Camila Cabello seemingly sings about ex Shawn Mendes in new single
Camila Cabello's new single “Bam Bam” appears to reference her split from Sean Mendes, her boyfriend of two years.
The next chapter of Camila Cabello’s musical career is pushing forward at breakneck speed, and in just the past few days, she has given her legion of fans plenty to enjoy. The former Fifth Harmony star has returned with new single “Bam Bam,” which serves as the latest official promotional cut off her upcoming third full-length Familia.
The tune is a jaunty Latin-pop affair, and it perfectly melds the singer’s Cuban heritage with her Top 40 sensibilities. The production, which is also rooted in the use of an acoustic guitar, also works for featured musician Ed Sheeran, who brings his top-notch songwriting prowess and superstar fame to the duet.
The new single appears to be, at least in part, about Cabello’s split with longtime boyfriend Shawn Mendes. The Grammy-nominated artists dated for two years before announcing they were no longer together in November 2021. In “Bam Bam,” the pop musician opens the future hit with the lines, “You said you hated the ocean / But you’re surfin’ now / I said I’d love you for life / But I just sold our house.”
People points out that for those who know Cabello and Mendes well, the words are clearly about the Canadian heartthrob. Apparently, the “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” singer was very afraid of all things related to the ocean, perhaps until his then-girlfriend helped him get over his phobia.
Just after the pair went their separate ways, Mendes shared a shirtless snap of himself holding a surfboard and emerging from the sea. Also, following their highly-publicized breakup, Cabello sold her Los Angeles, CA home, where they two spent a lot of time together.
Just a few hours after “Bam Bam” hit streaming services and digital download stores, Cabello unveiled the official music video. In the clip, things are not going terribly well for the singer (or her character), and it opens with her in tears. She then heads to a crowded bar, where, despite being spilled on by many clumsy patrons, she attempts to dance away her cares. Is the whole visual a re-telling of how she moved on from Mendes? It certainly could be.
One day before “Bam Bam” was released, Cabello finally revealed to the world that her third album Familia is coming very, very soon. The set is slated to arrive on April 8. The superstar took to Twitter to share what appears to be the LP’s cover and a message for fans, “2 facts: it’s my birthday and this album is my whole fucking heart. FAMILIA. Out April 8.”
“Bam Bam” is the latest single from Familia, and it may be the last sampling shared of the full-length before it drops. She introduced this era with “Don’t Go Yet,” which was released in summer 2021 and which went on to become a medium-sized chart success. She then shared “Oh Na Na” with Latin musicians Myke Towers and Tainy, and while it was supposedly the album’s second single, it no longer appears to be present on the title’s tracklist.
This latest release marks the second time Cabello and Sheeran have teamed up for a tune inspired by her Latin background. He recruited the one-time reality TV competition star and Cardi B for his own single “South of the Border,” which was found on his album No.6 Collaborations Project.
The set was packed full of collaborations (as its name suggests) with power players in the industry, such as Justin Bieber, Travis Scott, Bruno Mars and Khalid. “South of the Border” was a minor hit in the U.S., but it broke into the top five on the U.K. songs chart.
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