“The first year I started hockey, I didn't know how to skate, so I got on the ice with all of the hockey players, and we were doing drills where we had to go backwards in figure eights. And I could not skate, and I just kept falling on my butt, and it was very embarrassing.”

Canadian singer, songwriter and musician

Shawn Mendes is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and musician. He first gained attention by posting song covers on YouTube and Vine, before signing with Island Records and releasing his self-titled debut EP in 2014. His early rise came through social media, where he built an audience with cover versions of popular songs. The facts here point to a career rooted in pop performance and songwriting, with his public profile established through online sharing and his first EP release.