Singers emerge from all corners of the world, with different backgrounds, stories, and sounds. Technology and social media are evolving so rapidly, that it’s no surprise that many aspiring music artists were discovered on YouTube after posting covers of well-known songs.

The story is similar for 19-year-old Shawn Mendes, but he put a slightly different twist on it. In 2013, when the entertainment network Vine was at its peak, Mendes began posting six second clips of him singing on the app. After a childhood full of classes for acting, performing, and entertaining, singing came easily to Mendes. The self-taught guitarist gained millions of followers and garnered the attention manager Andrew Gertler who signed Mendes to Island Records in just a few months. His first single, “Life of the Party” was released in 2014 on the label.