Shawn Peter Raul Mendes, born on August 8, 1998, in Pickering, Ontario, Canada, is a popular singer and songwriter. He is the son of Karen, a real estate agent of English descent, and Manuel Mendes, a businessman of Portuguese descent who supplies bar and restaurant equipment in Toronto. He has a younger sister named Aaliyah. Mendes grew up in a religious household.
The Beginning of a Musical Career
Mendes taught himself to play the guitar at age 14 by watching tutorials on YouTube. In 2013, he started posting cover videos on the social media app Vine and quickly gained a large following. His cover of "As Long as You Love Me" by Justin Bieber was particularly popular. By August 2014, he was the third most-followed musician on Vine.
In November 2013, artist manager Andrew Gertler discovered Mendes online. This led to him signing with Island Records in May 2014. His first single, "Life of the Party," was released in June 2014. He became the youngest artist to debut in the top 25 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. His self-titled debut EP was released in July 2014 and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200.
Rise to Stardom
Handwritten (2015)
Mendes' debut studio album, "Handwritten," was released in April 2015 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. This made him one of only five artists to achieve a number one album before the age of 18. The album included the hit single "Stitches," which reached number one in the UK and the top ten in the US and Canada. A collaboration with Camila Cabello, "I Know What You Did Last Summer," was also featured on a revised version of the album.
Illuminate (2016)
His second album, "Illuminate," was released in September 2016 and also debuted at number one in the US. It featured the top-ten singles "Treat You Better" and "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back.". By November 2017, Mendes became the first artist under 20 to have three number-one songs on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
Shawn Mendes (2018)
Mendes' self-titled third album was released in May 2018, again debuting at number one in the US. This made him the third-youngest artist with three number-one albums. The lead single, "In My Blood," openly discussed his struggles with anxiety. In 2019, he released the successful singles "If I Can't Have You" and "Señorita," with the latter, a collaboration with Camila Cabello, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Wonder (2020)
His fourth studio album, "Wonder," was released in December 2020 and also debuted at number one, making him the youngest male artist to have four studio albums top the Billboard 200.
Awards and Recognition
Throughout his career, Shawn Mendes has received numerous awards. He has won 13 SOCAN awards, 10 MTV Europe Music Awards, eight Juno Awards, and two American Music Awards. He has also been nominated for three Grammy Awards. In 2018, Time magazine included him on their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.