If it wasn’t for lockdown, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello might have had a much shorter romance. “Shawn and Camila were drifting apart. The lockdown actually helped them hang on much longer than they would have,” an insider tells Life & Style exclusively, adding, “The breakup has been brewing for at least a year.”

The 23-year-old Toronto native spent much of the 2020 lockdown with Camila, 24, in her native Miami. They were frequently seen getting some sunshine on outdoor walks, or doing fun Instagram live sessions with fans while isolating together. After less than a year of dating, they found themselves around each other nonstop at her home for months.

“It wasn’t anything specific, like another person involved. They basically just grew apart in the romance department. It was a difficult decision to split, but it was necessary. In the end, they both wanted other experiences,” the insider continues.

Shawn released his latest album, Wonder, in December 2020. Because of the lingering situations involving the pandemic, he postponed touring until 2022. But Shawn will be an incredibly busy artist in the coming year. His world tour kicks off in Copenhagen, Denmark in March 2022, taking him across Europe until May 20. He then begins the North American leg on June 27 in Portland, Oregon, and will be criss-crossing the U.S. and Canada until late October of next year.

Camila and Shawn had originally bonded while he was touring in 2019. The two decided to move out of the longtime friend zone into dating around the Fourth of July that year. Camila joined Shawn on the road for several stops, occasionally joining him on stage for a duet of their smash hit, “Senorita.” His tour ended in December 2019, and the couple were finally getting to enjoy a more settled dating life when three months later, home lockdowns began.

The pair surprised fans when just 13 days after they were photographed kissing in the ocean off Miami, the singers announced on November 17, 2021, that, “We’ve decided to end our romantic relationship but our love for one another as humans is stronger than ever.” The two added that, “We started our relationship as best friends, and will continue to be best friends.”