Shawn Mendes is pushing his Canadian roots to the side in a new Tommy Hilfiger campaign that features the singer-songwriter covering Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 single “Dancing in the Dark.”
Directed by Craig McDean and Theo Stanley, Mendes delivers his rendition of the dance-rock track from an Austin, Texas warehouse. The singer fully commits with his rendition, paying homage by tucking a tri-colored Americana bandana into his jeans and rocking out on his own with the energy of a packed-out stadium show. The little details all point back to Springsteen’s own style in the original “Dancing in the Dark” music video.
The cover follows the arrival of the young singer’s own Springsteen-esque single “When You’re Gone,” a contemplative breakup song that transforms into an arena-ready sing along before it can weigh itself down too much.
Springsteen’s influence as a musician and songwriter has been at the root of Mendes’ artistry since the singer was first paired up with longtime manager Andrew Gertler, who told Rolling Stone in 2018: “When I started talking to Shawn, one of the first things I said was, ‘You have to go build something for yourself.’ I look at the relationship Jon Landau had with Bruce Springsteen. Can we tour for 40-plus years?”