"There's probably a high chance I cry a lot," he told the small crowd, pressing the backs of his hands to his eyes and emerging with a grin.
It was the first time in over two years that Mendes, the 26-year-old Canadian pop star, had performed in front of an audience, after he abruptly pulled the plug on his career at its pinnacle.
In 2022, amid what he called a mental health "breaking point", he cancelled a multi-million-dollar, two-year international tour - more than 80 scheduled arena dates - acknowledging that, in that moment, he could not handle it.
It was a startling admission, especially for a multi-platinum male artiste with a hugely devoted young fan base.
In the time since, Mendes - a social media phenomenon with model looks, who found immediate chart-topping success as a teenager - stepped almost completely away from music, seeking stability and a life away from the road.
Then he slowly winched his way back to songwriting, through the wilds of adulthood. Over rootsy guitar and strings, his struggles are laid bare on his fifth album Shawn, due Nov 15.
"I don't understand who I am right now," he whispers on the anguished opening track.
He is not the type to mask anything. And it took him a long while to feel strong enough to make the record. "I felt super, super lost," he said.
In Woodstock, he talked of spiralling anxiety.
But in the few months since that gig, Mendes' stages have been growing exponentially. In September, he blasted through his new lovelorn ballad Nobody Knows at the MTV Video Music Awards, ending it in ecstatic guitar peals. He then sang to 100,000 people in Portuguese - at the Rock In Rio music festival in Rio de Janeiro.
At an interview at his favourite recording studio in bucolic Rhinebeck, New York, where he worked on the new album, he seemed as if he had regained the muscle memory of what it means to be a star. But he wore it lightly.
Esta historia es de la edición November 06, 2024 de The Straits Times.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November 06, 2024 de The Straits Times.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Adani reports sufficient cash after rout sparked by US charges
India's Adani Group said it has enough cash to service debt obligations, as it sought to reassure creditors after a US bribery indictment against founder Gautam Adani triggered a sell-off in the conglomerate's stocks and bonds.
S'pore financial sector's exposure to Adani Group limited so far
Banks have measures to manage exposures to borrowers and counterparties, says MAS
CapitaLand Investment rebalancing portfolio to grow Asia businesses
CapitaLand Investment (CLI) will rebalance its portfolio to grow its India and South-east Asia businesses and optimize its China holdings, as it seeks further geographical diversification for growth.
Singapore Gulf Bank to raise funds, buy stablecoin payments firm
Singapore Gulf Bank is seeking to raise at least US$50 million (S$67.3 million) in a funding round and plans to acquire a stablecoin payments company in 2025, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter.
Chinese investors digest letdown from Big Tech earnings
BEIJING - From Tencent Holdings to Alibaba Group Holding, China's tech leaders have delivered underwhelming numbers for a quarter beset by economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
China exports set to hit record high before Trump takes office
Economists expect panic-stockpiling by foreign firms amid spectre of trade war
South Korean prosecutors seek 5-year jail term for Samsung chairman
South Korean prosecutors requested on Nov 25 a five-year jail term for Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong over his actions during a controversial merger of affiliates that helped solidify his control, in a case being tried at an appeals court.
AI boom turns 139-year-old cable maker into Japan's hottest stock
Tech firms pouring money into building data centers, other infrastructure for AI
US to cut Intel's $11.5 billion grant under Chips Act
The Biden administration plans to reduce Intel's preliminary US$8.5 billion (S$11.5 billion) federal Chips grant, a move that follows the US tech giant's investment delays and broader business struggles.
Singapore stocks close lower despite gains in most of region
STI slips 0.4%, dragged down by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding DFI Retail tops index while local bank trio end in the red RHB upgrades banking stocks with 'buy' call on UOB, DBS