Shawn Mendes Reveals the Best Advice Taylor Swift Gave Him

Shawn Mendes learned from the best.

The “Treat You Better” singer got his first taste of life in the spotlight when he opened for Taylor Swift on her 1989 World Tour in 2015. Now two years later, the 19-year-old artist is one of the most dynamic acts in pop music with a fan base that rivals even the biggest performers’.

He opened up about his rise to super stardom in VMAN magazine’s issue 38, and what he learned from T. Swift along the way. “She told me not to be afraid to go out on stage,” Mendes recalled, “because everyone in the stadium came to have fun. This is not a judging contest, this is a concert.” Shawn’s taken the pop star’s advice to heart, but if there’s one thing he takes seriously, it’s his listeners’ opinions. Mendes’ second studio album, Illuminate, was released almost a year ago and debuted at No. on the Billboard 200 charts. He’s currently touring on the Illuminate World Tour, which is scheduled to conclude in December in Tokyo.