Shawn Mendes and Hailey Baldwin insisted for months that their relationship was purely platonic, but the “Lost in Japan” singer finally admitted that it was a bit more than that.
The “Stitches” crooner’s love life has been in the spotlight for years, and he acknowledged that rumors about his sexuality have caused him a lot of stress.
“In the back of my heart, I feel like I need to go be seen with someone — like a girl — in public, to prove to people that I’m not gay,” he told Rolling Stone. “Even though in my heart I know that it’s not a bad thing. There’s still a piece of me that thinks that. And I hate that side of me.”
Mendes explained that up until recently, he often found himself watching his own interviews and analyzing his voice and body language because of the rumors.
“I thought, ‘You f–king guys are so lucky I’m not actually gay and terrified of coming out,’” he said. “That’s something that kills people. That’s how sensitive it is. Do you like the songs? Do you like me? Who cares if I’m gay?