Shawn Mendes – “Wonder” Review

Story posted December 8, 2020 in Arts & Entertainment by Courtney Benedetto .

On Dec. 4, Canadian pop singer Shawn Mendes dropped his fourth studio album “Wonder.”

At only 22 years old, Mendes has been on four headlining world tours and has the whole world watching his next moves as a musician.

Mendes’ new album was much anticipated after the release of his Netflix documentary “Shawn Mendes: In Wonder” — and he certainly delivered.

This album has a special significance, because Mendes wrote both the lyrics and the music for the majority of the songs.

“Wonder” is an upbeat and dream-like album, filled with happiness and hints of inspiration from artists like Elton John and The Beatles.

This new album differs from the rest of Mendes’s music in that it tells his love story with his current girlfriend, Camila Cabello. The sound of the album diverges from his older works as well.

While “Wonder” still has acoustic guitar elements that Mendes’s fans fell in love with, this album takes a different route with orchestral music and jazzy outbursts.

The song “24 Hours” places listeners into a wonderland of love. This song is about the joys of diving into a serious relationship, and the soft piano melody emphasizes the comfort of being in love.

Some songs are slower and more stripped-back, but they usually build up to a powerful blast of instrumentals. The trumpet makes an appearance in almost every song, giving the album a jazzy party vibe.

“Always Been You” and “Call My Friends” both nail the sudden bolt of energy that makes this album unique.

It is very apparent that Mendes turned to some of the greatest pop-rock artists of all time for inspiration.

The driving piano of “Look Up At The Stars” sounds very similar to Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets.” The dreamy backup vocals and tambourine in this song as well as “Song For No One” also give off The Beatles vibes.

The song “Piece Of You” highlights Mendes’ strong vocals. The simple beat at the beginning of the song transforms into a synth-filled chorus that energizes the entire piece.

Lyrically, this album is strong but not profound. Mendes pours out his love throughout the album and expresses his struggles with the pressure of fame in the song “Monster,” but some of the lyrics are a bit repetitive.

Of course, the word “wonder” is a continuity throughout, but there are only so many ways one person can sing about being in love.

This album also features a collaboration with Justin Bieber, a Christmas duet with Camila Cabello and a cover of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” by Frankie Valli.

The album is cohesive with the exception of “The Christmas Song” in the mix. However, that can be forgiven — who doesn’t love a little Christmas spirit?

Overall, the album shows Mendes’ growth as a person and a musician. For his future works, he should keep the dynamic instrumentals and continue to be open and honest about his emotions in his heartfelt lyrics.

Fans will adore the fact that Mendes is thriving, even if they secretly wish he was still on the market.

Rating: 8/10

Reviewer’s Favorite Song: “Piece Of You”

Reviewer’s Least Favorite Song: “Dream”


Courtney Benedetto is a freshman majoring in print/digital journalism. To contact her, email at cmb7747@psu.edu.