Camila Cabello has started her new romance-inspired music era with two new songs this morning, "Shameless" and "Liar." Cabello went full out for "Shameless," releasing a music video for the single too.
Cabello spoke to Variety earlier this summer about how falling in love inspired her songwriting. (Cabello has had a pretty public summer romance with her longtime friend Shawn Mendes.) “Falling in love is like an infinite amount of levels and layers and angles. I fell in love and just opened up. Everything was written in present moment," she said.
Cabello explores the fear of exploring new love on "Shameless"—which may reflect her own experience dating Mendes after the two were friends for years.
Mendes himself shared an Instagram Story of himself listening to the single with a mind blown emoji and a heart one:
Here, the lyrics via Genius with any possible Mendes references annotated.
Verse 1:
Don't speak, now, don't try
It's been a secret for the longest time
Don't run, no, don't hide
Been running from it for the longest time
Cabello could be writing here about her and Mendes' initial reluctance to explore their feelings for each other. E! reported that Cabello and Mendes always had a connection, but this summer became the right time to explore it. "The timing wasn't right before but it is right right now," a source said in July. "They are going for it without holding back. This step in their relationship is exciting for them both. They haven't wanted to be apart at all. It's 24/7 and all out at this point."
Pre-Chorus
So many mornings I woke up confused
In my dreams I do anything I want to you
My emotions are naked, they're taking me out of my mind
Chorus
Right now I'm shameless
Screamin' my lungs out for ya
Not afraid to face it
I need you more than I want to
I need you more than I want to
Show me you're shameless
Write it on my neck, why don't ya?
And I won't erase it
I need you more than I want to
I need you more than I want to
Post-Chorus
No, no, don't wanna do this
No, no, don't wanna do this
No, no, don't wanna do this
No, no, don't wanna do this
Verse 2
So we're there
Now it's real
Now that you have me, do you want me still?
My kisses are history, they go back a long time
And I'm tired of loving somebody that's not mine
Mendes and Cabello have been photographed kissing frequently in public this summer. Here, Cabello may be touching on her own anxiety as their romance progresses and fear it could end even though she has wanted them to happen for a long time.
Initially, Entertainment Tonight reported that Cabello and Mendes imagined their relationship as a summer fling. Then it became more real. "Shawn and Camila originally were just enjoying spending time together and having a summer fling," a source said at the end of July. "Camila had just got out of a relationship and Shawn was in the middle of a massive tour. However, Shawn and Camila have really fallen for one another."
Pre-Chorus
So many mornings I woke up confused
In my dreams I do anything I want to you
My emotions are naked, they're taking me out of my mind (Mind)
Chorus
Right now I'm shameless
Screamin' my lungs out for ya
Not afraid to face it
I need you more than I want to
I need you more than I want to
Show me you're shameless
Write it on my neck, why don't ya?
And I won't erase it
I need you more than I want to
I need you more than I want to
Post-Chorus
No, no, don't wanna do this
No, no, don't wanna do this
No, no, don't wanna do this
No, no, don't wanna do this
Bridge
There's just inches in between us
I want you to give in, I want you to give in
There is tension in between us
I just wanna to give in
And I don't care if I'm forgiven
Cabello spoke to ELLE in its October 2019 issue about how she wanted to fall for Mendes privately, although here she hints to her own emotional progression when they first began their romance.
The two have purposely not spoken much about their relationship. "We are going to live our own lives, enjoy it, and fall for each other like nobody is watching," Cabello said. "That is how I want to live. I never want to open the door for people to feel like they are involved. Like I said, I want it to be mine and [his]. That’s why I’m so tight-lipped about it: because I want to protect it."
Chorus
Right now I'm shameless
Screamin' my lungs out for ya
Not afraid to face it
I need you more than I want to
I need you more than I want to
Show me you're shameless
Write it on my neck, why don't ya?
And I won't erase it
I need you more than I want to
I need you more than I want to
Post-Chorus
No, no, don't wanna do this
No, no, don't wanna do this
No, no, don't wanna do this
No, no, don't wanna do this
Alyssa Bailey
Senior News and Strategy Editor
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she's not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.
