she’s moved on, not sure that she could feel the same way again.
Some key lyrics: “I wish you had felt how you’re feeling two years ago;” THE WHOLE CHORUS; “Can’t imagine the pain that you feel when I kiss his face;” “That’s when you said, ‘How can I be your friend when I know the way you tase?’”; “I don’t know what’s worse, getting broken or making it break.”
- “Senorita” – Shawn AND Camila (2019)
-
Okay, so everyone knows this song, and it was technically released while they were “just friends,” and Camila was dating her ex, Matthew Hussey. But, there is no way that Shawn didn’t write this about the two of them, even if it’s just a romanticized or fictionalized version.
Some key lyrics: “I wish I could pretend I didn’t need ya;” “You, say ‘We’re just friends,’ but friends don’t know the way you taste;” “‘Cause you know it’s been a long time comin’;” “All along I’ll be coming for ya.”
- “Liar” – Camila (2019)
-
This song is all about how Camila was just lying to herself about her feelings for Shawn. The beginning is just all of the little lies she was telling herself, and as the song goes on, she starts to realize what she was doing.
Some key lyrics: “I don’t care, it’s been too long, it’s kinda like we didn’t happen,” “Oh no, there you go, you’re making me a liar;” “I think I wanna let it happen;” “But what if you kiss me? And what if I like it?”; “Here comes trouble;” “I don’t believe myself when I say that I don’t need you… so, don’t believe me.”
- “Shameless” – Camila (2019)
-
Following “Liar,” this song is Camila’s full acceptance of her strong feelings for Shawn; it’s her emotional, creative way of saying “let’s do this!” and giving the relationship her all.
Some key lyrics: “Been running from it for the longest time;” “So many mornings I woke up confused;” “My kisses are history, they go back a long time;” “I need you more than I want to.”
- “Bad Kind of Butterflies” – Camila (2019)
-
In this song, Camila talks through having to break up with Matthew to pursue her feelings with Shawn. It’s full of anxiety, shows just how distressed and guilty she felt over the situation.
Some key lyrics: “What do I do when I love you and want somebody else? What do I lose if I don’t choose and keep it to myself?”; “There’s something I gotta confess, yes, somebody’s stuck in my head;” “I know I said we were friends, and when I said that I meant it. Somewhere between now and then, it became more than just a friendship;” “Warnin’ me it’s a mistake, I just know I gotta make it.”
- “Used to This” – Camila (2019)
-
This song is all about how, after being friends for so long, dating Shawn is weird and is going to take getting used to, but she likes it. It references the infamous trip to San Francisco, where they were photographed holding hands and kissing all over the city.
Some key lyrics: “No, I never liked San Francisco, never thought it was nothin’ special ‘til you kissed me there;” “It’s gonna take me a minute, but I could get used to this;” “I’ve known you forever, now I know you better;” “Seventeen when we started to fall, but we lost it all.”
Fun fact: I was at the concert he played that weekend, and she watched from the sound mix station, which was right where I was standing. It was so precious watching him sing songs about her, directly to her. I don’t have super high-quality evidence of my proximity to Camila, but check out this fun photo of Shawn and me.
- “Easy” – Camila (2019)
-
Okay, this one may or may not be about their relationship, but it’s worth putting here just in case. It’s a sweet love song about truly feeling known and loved by someone.
Some key lyrics: “You really, really know me, the future and the old me;” “You know me and you love me, and it’s the kind of thing I always hoped I’d find;” “Always thought I was hard to love ‘til you made it seem so easy;” “All I know is you heal me when I’m broken… all I know is you saved me and you know it.”
- “Lover Remix” – Taylor Swift ft. Shawn Mendes (2019)
-
In the remix of Taylor Swift’s heartfelt song, “Lover,” Shawn sings about his relationship with Camila and what he dreams for their future.
Some key lyrics: “See, I finally got you now, honey, I won’t let you fall;” “Look in my eyes, they will tell you the truth, the girl in my story has always been you.”
Congrats if you made it this far. To reward you, here is one of my favorite tv interviews of all time, which just so happens to be a fetus Shawmila squirming and denying their feelings on national television.