9781422273296

Watch as Mendes explains his process for writing “Stiches”—and the emotions involved. Songwriting can be deeply personal, and as Mendes grew as an artist, he was forced to dig deep to find material that resonated.

“Something Big” was chosen for the first single from Handwritten , his debut album. It was followed by “Stitches,” an emotional song about losing love. These songs showed two sides to Mendes—uplifting and vulnerable. Mendes took toTwitter to explain his approach to authentic songwriting:

”I feel like more than ever people just wanna hear real (things) in music & in life in general. There is no room for made-up stories or feelings.”

The approach of authenticity worked. Handwritten was a commercial success. The album debuted at Number 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 119,000 units in its first week. Mendes became the youngest artist since Justin Bieber to have a Number 1 album on the Billboard 200. For a debut

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Shawn Mendes

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