He recorded a short message saying that while he is not gay, ‘the focus should be on the music and not my sexuality.’
He continued: ‘Now I know 99% of you guys aren’t making assumptions like this but this is for the 1% of you that are. I just want you guys to know before you judge someone on the way they speak or act to think ‘hey, maybe I shouldn’t be judging someone’ or ‘wait it actually doesn’t even matter’’
Mendes concluded, ‘I’m frustrated because in this day and age people have the audacity to write online that I’m gay as if it were a bad thing. That’s all I really have to say about that. I just wish that 1% of people would grow up. I love you guys.’
The 17-year-old singer is rumoured to be dating Fifth Harmony singer Camila Cabello.
Shawn was awarded Best New Artist at the 2016 Kids’ Choice Awards (KCAs) on Saturday March 12 at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
