"There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Shawn Mendes. Written by Mendes, Teddy Geiger, Geoff Warburton and Scott Harris, and produced by Geiger and Andrew Maury, it was released as a single on April 20, 2017. The song was included in the reissue of his second studio album Illuminate. An accompanying music video was released on June 20, 2017. The single reached the top 10 in several countries, including the US and the UK.
Composition
"There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back'" is a "dance-y" pop rock track. A Billboard editor noted it features some electric guitar and "strained" vocals on the chorus. As the upbeat track progresses, it incorporates handclaps, funky guitar riffs, and foot-tapping bass. The pre-chorus was inspired by early works of Timbaland and Justin Timberlake.
Critical reception
Writing for Billboard, Taylor Weatherby noted "the song's sound falls right in line with the guitar-laced goodness he brought on his sophomore effort, but this time bringing in a little more edge." Allison Bowsher for Much opined the sound "is a return to the earworms that launched Mendes' career back in 2015. Reminiscent of the high energy pop sensibilities of Mendes' "Something Big," today's new track plays with lifts and falls throughout, allowing Mendes to show off the strength of his voice." In MTV News, Madeline Roth thought the track is "more danceable than anything in his catalog. His voice is gritty and hoarse, especially on the passionate, aggressive hook." TIME chose the song as a contender for one of the songs of the summer, commending the "smart use of both electric guitar and tropical house beat." Billboard considered it the 44th best song of the year, CBC Music named it the 5th.
In the United States, the song has peaked at number 6, becoming Mendes' third top 10 single on the US Billboard Hot 100. In Canada, the song has reached a peak of 6, becoming his highest charting single in his home country at the time. He has since surpassed this peak with his single "If I Can't Have You" which reached number 2 in May 2019. It has reached top 5 in several other countries such as Australia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, and the United Kingdom, as well as topping the South Korea charts.
Music video
The music video for the song was released on June 20, 2017. The clip, filmed in Paris, Amsterdam and the United Kingdom, sees Mendes and his love interest exploring Europe while the singer is out on tour. The couple races through transportation hubs, ride trains and trek along the coastline. The video also shows footage from Mendes' concerts. As of October 2019, the music video has received over 894 million views. The Music Video was Directed by Jay Martin and Produced by Cal Gordon. The Cinematography was from Thomas Hole.
