Mayeli Acuna
Chronicle Reporter
As Shawn Mendes preformed his single “Youth” featuring Khalid on Sunday May 20 at the Billboard Music Awards, they did not fail to deliver the message of the song. The two talents sang alongside 12 members of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student choir honoring the 10 victims of Friday’s school shooting in Sante Fe, Texas. Mendes states how “Youth” was written after the terrorist attack at Ariana Grande’s concert in Manchester, England last year in May. “I wanted to write something about it but it had to be about the feeling for us as a generation when one of these things happens. So I wrote a song about our youth, a feeling that can’t be taken away from us. It’s the most important song on the album” Mendes states.
Khalid wearing a “Protect our Guns” t-shirt with gun crossed out with the word “children” printed underneath and Mendes preaching the song he wrote “you can’t take my youth away, this soul of mine will never break.” Those 12 student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School being a voice for all the students who are fighting for a change. When the audience was shown, artist such as Halsey and Ne-yo were seen with great despair and all in the crowed were touched by the message that was being exclaimed in which is a plea to stand as one in the face of dashed hopes and violence. The audience payed great respect to the performance of the student choir and those 12 students are now the voice for all of the students pledging for a change.
Mendes a 19 year old who used his platform to spread a message, having victims of the Florida school shooting sing alongside him and Khalid in order for this message to be received. “Pain, but I won’t let it turn into hate” was sang around the arena in Los Vegas and it was then that the message of the youth was delivered.