Shawn Mendes through our lens

Shawn Mendes
Photo: Krisztina E. Fazekas (@dustnsparklers)

A night of pure joy, energy and connection at Sziget Festival

As someone who knew the big singles but wouldn’t call myself a fan, I was blown away by the energy and enthusiasm Shawn Mendes brought to Sziget Festival in Budapest (Thursday, August 8th, the night before his birthday).

From the first 15 minutes he had the crowd on fire, blasting through two massive hits: “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” and “Treat You Better.” Supported by a full band and powerful backing singers, the sound and vibe were electric.

Shawn was all smiles the entire set, clearly loving every second, and constantly engaging with the crowd. He even jumped down into the audience to say hi, and at one point grabbed a cowboy hat for a quick run around the D area. His fans filled every pause with screams and singalongs that could rival the sound system.

What really won me over was how genuinely happy he was to be there. You could feel it. And honestly, he’s got far more hits than I realized — every third song was a banger I somehow knew all the words to.

After a short break, he came back for an encore of “In My Blood,” swapping the guitar for the piano and building it from a slow ballad into a huge, emotional crescendo, complete with guitar solos, confetti, and fireworks. An unforgettable way to close the night.

Photography by: Krisztina E. Fazekas