Shawn Mendes: from Vine life to the limelight

Time's 100 Most Influential People - In 2018, Grammy-award-winning artist John Mayer showed deep respect for the Gen Z sensation on the Time magazine list. He wrote that Mendes' dedication to his music and his unquenchable thirst to learn are the reason people twice his age can't stop listening to him.

1 / 28 Fotos

"He's like Neo in 'The Matrix,' downloading skills in one sitting" - Mayer also wrote that the beauty of Mendes' craft is that you're there with him as he discovers new sounds. "His songs are often his interpretation of music he's fallen in love with, sometimes while he's still on his honeymoon with it," Mayer wrote.

2 / 28 Fotos

His influences have ranged and changed - From Ed Sheeran and Justin Timberlake, to Kanye West, Kings of Leon, and Daniel Caesar, Mendes' influences cross traditional genre borders in a very Gen-Z manner.

3 / 28 Fotos

So, where did it all begin? - The Toronto-born musician had a similar start to Justin Bieber, but using a different social media platform.

4 / 28 Fotos

Instead of YouTube, it was (the now-defunct) Vine - Mendes did use YouTube tutorials to learn how to play guitar, but his big break came with the rise of Vine, a short-form video-sharing service where people could post six-second-long looping clips.

5 / 28 Fotos

Instant star - After posting cover videos for a few months, Mendes had millions of followers and was one of the most-followed people on the app. He was just 14.

6 / 28 Fotos

He even covered Justin Bieber - Mendes' cover of Bieber's 'As Long As You Love Me' was wildly popular, and although Bieber publicly admitted he hadn't heard of Mendes at the time, he later posted a screenshot of Mendes' song 'Stitches' on Instagram and wrote, "Shawn I checked out the music and I'm so proud! So glad to see another boy from Canada crushin it. #canadiansdoitbetter."

7 / 28 Fotos

Canadians really do do it better - In 2014, Mendes' first single, 'Life of the Party,' made it onto the Billboard top 25. He was the youngest artist to land a top 25 with a debut single!

8 / 28 Fotos

He even broke a record Bieber set - In 2010, Bieber's album 'My World 2.0' debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard Top 200. The next artist to achieve the same feat was Mendes, four years later with the album 'Handwritten.'

9 / 28 Fotos

They're signed to the same label - Both young pop singers are signed to Island Records, and they're two of five artists to debut at number one before the age of 18.

10 / 28 Fotos

Awards on awards - Mendes has received numerous awards and nominations, including ones from the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music Awards, the Juno Awards, and, of course, the Grammys!

11 / 28 Fotos

He ended Bieber's streak at the Juno Awards - Bieber won the Juno Fan Choice Award for four consecutive years (2011 to 2014) and again in 2016. Mendes took the prize in 2017 and 2018, and again in 2021 and 2022.

12 / 28 Fotos

He's made some really good friends along the way - Mendes toured with Taylor Swift, Austin Mahone, and several artists who performed with the Jingle Ball Tour.

13 / 28 Fotos

He also worked with Hailee Steinfeld - They've shared the stage, performed an acoustic version of 'Stitches,' and Steinfeld also told Teen Vogue that Mendes helped launch her career.

14 / 28 Fotos

Camila Cabello - The former Fifth Harmony member collaborated with Mendes on his song 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.' Then came the hugely popular 'Señorita.' Soon after, the couple made their relationship public. They've broken up since, gotten back together, and then called it off again.

15 / 28 Fotos

Mendes has headlined four concert tours - They were called #ShawnsFirstHeadlines, Shawn Mendes World Tour, and Illuminate World Tour, and Shawn Mendes: The Tour. In 2022, he announced that his Wonder: The World Tour would be canceled, as he dealt with mental health issues.

16 / 28 Fotos

He stays grounded - At the 2015 Juno Awards, Mendes shared a moment with his fans by projecting their faces up on the screen instead of his own.

17 / 28 Fotos

He always takes time for his fans - After all, they supported him from when he was still getting the hang of playing guitar!

18 / 28 Fotos

He eased into a multifaceted fame quite well - Most celebrities tend to delve into fashion at some point, and Mendes did too. Here he is walking the runway at the Emporio Armani fashion show during Milan Men's Fashion Week in 2017.

19 / 28 Fotos

He still pays his dues - In a Grammy Salute honoring Elton John, Mendes and R&B singer SZA performed a cover of 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' at Madison Square Garden.

20 / 28 Fotos

Following slimy footsteps - In 2018, the singer won Favorite Male Artist at Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards, and he's had green goo shot at him more than once—joining the ranks of other slimed celebs like Justin Bieber, Will Smith, John Cena, Nick Jonas, and Katy Perry.

21 / 28 Fotos

He's also had his fair share of relationship rumors - Inevitably, the young heartthrob had people wondering about his romantic life, like those rumors involving model Hailey Baldwin, now Mrs. Bieber.

22 / 28 Fotos

But he's focused on more important things - He told Clash Magazine, "I want to create anthems for people. I want to create anthems for big moments in their lives."

23 / 28 Fotos

There's more to the music - He continued, "I think it's not only about the music you release, it's about the things you do while you're making the music."

24 / 28 Fotos

That's why he's also into philanthropy - In 2014, and partnered with DoSomething.org, Mendes launched a campaign called 'Notes from Shawn' to combat depression and bullying with acts of kindness.

25 / 28 Fotos

He's really good at raising money - Working with Pencils of Promise, Mendes helped raise enough money to build a school in Ghana. In 2017, he donated US$100,000 to the Mexico Earthquake Relief Fund.

26 / 28 Fotos

In 2015, he was given the Allan Slaight Honour -

The honor recognizes Canadian artists who use their platform to inspire others, and previous winners include The Weeknd, Drake, and Carly Rae Jepsen.

Sources: (Time) (Teen Vogue) (Clash)

27 / 28 Fotos

Getty Images

0 / 28 Fotos