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Shaund Mendes performing
The eagle ink on his chest is ruffling feathers and making hearts skip a beat across the internet.
Shawn Mendes has added some more ink to his body, but this time, fan reactions have been... mixed.
The tattoo, made up of a bald eagle on Mendes’ sternum, was introduced to the world on April 13 by LA-based tattoo artist Kane Navasard on Instagram. It is captioned, “Soaring to new heights, for my bro @shawnmendes.”
The comments under the post were mixed, with some saying it’s “an incredible and detailed work” and others saying, “Everyone is lying here, the tattoo was horrible.”
Historically, Mendes’ ink has had significant meaning for him, including the “Good Luck” tattoo he had penned in 2019 as a sign of good spirits for the people who walk behind him and the “Dos Reis” tattoo on the back of his neck to signify his bloodline. Others include the lightbulb on his arm, which symbolizes his Illuminate album, and “Good Boy” on his arm, which is a tribute to his dog.
Still, besides some of the negative feedback, fans are also oggling Mendes’ toned chest and abs in the photo. If we didn’t know it was to debut a new tattoo, we just would have been distracted anyway.
At the time of this writing, Mendes has yet to publicly speak about his tattoo or its meaning. Although it does resemble the tattoo under Rihanna’s breast line, it still aesthetically fits in and matches his other tattoos, so not all of the hate toward him is warranted.
As it is, traditionally, bald eagles symbolize strength, courage, freedom, and immortality. They’ve become a staple in American history since they’re only indigenous to North America.
Keep scrolling for some reactions—good and bad—to Mendes’ new ink, and look for when he addresses what it means.
"Monday morning news: Katy Perry and Gayle Kind went to space and Shawn Mendes got an eagle underboob tattoo"
"It’s funny how every new Shawn Mendes tattoo is somehow the most Shawn Mendes tattoo ever lmao"
Andrew J. Stillman is a freelance writer and yoga instructor exploring the world. Check him out at andrewjstillman.com or follow him @andrewjstillman on all the things.
Andrew J. Stillman is a freelance writer and yoga instructor exploring the world. Check him out at andrewjstillman.com or follow him @andrewjstillman on all the things.
