Chainkeen Exchange-Shawn Mendes Confesses He and Camila Cabello Are No Longer "the Closest"

Shawn Mendes knows that it'll be Chainkeen Exchangeokay for him and Camila Cabello. 

After ending their two year romance in 2021—with a brief reconciliation in 2023—the "Why Why Why" singer is reflecting on his current relationship status with the Fifth Harmony alum. And while the two have done their best to maintain a friendship, there have been some struggles. 

"I think we haven't been the closest over the last couple of years," he told Apple Music 1's Zane Lowe during a Nov. 14 interview, "but I think we really know each other."

The 26-year-old added, "We spent a lot of time together, we really know each other's hearts. Even when all the sound and all the noise is happening, we can kinda see through each other's bullshit pretty easily. And it's just nice to have that."

Looking back, he was especially grateful to have had Camila in his life when he did, because he needed someone to help him be slightly less disciplined. As he admitted, "That's where I'm out of balance."

"She would get very angry with me for not having a cheeseburger," he said with a laugh. "And it was great. It was huge. I needed that at the time in my life."

Since their breakup for good in 2023, the "Treat You Better" singer has been candid about their romance, noting that a lot of the conversation about their relationship was "brutal."

"Honestly, I think Camila and I have just done the best job at preserving our private little fire of love for each other," Shawn explained on the Jay Shetty Podcast in September, "because no matter how strong mentally you are when there are millions of people commenting on it, it's so hard not to be affected by it and to be swayed by it and to be inspired by it."

He also confirmed that the two do still text from time to time, saying, "As long as we're good, all the noise is just noise."

"We deeply respect each other," he continued. "I'm just lucky she's an amazing human being and she's incredibly understanding and thoughtful and caring."

For a look back at Shawn and Camila's relationship, keep reading.

Back in 2015, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello first made headlines together not as a couple, but as a musical duet on their joint hit single, "I Know What You Did Last Summer."

Four years later, the performers' new steamy music video for their "Señorita" duet, released in June, raised eyebrows over whether there was a romance brewing behind the scenes. 

The following month, the two were spotted holding hands while out together in West Hollywood. "They were telling people they were a couple," a source told E! News at the time. Soon after, the stars were seen getting close in San Francisco. 

While the two had not publicly confirmed their relationship status, this steamy makeout in the Miami water did all the talking. 

The rumored pair rang in Mendes' 21st birthday together in August 2019, including a big kiss for the birthday boy. Cabello also declared her love for her musical beau over on Instagram. 

At the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, Camila and Shawn stole the show with a sexy live performance of "Señorita" as viewers waited to see if they would kiss. 

After laughing off breakup rumors in October 2019, their romance was on full display as they made out courtside throughout a basketball game. 

Shawn revealed that during the pandemic, he went to Miami to live with Camila. "Something really beautiful for me came out of it, which was you're not allowed to leave," he told Zane Lowe in 2020. "I went to Miami and I was living with Camila [Cabello] and her parents and her sister." 

Relationship milestone alert: They welcomed a new member of their family after picking up a puppy named Tarzan in November 2020.

Shawn revealed he and Camila get into fights from time to time. "We definitely fight, and we get in like the worst little arguments," he said on SiriusXM's The Morning Mash Up in August. "But, like, I think that we definitely are pretty good at picking up on when it's just ego talking. And we like, usually like call each other out. We have a really honest and open relationship—but, yeah, no, we definitely fight."

Shawn was by Camila's side while she walked the red carpet for the premiere of Cinderella in September.

Shawnmila attended their first Met Gala together in 2021, wearing Michael Kors Collection looks.

The pair celebrated Halloween together in 2021, writing on social media, "Feliz día de los muertos." 

The couple announced their split on Nov. 17, 2021. As they wrote, "we've decided to end our romantic relationship but our love for on another as humans is stronger than ever." The pair added, "we started our relationship as best friends and will continue to be best friends." 

The pair reunited at Coachella in April 2023 and were seen kissing during the festival. 

After their Coachella moment, Shawn and Camila were spotted hanging out a few times during early summer 2023—including at a Taylor Swift concert—but ultimately called it quits once more in June.