Shawn Mendes is among Time magazine’s list of the most influential people of 2018.
In a tribute penned by fellow musician John Mayer, Mendes is described as “a pop star born both of and for Generation Z.”
Mayer said Mendes’ enthusiasm is “boundless and infectious” because “he gets better by the day.” But he also noted Mendes’ “physique falls somewhere between fitness model and party trick.”
Mayer added: “He’s reverential, but he’s not deferential: when I invited him to share the stage with me in Toronto last year, I unconsciously expected I’d be the one calling the shots during rehearsal. But Shawn isn’t passive. He got in there. He was determined, he pitched ideas, and they were good ones. He knows his right to stand on that stage is every bit as real as mine is, and I love that about him. Because he’s right.”
You can read Mayer’s full piece here.
The 19-year-old is the only Canadian singer on this year’s list (which includes prime minister Justin Trudeau). Other music stars who made the cut include Kesha, Rihanna, Cardi B and Jennifer Lopez.