Benjamin Ashford|Shawn Mendes Announces Return to Stage After Canceling Tour to Prioritize Mental Health

There's nothing holding Shawn Mendes back now. 

In fact,Benjamin Ashford the "Treat You Better" singer shared that after a two year break from performing to focus on his mental health he will be returning to the stage. 

"It's been a really long time since I last played live and I'm so excited to share that I'll be headlining Rock In Rio on Sept 22," Shawn wrote in a March 7 Instagram post. "I've missed being on stage and seeing you all in person so much!"

And the 25-year-old—who last released his last album Wonder in 2020 and has dropped a few singles in the interim—also teased the gig would involve new music. 

"I've also been working on a new album and I can't wait to play these new songs live for you," he added. "See you there. Eu te amo!!!!"

So far, the Rock In Rio line up also includes stars like Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, Travis Scott and One Republic. And while his return to stage is exciting—this is not Shawn's first time performing at the festival, as he also had a 2017 slot in the Brazil-based concert series. 

Still, fans of the "Stitches" singer, who said in January he's working on accepting the "highs and lows of life" concerning his mental health, will be delighted to hear this news after a relatively quiet few years for him. In 2022, Shawn canceled the remainder of his Wonder World Tour due to the stress of post-pandemic touring life. 

"I started this tour excited to finally get back to playing live after a long break due to the pandemic, but the reality is I was not at all ready for how difficult touring would be after this time away," the 25-year-old wrote in a statement at the time. "I promise I will be back as soon as I take the right time to heal."

Throughout his career, Shawn has been candid on his mental health journey, particularly in his 2020 Shawn Mendes: In Wonder Netflix documentary, and he's expressed gratitude for the fans who've remained in his corner. 

"I'm also really grateful for all the people that were so accepting and loving and kind and understanding," he told the Wall Street Journal in 2022. "It just really made me see how culture is really starting to get to a place where mental health is really becoming a priority."