Camila Cabello & Shawn Mendes's Complete Relationship Timeline
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What's going on with Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, anyway? The former couple has been keeping fans guessing for a while, what with that headline-making cozy reunion during Weekend 1 of Coachella 2023 and now a sighting at the 2024 Copa América. The couple initially called it quits in November 2021 after about two years of dating, but it seems like their story is far from over.
As a couple, Mendes and Cabello have loved a game of romantic cat-and-mouse, starting with their early duets all the way back in 2015 to their steamy music videos and performances, so a reunion is definitely plausible — even if just as friends.
Regardless of their current relationship status, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello's romance has been a long time in the making. Let's take a trip down memory lane for all things Shawnmila, from their most recent sighting together to their very first meeting.
July 15, 2024: Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes attend the Copa América final together
Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes seem to be refueling romance rumors after being spotted attending the Copa América final between Argentina and Colombia at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium on July 15, 2024. Captured by multiple attendees, the duo sat at one of the VIP boxes at the stadium and were spotted chatting and laughing throughout the game. Though for many, the sighting was the ultimate sign of friendship, others theorized it could mean the former flame might have rekindled their love.
June 28, 2024: Camila Cabello seemingly avoids naming Shawn Mendes at Glastonbury 2024
Camila Cabello officially entered her C,XOXO era with a set at Glastonbury 2024, and she seemingly purposely avoided naming Mendes when it was time to perform “Se?orita.” As captured by videos from festival goers, Cabello simply said, “It's a male voice, I can't sing,” during Mendes's part.
March 2024: Camila Cabello opens up about getting back together with Shawn Mendes after their breakup
Camila Cabello opened up about her and Shawn Mendes's reconciliation at length on the Call Her Daddy podcast, saying that they got back together because she's "kind of impulsive in that way.” She added: “If I feel it, I say it. I would rather say it and see what happens and then wake up the next day and find out that it’s been heavily documented. I opted for that route. It is what it is. It was a fun time; it was a fun moment.”
Cabello added that she “will always care about [Mendes] and love him. He’s such a good person" and said she was “lucky because some people have exes who are awful, and he is not. He’s a really kind, good person.”
Cabello also admitted breaking up a second time “wasn’t even like a decision” since the two realized it was “not a fit.” She added: “Luckily, it took us both less time to be like, ‘This doesn’t feel right, and we don’t really need to try so hard to make it work. It’s all good, let’s move on.’”
February 2024: Camila Cabello teases new music inspired by Shawn Mendes breakup
In an interview with Puss Puss magazine, Cabello opened up about her new music and admitted it was inspired by a past relationship without namechecking anyone. “It’s me sitting with this feeling of understanding that I feel really confused as a 26-year-old who I really felt I was in love with this person,” she told the publication. “Now I feel kind of lonely and small and weird, but at the same time, I’m an adult, and I feel so strong in other areas of my life, but not this one. There’s just the wrestling of those feelings without it being kind of neat or in a box. You can’t really say that it’s a sad song, you can’t really pin it down. It’s just kind of me wrestling with these feelings and me kind of being really present on a particular feeling and exploring it. I feel like a lot of songs on the album are that.”
June 9, 2023: Fans speculate whether Mendes's new song is about Cabello.
On June 9, Mendes dropped his surprise single “What the Hell Are We Dying For?" — the cover art for the track was an image of the smoke-obscured New York City skyline, a result of smoke traveling across the Northeast from Canadian wildfires and damaging the air quality. Based on the album art, fans believed the new track would be a climate crisis protest song. And yet, only the first line actually references the wildfires and the its disastrous effects on the climate.
“Smoke in the air / the city's burnin' down,” starts Mendes, before switching to references about a troubled romantic relationship. “I wanna speak, but I don't make a sound / Locked in my mind, you're all I think about / I wanna save us, but I don't know how.” The chorus goes on to ask the question in the song's title, in an unexpected context: “If you're not mine and I'm not yours / What the hell are we dying for?”
“Started writing this song yesterday morning with my friends in upstate Newyork [sic] & finished it only a few hours ago..felt so important to me to share with you guys in real time,” Mendes wrote on Twitter a few minutes after the song's midnight release.
Along with a wave of critiques that the Canadian singer is using the wildfires as a marketing method for a breakup record, Mendes is also facing hot backlash from fans, who assume the lyrics are about Camila Cabello. “He’s so unserious for framing this like a climate change call to action song and it’s literally just about Camila Cabello,” one fan tweeted. “Expectation: about the fires, reality: another breakup song about camilla [sic],” tweeted another.
Mendes clarified that he is “also donating to Canadian Red Cross,” and shared the link to the organization's site encouraging fans to “learn more or donate if you can." Breakup song or not, we guess we can respect Mendes posing the question in the first place: what the hell are we dying for? But here's another important question, posed by a fan online: “How many more songs about Camilla Cabello are you going to write?”
May 2023: Mendes and Cabello are snapped hanging out in New York.
Celebrity Sightings In New York City - May 25, 2023
From Coachella to the streets of NYC. Things sure seem to be heating up between these exes. As noted by Popsugar, the former (and maybe current?) couple were spotted together in NYC several times at the end of May, not too long after they were spotted at a comedy show in Los Angeles. In a photo from May 25, the two were out for a walk in their best athleisure looks — giving us major flashbacks to their much-photographed quarantine strolls. The day prior, TMZ caught them holding hands while grabbing coffee. It seems like the two have been enjoying quite a lot of quality time together from coast to coast; People also has pics of Cabello and Mendes leaving his Manhattan apartment.
So what is the truth, Shawnmila? Are you back in action, rekindling an old flame or just having some fun? Will summer 2023 be the summer of getting back together with your ex? Maybe, or maybe not, but we’re happy for Mendes and Cabello anyway.
April 2023: Could Cabello be leaving clues about the future of Shawnmila?
In the aftermath of their public hookup, Page Six reported that Cabello and Mendes weren’t really back together, calling the PDA a “one-off.” However, Cabello teased a brand-new song called “June Gloom” in a since-deleted Instagram post on April 19, which had some eyebrow-raising lyrics. “Are you coming to Coachella? / If you don’t, it’s whatever / If you do, it’d be all I think about,” sang Cabello, which seems like a pretty much direct reference to her and Mendes's Weekend 1 Coachella fling.
That same night, April 19, TMZ shared a 3-second-long video of Mendes and Cabello walking around Santa Monica, California holding hands. A source told People on April 24 that the former couple seemed “very happy to be reconnected” after the music festival, but are taking things slow. "They are enjoying daytime strolls and nighttime casual dinners out," said the source. "They have been hanging out just the two of them… They are very cute, keep holding hands and laughing.”
April 2023: Mendes and Cabello pile on the PDA at Coachella.
US-MUSIC-ENTERTAINMENT-GLOBAL
The former couple reunited at Coachella 2023 and got very cozy while enjoying the music, sparking relationship rumors for the first time since their breakup. Time for round two? Only time will tell.
March 2022: Mendes talks about life post-split.
Mendes got honest about life after the breakup in a Twitter video, saying that the moment he realized he was on his own was a rough awakening. “A lot of the things that also is like, resonating in the lyric for me is like, ‘Oh, f*ck,’ you know, you don't realize, like, when you're like, breaking up with someone, you think it's the right thing to do, you don't realize all this shit that comes after it,” he shared. "Like, who do I call when I'm like, in a panic attack? Who do I call when I'm like, f*cking, on the edge?" Looking at the camera, he added, “I think that's the reality that kinda I am on my own now… finally I am actually on my own.”
March 2022: Cabello addresses the split for the first time.
Cabello publicly discussed the split in an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, revealing that elements of her song "Bam Bam" were taken right from her personal life; the song is about reflecting on the past and moving on with new life lessons on your side. “I f*cking love Shawn. And I feel like there is literally nothing but love for him,” she said. “This song is mostly just about like, ‘Okay, how do I make a song that shows the cycles of love, and life'… You know, whatever it is that’s going on in your life. Whether it is a breakup or a divorce, or like you said, a friend breakup, or you’ve just gone through something that just is really shitty. Hopefully, this can make you be like, ‘It is that way now, but things are always taking crazy turns.'”
November 2021: Mendes and Cabello break up.
End of an era. The couple announced their amicable split via matching Instagram Stories, writing: "Hey guys, we've decided to end our romantic relationship but our love for one another as humans is stronger than ever. We started our relationship as best friends and will continue to be best friends. We so appreciate your support from the beginning and moving forward."
September 2021: Mendes and Cabello attend the Met Gala.
The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion - Arrivals
The couple made a very high-profile appearance together on the red carpet at the Met Gala, with Cabello looking like a 2021 version of Cher in purple Michael Kors.
November 2020: Cabello shares what she's learned about love.
Along with a photo of her kissing Mendes, the singer opened up about what she had learned about life and love in an Instagram post in late 2020, saying: “It’s not just the happy blissful moments you see in pictures and videos. When you’re in a relationship with someone, it feels like they are this mirror reflecting yourself back to you — I constantly have to confront my fears, my anxieties, my insecurities, my patterns of thinking, my beliefs about life and about myself. It’s not as simple as it looks in pictures sometimes. sometimes, it’s messy and uncomfortable and ugly lol.”
March 2020: Mendes and Cabello do a quarantine cover of Ed Sheeran's “Kiss Me.”
Global Citizen Together At Home
While quarantining at home in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple covered Ed Sheeran's "Kiss Me" as part of a concert series and revealed that they were spending their time at home rewatching some of their favorite movies. "I think everybody should start Harry Potter from top to end,” Mendes said. "That’s the way to go.”
November 2019: Cabello shares why she and Mendes don't kiss onstage.
2019 American Music Awards - Roaming Show And Backstage
The "will they or won't they" allure of Mendes and Cabello's onstage performances was truly a part of their magic, and Cabello revealed that it was a bit on purpose. "It's not by design,” she told Andy Cohen about their almost-kiss strategy. “I think it's just this little rebellious part of me that knows everybody wants us to kiss, so then I don't do it.”
September 2019: Cabello explains why she doesn't often talk about her relationship.
Shortly after Mendes shared that they were dating, Cabello also addressed the rumors and her relationship status with Elle, saying she was protective about their privacy. "People can say whatever they want to say. They can speculate, but at the same time, we are going to live our own lives, enjoy it, and fall for each other like nobody is watching," she told the magazine. "That is how I want to live. I never want to open the door for people to feel like they are involved. Like I said, I want it to be mine and [his]. That’s why I’m so tight-lipped about it: because I want to protect it."
September 2019: Mendes confirms their relationship.
Mendes confirmed he and Cabello were dating in September, saying that his feelings on love had changed. “Honestly, I wanna… talk to you guys about this stuff but it’s not just me in the relationship,” he said to fans at the time. “There’s another person involved and I can’t say things that I feel. It’s not just me deciding you know?”
August 2019: The pair duet at the MTV VMAs.
Mendes and Cabello performed the song of the summer, "Se?orita," at the 2019 MTV VMAs and continued sparking rumors about their relationship status with their super-close, hot and heavy performance. (Joe Jonas loved it.)
August 2019: Cabello wishes Mendes a happy birthday on Instagram.
Cabello made a sweet birthday post for Mendes on IG, but one part in particular had fans scratching their heads. “Happy birthday to this magic human,” Cabello wrote. “I love you!!!!????????” Still platonic, huh?
July 2019: Mendes and Cabello are seen kissing and holding hands.
In July 2019 the alleged couple was spotted sharing just enough PDA, including holding hands and kissing, adding to the speculation around their relationship status post-"Se?orita."
June 2019: The "Se?orita" music video sparks more dating rumors.
The besties' steamy, mega-popular duet "Se?orita" really had fans talking, especially after they saw the music video, which included an almost-kiss. Platonic, huh? The video added a lot more fuel to the fire, but answers were close on the horizon.
December 2018: Mendes and Cabello announce a new collab.
A few years after "I Know What You Did Last Summer," the singers teased their next duet with a black-and-white pic of them rehearsing together. Of course, that song would eventually go down in Shawnmila history, but we didn't know that then.
May 2018: Mendes and Cabello attend the BBMAs with Taylor Swift.
2018 Billboard Music Awards - Show
The friends hung with their good pal Taylor Swift at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, dancing in the audience and supporting Mendes when he performed.
March 2017: Mendes posts a throwback duet with Cabello.
Shortly after denying he and Cabello were dating, Mendes shared a sweet throwback video of himself and Cabello singing "Kiss Me" by Ed Sheeran. (They'd later revisit this duet in 2020!)
February 2017: Mendes and Cabello reunite with a cute selfie.
The pair documented their hangout in early 2017 with a cute selfie, reminding the world that their friendship was here to stay.
December 2016: Mendes defends Cabello after her Fifth Harmony exit.
A lot of drama ensued after Cabello left Fifth Harmony to pursue a solo career. Mendes publicly defended his friend on Twitter, re-sharing her statement and highlighting one excerpt in particular. "'Pursue what makes your heart pound, happiness is our responsibility' beautifully said," Mendes tweeted.
October 2016: Mendes shuts down dating rumors.
People's Choice Awards 2016 - Backstage And Audience
Mendes gave some clarity regarding his relationship with Cabello in 2016, telling People that the pair were just friends — period. “We’re just really close friends," Mendes emphasized. "She is one of those people who is just very easy to connect with and still, to this day, is one of my greatest friends. You find that instant connection with people, and she’s one of them.”
December 2015: Cabello says "I Know What You Did Last Summer" is not about Mendes.
Z100's Jingle Ball 2015 - Backstage
The Fifth Harmony singer squashed any and all dating rumors surrounding the duet when she told Teen Vogue that it was written about a different guy she had been "talking to," not Mendes. She did, however, say that she considered Mendes one of her best friends. "He knows what it means to be a friend. You don’t meet a lot of people like him, especially in the music industry," Cabello explained. "When I’m anxious or sad or feel overwhelmed, he makes me feel better. He’s not just a friend when it’s easy or convenient, but he’s there when it’s hard, too."
November 2015: Mendes and Cabello record “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
106.1 KISS FM's Jingle Ball 2015 - Show
Mendes and Cabello recorded their first duet, "I Know What You Did Last Summer," in late 2015 after lots of "are they or aren't they?" back-and-forth.
September 2015: Mendes and Cabello sing together on Instagram.
Republic Records Hosts 2015 VMA After Party
The friends and rumored couple shared a video of themselves singing a mashup of Destiny's Child and Ed Sheeran songs, a tease of the actual duet to come.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
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