Shawn Mendes

From signing up for Vine to signing a contract with Island Records, sixteen year old Shawn Mendes has made quite the impression on the big stage. In under two years, the Canadian singer/songwriter established his presence earning the right as the youngest artist to have a debut single single in the Top 25 of the Billboard Top 100 Chart, touring alongside Austin Mahone, and winning a Teen Choice Award. Since debuting his first single, Mendes has released The Shawn Mendes EP, and most recently his new single, “Something Big.”

Story: Hudson Luthringshausen

Photos: Talia Azadian

We got the chance to sit down with Shawn and ask him a handful of questions, beginning with his influences during writing. “When I write music in New York, I write differently than when I write in LA, and in LA, I write differently than when I write in Pickering,” said Mendes about whether or not growing up in Canada had any influence on his style of music. “Wherever I am I feel I have a different style,” he added. Despite his many influences, Mendes could not choose any one favorite song he’s written. “They’re like my children,” he laughed. “I have a love for all of them in different way.” As a native to Pickering, Canada when we asked Mendes about his favorite local spot he named Jack Astor’s. “They just put a new one in my little city, and I gotta go there all the time, every time I go out to dinner with my friends. It’s my favorite restaurant,” he said, and went on to strongly recommend his followers stop in for a bite themselves.

Before 2014 was up, Mendes released his second single, “Something Big,” which earned a spot on both the US and Canadian Billboard Charts. The single was released alongside a music video which currently has over five million views on YouTube. “While I was writing the song, I was thinking of what I wanted the video to be,” said Mendes about the concept and inspiration for his video, “at first I wanted it to be sort of like the music is making people, who are dead on life doing every day activities, wake up. What I was trying to show was ‘this song will wake you up.’” The video featuring an upbeat Mendes and a crew of dancers has over 160,00 likes. “It was fun to do,” he laughed. “I danced a little in it.”

With 2014 successfully wrapped, Mendes and his fans have a lot to look forward this year. He recently announced his plans to join Taylor Swift on her 1989 Tour alongside Vance Joy, but we wanted to know what else he had in store for the year ahead. “An album,” he told us. “One hundred percent an album release, and maybe go to Asia,” he mentioned afterward.

As far as collaborations go, Mendes doesn’t have a huge history, only appearing alongside The Vamps band on their track “Oh Cecillia.” He has a busy year already planned, but was certain that if he could collaborate with any artist it would be Eminem. “As weird as that sounds, cause I’m not his style at all, I’m obsessed with him and he’s a massive inspiration for the way I write my music,” said Mendes on Eminem who he called, “the best song writer in the world.” Despite few collaborations, Mendes has, himself, gained a huge following and presence with his music and talent. “I like it when things are real,” he told us about being a new artist.

When people act real around me, when the music is real, when nothing is a show, that’s the coolest part of me.”

From touring to being in the studio, the sixteen year old has learned a lot about himself including his love for the A minor. “I like hearing guitar and piano, and that’s it. I like when everything is in A minor key,” he laughed.

As a young, up and coming artist, Shawn has had a whirlwind of a year in 2014. “I’ve done a lot of things this past year that were amazing,” he said when we asked about his best experience. “It’s hard to think of just one thing.” Even though he is young, Mendes still recognizes the realities of touring and how stressful it can get at times. As a workaholic himself, he has found that the best way to keep producing to his full potential is to make time for rest and relaxation.