"Heart of Gold" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes from his fifth studio album, Shawn (2024). He wrote and produced the song with Mike Sabath, Eddie Benjamin, and Scott Harris. It was released on November 1, 2024, as the album's fourth single. Written in memory of a childhood friend who died from a drug overdose, its lyrics are about losing a close person and the experience of grief.
Background and release
On July 31, 2024, Shawn Mendes announced his fifth studio album, Shawn, along with its cover artwork and release date.[1] On the same date, the track listing of the album was revealed, with "Heart of Gold" appearing as the sixth track.[2] He released a string of singles to support the album and performed it on an intimate concert tour that started in August 8.[3] During a performance at Brooklyn Paramount Theater in New York City on October 18, 2024, Mendes dedicated the song to English singer Liam Payne, two days after his death.[4][5]
"Heart of Gold" was written on March 18, 2024, at Dark Horse Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, US, on the same day as Shawn tracks "Nobody Knows" and "That'll Be the Day".[6] It was released as a single on November 1, 2024, as a single from Shawn. Its release was accompanied by a music video directed by Connor Brashier and with creative direction by Anthony Wilson.[7] It sees Mendes singing the song in front of a coloured backdrop.[8]
Music and lyrics
Mendes wrote and produced "Heart of Gold" along with Mike Sabath, Eddie Benjamin, and Scott Harris.[9] The song is about the experience of losing a close person, and was written about a childhood friend who died from a drug overdose.[10] On the opening lines of the song, Mendes expresses himself about the regrets of not being there when they needed: "I didn't know what you were going through / I'm sorry that I wasn't there".[11] Although captioning a post on Instagram with "This one's for you Dejomi",[8] Mendes dedicated the track to anyone who "has lost someone - some who has passed or someone who's alive - whichever way".[7] Mendes stated that it also means "celebrating them and who they were and what they left in this world".[12] Musically, it is a 1970s-inspired soft rockballad,[13] led by acoustic guitar.[8][7]
