Shawn Mendes says he is still healing after breaking up with girlfriend Camila Cabello, but is thankful his music will always be there for him.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that in a phone call with reporters, the Canadian star said his first post-breakup song, "When You're Gone," was "a kind of good description of how I was feeling a month after my relationship ended."
He added, "My music is always going to be a representation of where I am. It's a healing process for me to write about how I feel and put it into music. It's always been something that's really helped me grow as a person."
Shawn and Camila dated for two years before calling it quits in November 2021.
Aside from creating new music, the "Stitches" singer is currently out on his first arena tour in three years, and he hopes his music is bringing comfort to his fans.
"There's no way to avoid the kind of suffering that's happened over the last couple of years," said Shawn, adding that he views music as "cathartic" and "a direct line to the heart."
There's also something else Shawn is looking forward to: his big screen debut in Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, for which he provides the voice of the titular smiling reptile.
"Seeing my voice kind of come through the face of a CGI crocodile was bizarre," he said. "I think it's going to be something I'm so proud of, especially as I get older."
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile arrives in theaters October 7.