Wow, get ready to be brought back to Summer ’09 (or whatever year you feel fits) because Shawn Mendes’ new song “Youth” featuring Khalid made me remember memories I’ve been repressing.

The melancholy track represents the feeling of when a tragedy occurs. In an interview with Zane Lowe, Shawn revealed that “Youth” was inspired by the Manchester terror attack. He texted Khalid and explained he wanted to write a song about how the youth was feeling because he thinks they have the voice to do that.

Shawn further explained: “I woke up in the morning and the whole thought of my youth trying to be taken away from me. Not my youth as in my age, youth as in my love, my happiness, my joy, my purity. You could be 50 and your youth is there. It's in you. And all of these horrible things happening in the world and all of the headlines, it felt like every day it was just being pulled more and more out of us and I was like, this what we have to write about."

Even though the song is about that specific event, you can take the meaning any way you want, whether it’s a broken heart, the loss of a loved one or you were coming home from Taco Bell one night and you tripped on your hose, sprained your ankle and crushed your crunchy tacos (don’t ask). No matter the situation, this song empowers you, letting you realize that your youth can’t be taken away from you.

“Youth” begins with Khalid and Shawn singing heartbroken lyrics over an acoustic guitar. “My heart is broken, but I keep going,” is a lyric Shawn sings in the track. It represents something we feel when a tragic event happens.

A chill went down my spine listening to this song and finding out the real meaning behind the song was powerful. Thank you Shawn and Khalid for making this track to empower our generation.

Listen to “Youth” below and stream! The song will be on Shawn's forthcoming self-titled album which drops May 25th. He'll be playing a few dates here and there around the world following the album release. Head to his website for more info!