Prepare to feel all the swoony feels. Shawn Mendes has just released his new music video for “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” and it’s a YA romance packed into three minutes. Le sigh.
“There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” debuted just days before Mendes kicked off the European leg of his Illuminate Tour in April and it looks like the singer used his time off in-between dates to shoot the wanderlust video.
Starring actor Ellie Bamber (Nocturnal Animals) as Mendes’ girlfriend, the pair run through Amsterdam, Paris and the United Kingdom while gazing longingly into one another’s eyes and keeping little to no personal space between them. The video ends with the pair kissing on the edge of the ocean before cutting to a scene of Bamber cheering Mendes on from the front row of one of his concerts.
“I really wanted to make a video for this song that represents the spirit of adventure. It felt like there was no better place for that than to shoot throughout different beautiful cities and landscapes in Europe,” said Mendes in a statement on his latest swoon-inducing video.
“The song is about following someone that you love to the world’s end, and making decisions you wouldn’t ever have thought you would, because of someone you’re just that enamored with. We wanted to put a story together that shows this relationship between a guy and a girl and their travels together, in the purest way possible.”
Reminiscent of the high energy pop sensibilities of Mendes’ “Something Big,” the new track plays with lifts and falls throughout, allowing Mendes to show off the strength of his voice, launching into a chorus worthy of his rock star status.
It’s no surprise that the single is dialed high on the ‘catchy’ meter. “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” was written by Mendes and his “Stitches” co-writer Teddy Geiger, as well as “Treat You Better” co-writer Scott Harris and Geoff Warburton, who also co-wrote “Crazy.”
Following his run of European shows, the Toronto singer will return to North America to begin his U.S. and Canadian tour dates in Portland, Oregon on July 6. Mendes has three Canadian dates scheduled, including his hometown show at the Air Canada Centre on August 11.
“There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” marks the third single from Mende’s 2016 sophomore album Illuminate, following “Treat You Better” and “Mercy,” which won Best Pop Video at Sunday’s iHeartRadio MMVAs.
