Songfacts®:

• Beginning March 2023, Canada endured a relentless onslaught of wildfires, intensifying further in early June. The far-reaching impact of these fires became evident when the smoke from Quebec's wildfires made its way into the Northeastern United States on June 5 and 6. By June 6, New York City found itself engulfed in a dense blanket of smoke, obscuring the iconic skyline from view. It got so bad, the pollution-tracking company IQAir declared that New York City had the most severe air pollution of any major city in the world.
  
  Shawn Mendes drew inspiration for "What The Hell Are We Dying For?" from this smogpocalypse.
• In the heart of the smog-filled New York City, Shawn Mendes, alongside his friends Scott Harris, Eddie Benjamin, and Michael Sabath, crafted "What The Hell Are We Dying For?" on June 8, 2023. Being immersed in the dirty air provided impetus for their composition.
• While the apocalyptic atmosphere generated by the fires and smoke undoubtedly left an indelible mark on Mendes, the song's chorus alludes to a loss that transcends the environmental realm. Against the backdrop of a driving guitar riff, he passionately croons:
  
  If we don't love like we used to
  If we don't care like we used to
  What the hell are we dying for?
  If it doesn't cut like it used to
  If you're not mine and I'm not yours
  What the hell are we dying for?
  
  Mendes has been in an on-and-off relationship with singer-songwriter Camila Cabello for several years. Is he drawing on his personal romantic experiences for the song's narrative? Although framed as an environmental track, some suggest that the Toronto-born artist is channeling his dynamic with Cabello, offering a layered exploration of love, connection, and existential meaning.
• The song marked a significant turning point for Shawn Mendes, breaking through a period of intense writer's block that had lasted over a year. Opening up to Apple Music's Zane Lowe about his struggles in the studio, he revealed his challenges in finding his musical identity and the courage to collaborate with others. Mendes' creative drought ended when, during a moment of deep frustration while in upstate New York, a wave of inspiration washed over him and he felt a reawakening.
  
  "I just think singing along to this organ and this Juno loop we created, and the words came out of me just like, what am I dying for?" Mendes said. "I think it's the most abstract I've been in a long time writing about multiple things at the same time."
• In conjunction with the release of the song, Shawn Mendes announced he will be contributing to the Canadian branch of the Red Cross. The organization is involved in assisting those affected by the devastating wildfires.