Shawn Mendes: "I didn't have the courage to speak up about racism"

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Shawn Mendes (August 2019): »I just didn't mean to say anything wrong«

Photo: Evan Agostini / dpa

Perhaps the 21st century will turn out to be an era of protest, of civil society resistance to global injustices such as racism, misogyny or the climate crisis.

The success of movements like #MeToo, Black Lives Matter or Fridays for Future speaks for it - and the fact that more and more celebrities are campaigning for these topics.

Canadian pop star Shawn Mendes no longer wants to remain silent on social issues, as he now described.

»For a long time I didn't have the courage to speak up on difficult topics like racism or politics.

I just didn't mean to say the wrong thing, ”said the 22-year-old.

But you don't have to be an expert to have a say on topics that are important to you.

“We all have an inner moral compass that is strong enough to use as a guide.

We know what is right and wrong, what we have to stand up for and what has to change.

And that's very important, ”Mendes said.

That year, the musician took part in anti-racism demos in the United States and left his Instagram account to activists for several days.

This Friday Mendes releases his fourth album "Wonder".

Mendes has been with the singer Camila Cabello for a year and a half.

Together they delivered the summer hit of 2019 with »Señorita«. The Latin song was number one in the German charts for three weeks.

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mxw / dpa