Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello – Señorita

“Señorita” was written by Charli XCX, Ali Tamposi, Clean Bandit’s Jack Patterson, plus the producers Andrew Watt, Benny Blanco, and Cashmere Cat. The writers then bought in Mendes and Cabello to record the vocals and tweak the lyrics.

Mendes was set to record his vocals on a day off during his UK tour; however, Watt blew the microphone, which delayed things. Much to Mendes’ annoyance, this meant he had to lay them down just before a run of four nights at London’s O2 Arena, just when he had been planning to rest his voice. Watt told Billboard he thinks Mendes’ “amazing raspy tone” was because he was so cross.

Having recorded his vocals, Mendes then FaceTimed Cabello and started tweaking the lyrics with her. The first time they were actually in the studio together was a fortnight before the song came out. “Señorita” was already being mixed when Cabello came up with, “You say we’re just friends but friends don’t know the way they taste.” She insisted on the lyric being there, so Mendes had to come in and re-sing his harmonies just for that line.

“Señorita” debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 6, 2019. It later peaked at number one on the chart issue dated August 31, 2019, dethroning Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy”, becoming Mendes’ first US number-one song and Cabello’s second after “Havana”. Cabello became the youngest female artist to achieve a second Hot 100 number one and a fourth Mainstream Top 40 chart-topper since Rihanna (2010). It was replaced by Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” the following week. The single was the most-streamed song on Spotify in 2019 and 9th overall. It charted on the Billboard Hot 100 for 37 weeks. After the introduction of Billboard Global 200 in September 2020, “Señorita” peaked at 67 on the chart. It was certified a platinum in the US on August 23, 2019, and has been updated as 5× Platinum certification on August 3, 2023.

The song’s official video was premiered on YouTube on June 21, 2019. The video, directed by Dave Meyers, filmed in Los Angeles, sees Mendes and Cabello in Miami. Cabello portrays a waitress working at a small diner, and Mendes is a newcomer to the city. They meet at the diner, and later see each other at a party. He then takes her on a motorcycle ride and they go to a hotel where they proceed to make love. In the end, however, they are separated, and it ends with Mendes looking out into the ocean and Cabello being consoled by a fellow waitress on their break. As of December 2024, it has more than 1.7 billion views.

“Senorita” won Best Single of the Year at the 2020 Juno awards. Mendes also took home Best Artist of the Year, the second time in a row he received the honor.

This won for Best Collaboration at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. Mendes and Cabello steamed up the windows when they performed it at the ceremony.

“Señorita” – Single by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello from the album Romance and Shawn Mendes (Deluxe)
Released June 21, 2019
Composers Andrew Wotman, Benjamin Levin, Alexandra Tamposi, Charlotte Aitchison, Jack Patterson, Magnus August Høiberg
Lyricists Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Alexandra Tamposi
Charted No.1 US, No.1 UK, No.1 Australia, No.1 Belgium, No.1 Canada, No.1 Germany, No.1 Netherlands.