Shawn Mendes just released “Heart of Gold,” a new single that’s as touching as it is personal.

Written about a childhood friend who passed away from a drug overdose, “Heart of Gold” taps into the raw emotions of losing someone too soon.

In the song, Mendes opens up with lines reflecting the regrets of not being there when it mattered: “Honestly, it’s been a while since I thought of you / In the end, we didn’t talk much / I didn’t know what you were going through / I’m sorry that I wasn’t there.” Then, in the chorus, he celebrates his friend’s legacy: “You had a heart of gold, yeah / You had a heart of gold / You left too soon, it was out of your control.”

Recently, Mendes gave “Heart of Gold” another layer of meaning by dedicating it to late One Direction member Liam Payne during a live show in NYC on Oct. 18. Stopping the music to speak to fans, Mendes shared, “We heard the news about Liam. It felt like… It felt completely devastating. I got to meet him a couple times, and he was a beautiful soul and his eyes gleamed — it was beauty, shining into his eyes.”

He explained that the song is not just about loss but about celebrating those who have left an impact: “It’s about grieving those we miss with tears, but it’s also about celebrating them… who they were and what they’ve left in this world.” Mendes added, “I just want to take a second to send so much love to him wherever he is up there… Liam, we love you! And the world is crying for you, brother.”

As he launched into the song, Mendes dedicated the night’s performance to Liam, saying, “This one’s for you tonight, Liam, from all of us.”

Throughout his career, Mendes has scored four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, with his debut album Handwritten kicking off his career by landing at No. 1 in 2015. His collaboration with Camila Cabello, “Señorita,” topped the Billboard Hot 100, and he’s had big hits like “Stitches” and “Treat You Better” reach the Top 10. Mendes has also hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Songs chart three times.

Stream “Heart of Gold” below: