There’s a reason Mendes’ third album is self-titled. The 20-year-old Canadian rose to fame singing covers on Vine and up until this album played catchy, somewhat mediocre pop hits. Now, with the help of producers John Mayer and Ryan Tedder (Paul McCartney, Adele), he’s graduated his diary entries into fully dimensional/confessional string ballads. Groovier tracks “Lost in Japan” and “Particular Taste” anchor the heaviness of “In My Blood,” “Youth” featuring Khalid, and “Perfectly Wrong,” tying together his falsetto-driven journey into figuring out love, whiskey, and sex. (6pm, Honda stage)

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This article appears in October 12 • 2018.

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