Inside Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s Relationship: From ‘Señorita’ Sparks to Enduring Friendship
Los Angeles, September 1, 2025 – Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s romance has long captivated fans, evolving from a high-profile pop collaboration into a whirlwind of love, heartbreak, and mutual respect. What began as a friendship in 2014 has seen two breakups, a brief reconciliation, and now a steady, platonic bond that’s stronger than ever. As Mendes promotes his latest solo work and Cabello gears up for her C,XOXO era, the exes remain close confidants amid ongoing public fascination. Here’s an in-depth look at their journey, marked by chart-topping hits, candid reflections, and a commitment to preserving their connection despite the spotlight’s glare.
The duo’s story traces back to July 2014, when a teenage Mendes and Cabello, then a member of Fifth Harmony, crossed paths as opening acts on Austin Mahone’s tour. Sparks flew almost immediately, though they played it cool publicly. “I remember thinking we met on the Austin Mahone tour, and I remember I wanted to hang out with you, but you were always on the tour bus, just learning guitar,” Cabello later recalled in a V Magazine interview. Mendes admitted he was shy, but their chemistry was undeniable. By 2015, they channeled that energy into their debut collaboration, “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” a duet that peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and ignited early dating rumors. Mendes called Cabello his “favorite person in the whole world” in a 2016 Zane Lowe interview, praising her emotional depth, while she gushed over his Rolling Stone cover.
The turning point came in 2019 with “Señorita,” a sultry duet that debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and became a global sensation. The music video’s steamy visuals—filled with intense gazes and near-kisses—fueled speculation, but it was their real-life PDA that confirmed the romance. In July, they were spotted holding hands in West Hollywood and kissing at a San Francisco café. Mendes later revealed during an Australian concert that they officially started dating on July 4, 2019. “We have been dating since July 4th officially,” he said. Cabello echoed the sentiment, telling Variety that falling in love felt like “an infinite amount of levels and layers.” Fans dubbed them “Shawnmila,” and their relationship inspired Mendes’ Netflix documentary In Wonder, where he confessed, “Everything’s about you. They’re all… They have always been about you.”
The couple’s early years were idyllic, blending careers with personal milestones. They quarantined together in Miami during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, a period Mendes described as “something really beautiful” in a Zane Lowe chat, crediting it for songs like “Summer of Love.” In November 2020, they adopted a Golden Retriever named Tarzan, sharing adorable Instagram videos of family cuddles. Public displays of affection were rampant—from courtside makeouts at basketball games to steamy performances at the 2019 MTV VMAs and American Music Awards. Cabello even got a tattoo referencing Shakespeare in Love, while Mendes inked an “A” for his sister but often credited Cabello for grounding him. “We definitely fight… but we’re pretty good at picking up on when it’s just ego talking,” Mendes shared on SiriusXM in August 2021, highlighting their “honest and open relationship.”
Therapy played a key role in their dynamic, with Cabello telling Glamour in October 2021, “We’re very transparent with each other… That level of transparency really helps a lot.” However, the pressures of fame took a toll. On November 17, 2021, they announced their split via a joint Instagram Story: “Hey guys, we’ve decided to end our romantic relationship but our love for one another as humans is stronger than ever. We started our relationship as best friends and will continue to be best friends.” Cabello later opened up on Apple Music’s New Music Daily in March 2022, explaining their priorities had shifted. “Those years that we were together… my focus was just, how can I live a happy life and be in a healthy, happy relationship? … As I get older, the priorities shift,” she said, noting both had started young and were learning to be “healthy adults.” Her single “Bam Bam” with Ed Sheeran subtly referenced the breakup, with lyrics like “I said I’d love you for life, but that phase is over.”
Post-split, they maintained a supportive friendship, sharing work-in-progress music and helping each other through mental health challenges. Mendes told Zane Lowe in 2022 that Cabello was “always there to look out for me as a human being.” But rumors of reconciliation bubbled up in April 2023 at Coachella, where videos captured them kissing passionately amid the festival crowds. “One thing led to another as the night progressed,” a source told Page Six, though they insisted it wasn’t a full reunion. Soon after, they were spotted holding hands in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, and New York City, attending comedy shows and coffee dates. Cabello confirmed the spark in a paparazzi video, mumbling “Yes” when asked if they were back together. Mendes’ brief fling with Sabrina Carpenter earlier that year added drama, but by June 2023, sources confirmed another split. “They realised it was probably a mistake to give things another shot,” an insider told Capital FM. Cabello addressed it on the Call Her Daddy podcast in March 2024: “It wasn’t even a decision… it’s not a fit, it doesn’t feel right… Let’s be friends, I love you. It’s all good.”
In 2024, sightings continued to stir speculation. At the Copa América final in July, they were photographed chatting and laughing in a VIP box at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, but sources clarified to People and Us Weekly that it was coincidental and platonic. “Shawn and Camila are not dating. They are just friends,” one insider said, noting they “will go months without speaking [but are] always friendly.” Mendes echoed this in a September 2024 Jay Shetty Podcast appearance, calling the public scrutiny “brutal” but praising their “immense honesty” and “over-communication.” “Honestly, I think Camila and I have just done the best job at preserving our private little fire of love for each other,” he said. “As long as we’re good, all the noise is just noise.” He admitted the gossip—fueled by Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet album tracks seemingly shading their history—had been “bugging” him, leading to a rare Twitter clarification in October 2024: “I’m usually pretty good at just watching all the ‘noise’ go by but lately it’s been kinda bugging me 🤷🏻♂️ feeling human i guess.”
By November 2024, Mendes told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe they “haven’t been the closest over the last couple of years,” but their deep understanding endures. “We spent a lot of time together, we really know each other’s hearts. Even when all the sound and all the noise is happening, we can kinda see through each other’s bullshit pretty easily.” Cabello, meanwhile, soft-launched a new romance with billionaire Henry Junior Chalhoub in January 2025, spotted kissing him during a St. Barts vacation. Mendes, focusing on personal growth, has been linked to Portuguese singer Maro and environmental activist Helena Gualinga in mid-2025 rumors, but remains single as of August, emphasizing therapy and self-discovery in interviews. “Partnership is more than love… it’s about supporting each other in your day-to-day life,” he reflected.
Today, in 2025, Mendes and Cabello’s bond is one of enduring friendship rather than romance. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) continue to pine for a reunion, with posts like “Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello need to get back into that studio together” and “Please I need Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes back together” reflecting nostalgia for their “Señorita” era. Yet both artists have moved forward, channeling past experiences into music—Mendes’ themes of vulnerability in his upcoming album and Cabello’s C,XOXO exploring impulsivity and growth. Their story proves that while love may ebb and flow, a foundation of friendship can weather the storm. As Mendes put it, “We’re not in a movie… This is real life. This is real love and love is confusing and hard.” For Shawnmila shippers, hope lingers, but for now, their “private little fire” burns as a testament to mutual respect.