Shawn Mendes celebrated his 27th birthday the way only a pop heartthrob could: soulful and surrounded by sparkles.
On Thursday, the Canadian singer took to Instagram with a birthday carousel that had fans swooning. The first slide? A misty, backlit shot of Mendes onstage mid-performance, curls damp, muscles flexing beneath a slick black vest, and his signature torso line stealing the spotlight. Just casual Leo behavior.
The second image was a departure from the smolder. It showed Mendes mid-wish, blowing out a single candle on a chocolate cake, a wide grin stretching across his face. Behind him, soft lighting cast a warm glow over the moment, giving the whole scene a dreamy, almost rom-com vibe. It felt intimate—like we were all invited to the party.
“Happy Lions Gate Portal,” He Writes
In true mystical pop prince fashion, Mendes paired the carousel with a caption that read simply, “happy lions gate portal.” For the uninitiated, the Lion’s Gate Portal peaks annually on August 8 and is considered a spiritually charged date in astrology. With the sun in Leo and Sirius rising, many use the day to manifest goals, meditate, or just vibe extra hard.
Leave it to Shawn to tie a cosmic energy surge to a birthday post, and somehow make it hot.
The rest of the carousel added a few more layers. A full moon photo followed, reinforcing the celestial undertones. Then another stage shot closed out the set, showing Mendes mid-performance again, still glowing, still magnetic.
Dating Rumors Resurface… Again
Of course, Mendes’ personal life never stays out of the spotlight for long. Just days before his birthday post, he shared another Instagram carousel that had fans in full-on investigation mode. The black-and-white photos showed Mendes looking cozy with Luana Quaglia, a longtime collaborator and international artist supervisor. One snap featured Dua Lipa planting a kiss on both of their cheeks, which didn’t exactly cool the speculation.
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Quaglia and Mendes have worked together since at least 2019, and while neither has confirmed anything romantic, their closeness is fueling plenty of chatter. To be fair, Shawn’s dating history has long been a subject of fan fascination, from his high-profile relationship with Camila Cabello to those short-lived Sabrina Carpenter rumors he later shut down.
As of now, the “Stitches” singer hasn’t clarified his relationship status. But he does seem to be thriving, onstage and under the light of a full moon. Whether it’s love or friendshipo, Mendes is clearly glowing.
And let’s be honest, so is our camera roll after that carousel.
