Shawn Mendes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shawn Mendes
Mendes at the 2019 American Music Awards
Born	Shawn Peter Raul Mendes (1998-08-08) August 8, 1998 (age 27) Pickering, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Singer songwriter musician
Years active	2013–present
Works	Discography songs performances
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop
Instruments	Vocals guitar keyboards
Labels	Island Universal Music Canada

Shawn Peter Raul Mendes is a Canadian singer and songwriter. He became famous in 2013 by sharing short song covers on Vine, a video app. The next year, he signed a deal with Island Records. His first EP (a mini-album) came out in 2014. His first full album, Handwritten, was released in 2015. It went straight to number one in the US. This made him one of only five artists to reach number one before turning 18. His song "Stitches" was a big hit, reaching number one in the UK.

Shawn's second album, Illuminate (2016), also hit number one in the US. Songs like "Treat You Better" and "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" were very popular. His third album, Shawn Mendes (2018), also debuted at number one. This made him one of the youngest artists with three number-one albums. In 2019, he released the hit songs "If I Can't Have You" and "Señorita" with Camila Cabello. "Señorita" became his first song to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

His fourth album, Wonder (2020), also topped the Billboard 200. This made him the youngest male artist to have four number-one albums. After taking a break from music, Shawn released his fifth album, Shawn, in November 2024. It explored a more folk sound. Shawn Mendes has won many awards, including 10 MTV Europe Music Awards and eight Juno Awards. In 2018, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Early Life and School

Shawn Peter Raul Mendes was born on August 8, 1998, in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. His mother, Karen, is a real estate agent. His father, Manuel, is a businessman from Algarve, Portugal. Shawn has a younger sister named Aaliyah. He grew up in a religious family and played youth soccer.

Shawn finished high school at Pine Ridge Secondary School in June 2016. While in school, he played ice hockey and soccer. He also joined his high school's glee club and took acting lessons. He even played Prince Charming in a school play. He also tried out for the Disney Channel in Toronto.

Music Career Beginnings

2013–2015: Handwritten Album

Shawn learned to play guitar by watching videos on YouTube when he was 13 years old in 2012. Less than a year later, he started posting videos of himself singing cover songs online. He became very popular after sharing a cover of Justin Bieber's "As Long as You Love Me" on the app Vine in 2013. The next day, he had 10,000 likes and followers. Soon, he had millions of views and followers. He was known for his six-second clips of popular songs. By August 2014, he was the third most-followed musician on Vine.

Mendes at the Jingle Ball Tour 2014

An artist manager named Andrew Gertler found Shawn online in November 2013. This led to Shawn signing with Island Records in May 2014. He released his first song, "Life of the Party", on June 26, 2014. He was the youngest artist to have a song debut in the top 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Before signing his record deal, Shawn toured with other young social media stars on the Magcon Tour. He also opened shows for Austin Mahone.

Shawn released his first major EP in July 2014. It reached number five on the Billboard 200 chart. He won a Teen Choice award in 2014 for Webstar in Music. In April 2015, Shawn released his first full album, Handwritten. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. This made him the youngest artist to debut at number one since Justin Bieber's My World 2.0. The song "Stitches" from the album became his first top 10 hit in the US. It also reached number one in the UK.

In 2015, Shawn opened for Taylor Swift on her 1989 World Tour in North America. He also recorded "Believe" for the movie Descendants. Later in 2015, Shawn and Camila Cabello released their song "I Know What You Did Last Summer". This song was added to a new version of his Handwritten album. Time magazine named Shawn one of the "25 Most Influential Teens" in 2014 and 2015.

2016–2017: Illuminate Album

Mendes performing in 2017

In January 2016, Shawn acted for the first time on The CW's show The 100. He then announced his second world tour, the Shawn Mendes World Tour. Tickets for 38 shows in North America and Europe sold out very quickly.

Shawn released "Treat You Better" in June 2016. This was the first song from his second album. The song reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and was certified triple platinum. It also made it to the top 10 in the UK. His second album, Illuminate, came out on September 23, 2016. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and in Canada. "Mercy" was released as the second song from the album. It reached the top 20 in the US and UK. Shawn also released a live album called Live at Madison Square Garden in December 2016. He performed on Saturday Night Live on December 3, 2016.

In April 2017, Shawn started his Illuminate World Tour. He played in big venues around the world, like the Staples Center in Los Angeles. He released the song "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" on April 20, 2017. This song was added to the deluxe version of his Illuminate album. It became his third song to reach the top 10 in the US. By August 2017, he was the first artist under 20 to have three number-one songs on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart.

2018–2019: Shawn Mendes Album

Mendes performs "In My Blood" at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards.

On March 22, 2018, Shawn released "In My Blood", the first song from his third album. The next day, he released "Lost in Japan". "In My Blood" topped the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart. This made Shawn the first artist to have four number-one songs on that chart before turning 20. The song "Youth" was released on May 3, featuring American singer Khalid.

His album Shawn Mendes was released on May 25, 2018. Critics liked it, especially his songwriting. It debuted at number one in Canada and the US. This made Shawn the third-youngest artist to have three number-one albums.

Mendes performing at a concert for Elizabeth II's 92nd birthday in April 2018

To promote the album, Shawn went on his self-titled world tour in 2019. He also performed at music festivals in Europe, North America, and South America. He sang at a concert for Queen Elizabeth II's 92nd birthday in April 2018. He appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden for a week in June, singing different songs each night. He also performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in October. He even did a special version of "Treat You Better" with Fallon and The Roots using classroom instruments.

A documentary about Shawn, directed by YouTube star Casey Neistat, was released on September 28, 2018. It showed interviews with Shawn and behind-the-scenes footage from his tours. A remixed version of "Lost in Japan" by DJ Zedd was released on September 27. Shawn performed this remix with Zedd at the American Music Awards of 2018. Shawn was named number one on Billboard's "21 Under 21" list for the second year in a row.

In October 2018, Shawn and Zac Brown Band appeared on the TV show CMT Crossroads. They performed songs together and covered Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror". Shawn also performed at the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. He released an EP of remixes called The Album (Remixes) in December 2018.

On May 3, 2019, Shawn released the song "If I Can't Have You" with its music video. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. On June 21, 2019, he released "Señorita" with Camila Cabello. This was their second song together. On August 26, 2019, "Señorita" reached number one on the Hot 100, becoming Shawn's first chart-topping single. The deluxe version of Shawn Mendes album was released on July 27, 2019, and included these two new songs.

2020–2023: Wonder Album

On September 30, 2020, Shawn announced his fourth album, Wonder, would be released on December 4. The main song, also called "Wonder", came out on October 2. A documentary about Shawn's life, Shawn Mendes: In Wonder, was released on Netflix on November 23, 2020. A concert film, Shawn Mendes: Live in Concert, also came out on Netflix on November 25.

On November 16, 2020, Shawn announced a song with Justin Bieber called "Monster". It was released on November 20, 2020, and reached number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100. They performed "Monster" live for the first time at the American Music Awards of 2020. The Wonder album was released on December 4, debuting at number one in the US and Canada.

On August 20, 2021, Shawn released "Summer of Love" with Tainy. He also became a producer for a TV show based on the video game Life Is Strange. Shawn started his Wonder: The World Tour in March 2022. However, he postponed and then canceled many shows to focus on his mental health. He said he would continue to make music and hoped to tour again.

On November 30, 2021, Shawn released "It'll Be Okay". In March 2022, he performed a new song called "When You're Gone" at SXSW 2022. Shawn also voiced the main character in the movie Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, released in October 2022. He sang for the crocodile character, who only sings. He also released an original song for the movie's soundtrack called "Heartbeat."

On June 9, 2023, Shawn released "What the Hell Are We Dying For?" as a charity song. In November 2023, he was featured on the song "Witness Me" with Stormzy and Kirk Franklin from Jacob Collier's album.

2024–Present: Shawn Album

In March 2024, Shawn announced his first solo live performance since canceling his previous tour. He had made surprise appearances with artists like Ed Sheeran and Niall Horan. He announced he would headline the Rock in Rio festival on September 22. In the same announcement, he shared that he was working on his fifth album. On July 31, 2024, he revealed the album's title, Shawn, and its release date, which was later moved to November 15, 2024. Two songs from the album, "Why Why Why" and "Isn't That Enough", were released on August 8. The third song, "Nobody Knows", came out on September 12. "Heart of Gold" was released on November 1.

To promote Shawn, he went on a smaller concert tour playing in theaters. These shows were held in places where he recorded the album. The concerts started in Woodstock, New York on August 8, 2024, and ended in Seattle on October 24, 2024. A concert film, Shawn Mendes: For Friends and Family Only (A Live Concert Film), was shown in some theaters on November 14.

Music Style and Influences

Mendes looks up to artists like John Mayer and Ed Sheeran.

Shawn Mendes's music is mostly described as pop and folk-pop. He has said that John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, and Bruno Mars are his main musical inspirations. When he was growing up, Shawn listened to reggae music, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Garth Brooks, and country music because of his parents. He shared that his second album was influenced by John Mayer, and his third album was inspired by Justin Timberlake and others.

A writer for Rolling Stone magazine said Shawn's music includes "catchy acoustic folk-pop tunes." A writer for The New York Times noted that his "soft, sometimes soulful pop-rock plays primarily to tweens and teenagers." Shawn told Clash magazine that he wants to "create anthems for people" and for his music to last a long time. He also wants to do important things that make a difference.

Brand Partnerships

Shawn Mendes has worked with several brands. He signed with Wilhelmina Models in 2016. In June 2017, he walked the runway for Emporio Armani in Milan, Italy. He also launched his first perfume, Shawn Mendes Signature, in August 2017. His second perfume, Shawn Signature II, came out in August 2018.

On June 6, 2018, Shawn became an ambassador for Emporio Armani's watch collection. In February 2019, he became a brand ambassador for Calvin Klein's #MyCalvins campaign. He also partnered with SmileDirectClub, with some money going to help children's health.

In August 2019, Shawn partnered with the Canadian food chain Tim Hortons. He appeared in a commercial and on their drink cups. He also partnered with Roots Canada in September. In February 2023, Shawn became a brand ambassador for the jewelry brand David Yurman. He appeared with actress Scarlett Johansson in their "Nature’s Artistry" campaign.

Helping Others

Shawn Mendes is involved in many charity efforts. In 2014, he teamed up with DoSomething.org for a campaign called "Notes from Shawn." Fans were asked to write positive notes and leave them in unexpected places. This idea came from his song "Life of the Party" and aimed to help with low self-esteem and depression. The campaign was relaunched in 2015 and 2016.

He has also worked with Pencils of Promise, an organization that builds schools in developing countries. He helped raise $25,000 to build a school in Ghana. In September 2017, after an earthquake in Mexico City, Shawn created the Mexico Earthquake Relief Fund. He donated $100,000 to help.

In 2018, Shawn worked with Omaze to raise money for the WE Schools program, which supports young people through education. In September 2018, Shawn performed at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City. He spoke about the importance of education for children, especially young women. He also encouraged his fans to support a movement called Leave No Girl Behind.

In October 2018, Shawn and producer Teddy Geiger released a cover of "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie. Money from the song went to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, which fights HIV/AIDS. Shawn also performed at the "We Can Survive" event in Los Angeles to raise money for young women with breast cancer.

In August 2019, Shawn launched the Shawn Mendes Foundation. Its goal is to "inspire and empower his fans and today's youth to bring about positive change in the world." In January 2020, his foundation donated money to help with the devastating fires in Australia. In March 2020, Shawn and his foundation donated $175,000 to Toronto's SickKids Foundation to help with COVID-19 relief.

In December 2020, the Shawn Mendes Foundation and Google started "Wonder Grants." These grants help young creative people launch projects in music, film, education, science, and technology. In January 2021, Chipotle partnered with Shawn and his foundation. They offered a "Shawn Mendes Bowl" on their app, and for every bowl sold, Chipotle donated $1 to his foundation. In June 2023, Shawn helped design a bracelet for David Yurman, with 20% of the sales going to his foundation.

Shawn has also supported the Black Lives Matter movement. In May 2020, he joined protests in Miami for racial justice after the murder of George Floyd. He used his Instagram to share the voices of Black activists. In April 2021, Shawn hosted a NASA video call with astronauts on the International Space Station. They talked about Earth Day and climate change with students. In June 2021, Shawn signed an open letter asking the United States Congress to pass the Equality Act, which protects marginalized communities. In May 2021, Shawn donated $50,000 to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic in India.

Mental Well-being

Shawn Mendes has openly talked about his experiences with anxiety. He shared this in his song "In My Blood". He mentioned that he spoke to a therapist a few times. He believes that therapy can be different for everyone, whether it's listening to music, exercising, or spending time with friends. He made an effort to connect more with people in his life, realizing that opening up helped him deal with his anxiety.

Awards and Achievements

Shawn Mendes has won many awards. He has received 18 Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) awards, twelve Juno Awards, eleven MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA), and eight iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards (MMVA). He has also won three American Music Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards. He has been nominated for three Grammy Awards.

Film and Television Appearances

Film Roles

Television Roles

Music Albums

• Handwritten (2015)
• Illuminate (2016)
• Shawn Mendes (2018)
• Wonder (2020)
• Shawn (2024)

Concert Tours

Headlining Tours

• Shawn's First Headlines (2014–2015)
• Shawn Mendes World Tour (2016)
• Illuminate World Tour (2017)
• Shawn Mendes: The Tour (2019)
• Wonder: The World Tour (2022)
• For Friends and Family Only Tour (2024-2025)
• On the Road Again Tour (2025)

Co-headlining Tours

• Jingle Ball Tour 2014 (with various artists) (2014)
• Jingle Ball Tour 2015 (with various artists) (2015)
• Jingle Ball Tour 2018 (with various artists) (2018)

Supporting Tours

• Austin Mahone: Live on Tour (Austin Mahone) (2014)
• The 1989 World Tour (Taylor Swift) (2015)

Images for kids

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  Mendes performing at the concert honouring the 92nd birthday of Elizabeth II in April 2018

See also

In Spanish: Shawn Mendes para niños