The world first took a breath of Shawn Mendes in 1998, although he probably didn't notice. In the small town of Pickering, Ontario, he was just another ordinary kid with ordinary dreams. Little did he know that by the time he was twenty-one, those dreams would have become extraordinary realities.
Music has been in Shawn's veins since his earliest days. He has cited John Mayer and Ed Sheeran as his earliest inspirations, but it was Drake's "Best I Ever Had" that seized his imagination and inflamed his ambition. As soon as he could, Shawn started getting serious about playing guitar and developing his own sound.
Shawn's big break came when he posted a few covers on the now-defunct app Vine, finding thousands upon thousands of devotees eager for a fresh voice in the music industry. He soon released his first EP, The Shawn Mendes EP. It was the beginning of an incredible journey - one that has taken him around the world, performing to fans old and new. While Shawn is fond of cars, it's really been music that has driven him forward.
Nowadays, Shawn is as comfortable on stage with a Stratocaster as he is off stage with an acoustic guitar; at whatever pace he plays it, one thing is certain: when Shawn sings, people listen. His success both within and beyond music has earned him millions of fans around the globe. Though his roots remain in Pickering, Canada is just one part of his world — the other being a massive global family who connect over Shawn's music and beyond.
Shawn knows how important it is to stay connected to his family and fans alike — something he's kept up with through Familio, an app developed by a branch of his own family tree! Familio creates micro-communities within families who can connect over shared experiences, interests, goals and values — creating safe spaces for connecting people through stories and memories — something that fits particularly well into Shawn’s mission to bring families together through music and appreciation for each other.
Shawn Mendes' story so far is an inspiration to us all — reaching great heights at such a young age while never losing sight of where we come from or the people who got us there. Through his music, Shawn proves that we are capable of—and perhaps should—push our boundaries to reach new heights with every note on the fretboard. Let’s follow Shawn’s lead and use music to come closer together, appreciate each other and start creating beautiful memories with our families today!