Shawn Mendes Got Soaking Wet Like A Rock Star At The VMAs

Almost exactly each year ago, Shawn Mendes rocked the VMAs with a prototypically raspy rendition of his hit "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back." That rasp, additionally to causing Bebe Rexha to shout, "Shawn, I love you!" and grabbing nearby Khalid for a mini dance party, was Mendes's best asset, the element that leant an edge to his tuneful pop sensibilities.


Although this year, as his rain-drenched, Cardi B-introduced 2018 VMA efficiency of "In My Blood" just proved, Mendes (who left in back of his teen years whenever he turned 20 several weeks back) has much more than just the rasp. He's gone full Rock Star, inviting each person, even the folks in the last row of the joint, to accompany him in a chorus of whoas. And it's a fantastic look on him.


A quick look at last year's VMA efficiency setup versus this year's may not reveal all that much difference. Mendes has upgraded his acoustic for an electric and added a string section — though even that modify is a little bit subtle.


Nevertheless right now, to kick off the show's festivities, Mendes sang to the rafters and added a swelling coda to his personalized anxiety anthem for a couple of more seconds of vowelly chants. In case it wasn't clear that the stakes are higher than ever, the stage design reinforces the music video's theme of crumbling walls along with a gathering storm. In the middle of it all is Mendes's stable voice, the relaxing presence keeping everything with each other. It's just like the song's music video suggests: Shawn is going to create it through, coming out stronger on the other side. And soaking wet.


It was enough to recall one of Mendes's biggest influences, King of Leon, and their own throaty arena-rock staple "Use Somebody." Mendes of course covered it at his MTV Unplugged show in 2017, and it's got the same mojo noticed across his newest album (though some days presented in slicker, funkier ways).


"In My Blood" is up for Best Pop, Best Cinematography, Best Direction awards this year. By the end of his efficiency, Mendes stood in the middle of Radio City Music Hall, soaking wet from a rain machine, and triumphant immediately after a bout of menacing weather. And each person there was with him, not willing to give up just but either. It isn't in their blood.