Shawn Mendes & Justin Bieber Detail Fear in ‘Monster’

Shawn Mendes just released the second single from his upcoming album, “Wonder”. And, this one features pop heavyweight, and fellow Canadian pop star, Justin Bieber. Marking their first collaboration ever, ‘Monster’, details the rise and fall of an artist in the world of celebrity. Mendes and Bieber approach the track in a stark difference, experientially, falling in sync on the chorus.

The Fear of Falling

Written in collaboration with Daniel Caesar, Mustafa the Poet and Frank Dukes, ‘Monster’ presents itself as a well-balanced, experimental R&B track. Mendes kick things off with clear tones, singing: “You put me on a pedestal and tell me I’m the best/ Raise me up into the sky until I’m short of breath.” And, then, kicking off our journey into his world, he sings, “Spill my words and tear me down until there’s nothing left/ Rearrange the pieces just to fit me with the rest“.

Shawn’s verse dabbles in the arena of general human experience. With this mode of writing, he’s given enough space to keep the experience specific, but the expression relatable. Justin’s verse on the other hand, much like the writing on ‘Lonely’, is inimitably specific to himself. Detailing his highs and lows, the public eye and a coming-of-age, he sings, “I was fifteen when the world put me on a pedestal/ I had big dreams of doin’ shows and making memories/ Made some bad moves tryna act cool, upset by their jealousy.”

Finally, the chorus sees them crooning in unison, “But what if I, what if I trip?/ What if I, what if I fall?/ Then am I the monster?”

‘Monster’ arrived after a long saga of “will they, won’t they?”. Further, the track serves as the follow up to the previously released single, ‘Wonder’. The track and its music video are now available on all streaming platforms.

By: Ahalya Narayanan