Shawn Mendes sure knows how to pull on our heartstrings! The pop crooner came back in 2024 to deliver a heartbreaking performance of his new song “Heart of Gold,” which remembers a childhood friend who passed under tragic circumstances. The Canadian singer-songwriter dropped into the MTV Europe Music Awards to perform his latest single, and his voice is just too swoon-worthy as always.
Mendes rocked up looking suave in a leather jacket and turtleneck combo (not easy to pull off!) and drove his band with a peppy acoustic guitar rhythm. “Heart of Gold” is a great vehicle to show off Mendes’ honeyed voice, and it won’t surprise The Music Man readers to hear that he delivers such a smooth and sweet vocal on the track. The main hook is classic Mendes, and in addition to such a sincere vocal performance, he also delivers on the emotional content of the song so strongly.
Mendes performed at the MTV Europe Music Awards on November 11, 2024, which is also the date MTV uploaded the live cut to YouTube. Fans were loving the 26-year-old star’s comeback after a four-year gap in studio albums and added comments such as “Shawn Mendes’ live vocals aren’t a joke y’all. His vocals are so always angelic, breathtaking, healing, mesmerising, soothing and outta this world” and “No loud backtrack, no lip sync and his mic always on, Shawn Mendes is the real performer.”
You may also like...
- Article Continues Below -
Here at The Music Man we always have time for a Shawn Mendes show! His voice is so versatile and the lad has some serious charisma, there’s no doubt about that. One of the greatest Mendes live cuts is his performance of “Mercy” at the Scotiabank Arena in his hometown of Ontario, Canada. The mix of grit and clean parts in his vocal delivery here is so satisfying to listen to, so it’s no secret as to why the video blew up to 19 million views.
Mendes released “Heart of Gold” on November 1, 2024, as the fourth single from his fifth studio album, Shawn. The album marked a shift into a more personal style of songwriting and a folk-influenced sound. “Heart of Gold” is indicative of this new songwriting direction and might be the most personal song in Mendes’ discography. The song addresses Mendes’ grief over the loss of his childhood friend to an overdose and regret at not being able to be there in his friend’s time of need.