Fans of pop stars Camila Cabello and heartthrob Shawn Mendes have wondered for years if they are really “just friends.” They’ve repeatedly claimed that there’s nothing going on, shooting down rumor after rumor in the process. But their recent collaboration on the song and (especially) the video for “Señorita,” might have fans thinking otherwise.
A racy, provocative project, this catchy jam focuses on two people whose passion sparks on the dance floor and fully ignites in a motel room.
Cabello commences with the song’s chorus and a confession: “I love it when you call me señorita.” It’s a sensual term of endearment she’s fond of. And although she’d like to think she can live without Mendes (“I wish I could pretend I didn’t need ya/ … Ooh, I should be running”), his touch continually draws her in (“But every touch is ooh la la la/It’s true, la la la/ … Ooh, you keep me coming for you”).
Mendes begins by retelling the story of the first time he saw Cabello (“Land in Miami/The air was hot from summer rain/Sweat dripping off me/Before I even knew her name, la la la/It felt like ooh la la la”). It was an instant connection (“We danced for hours in the sand/Tequila sunrise/Her body fit right in my hands, la la la”).
A connection that, Cabello sings breathlessly, quickly escalated as they cozied up “locked in the hotel,” between the sheets: “You say we’re just friends/But friends don’t know the way you taste, la la la/Ooh, when your lips undress me/Hooked on your tongue/Ooh, love, your kiss is deadly/Don’t stop.”
But their one-night stand does not, it seems, translate into a lasting relationship. And, although Mendes and Cabello admit it’s “so d–n” hard” to part ways, they hope that their passionate night meant something: “All along I’ve been coming for you/And I hope it meant something to you.”
If you haven’t seen the smoldering video for “Señorita,” here’s all you need to know: it’s a mini-movie that doesn’t leave much to the imagination.
Shawn rides his motorcycle to a restaurant, where Camila is working as a waitress. He instantly falls for her and waits around to talk to her. Flash forward, and the two dance at a night party outdoors.
Eventually, they go from dancing to a hotel room where he takes his shirt off and multiple scenes flash to the two kissing, rolling around on the bed and, as it’s insinuated, eventually having sex. That’s not pictured. But various scenes throughout the video picture Camila in different kinds of revealing garb. Some show a lot of skin. And a see-through tank top makes it clear that she’s not wearing anything beneath.
When their lusty hook up is all said and done, the two part ways. And although the beat might hook you, the message is not one you want on repeat.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).