“Is it too late to tell you that

Everything means nothing if I can’t have you?”

If there’s one word to describe Shawn Mendes’ latest single, its catchy. As a fan of Mendes and his music, I had high expectations for “If I can’t have you” even before I heard it. And fortunately, those expectations were more than fulfilled.

The upbeat song begins and ends with its catchy chorus, “Everything means nothing if I can’t have you.” While it doesn’t come with a lot of showy, over-the-top notes, Mendes puts in enough emotion to keep the listener hooked. Plus, it has a very laid-back edge to it. In some ways, it reminded me of “There’s nothing holding me back,” another one of his more upbeat, confident singles.

Interestingly, “If I can’t have you” wasn’t even meant for Shawn Mendes’ voice. Instead, he’d wanted singer Dua Lipa to sing it, but it ended up not working out so he decided to sing the song himself. Personally, I’m glad he did because he did a great job with it.

If you think back to last year, there is a high chance you remember “In my blood”, which was the leading single in Shawn Mendes. But while “In my blood” was a soulful, powerful song that pulled at your heartstrings, “If I can’t have you” has a much lighter, cheerful tone. In fact, it gives off a very different impression of what his next album is going to be like, and I’m definitely hoping for another upbeat summer song!

Put simply, “If I can’t have you” is a fun, incredibly catchy song and is perfect for your summer playlist. It’s also a startling contrast to the his previous album, so if you haven’t heard it yet, make sure you give it a try. There’s a high chance you’ll have it committed to memory after just one listen.