Shawn Mendes gives himself some grace.

The 26-year-old opened up about his personal life in a heartfelt speech captured on video by fans during his Colorado concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater before singing his new song “The Mountain,” which directly acknowledges the speculation surrounding his sexuality .

Noting that he was “very young” at the start of his career, Mendes told the cheering crowd, “The truth is, I haven’t been able to do a lot of fifteen-year-old things and discover parts of myself that you do.” at 3.”

The “Treat You Better” singer opened up about how his sexuality has been debated in the public eye throughout his career, saying, “There’s something about my sexuality, and people have been talking about it for so long. I think it’s a bit silly, because I think sexuality is so beautifully complex, and it’s so hard to put into boxes.”

Mendes – with whom there is a romantic connection Camila Cabello, Hailey BieberAnd Sabrina Timmerman– noted that the discussion about his sexual preferences “felt to me like an intrusion into something very personal,” and admitted that he is still navigating his own feelings on the subject.