Canadian stars Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber have debuted their first collaboration, “Monster.”
A quick three-minutes long, the song starts with Mendes singing: “You put me on a pedestal and tell me I’m the best ... But what if I what if I trip, what if I what if I fall?”
Bieber comes in with a decidedly autobiographical verse.
“I was 15 when the world put me on a pedestal / I had big dreams of doing shows and making memories / Made some bad moves trying to act cool, upset by their jealousy,” he sings.
“I had a chip on my shoulder, had to let it go / ‘Cause unforgiveness keeps them in control.”
The new song, which came with a video directed by Colin Tilley, was revealed in September when Mendes shared the track list of his forthcoming album Wonder (out Dec. 4) in a teaser video – although it referred only to a “special guest.”
Last month, Mendes appeared on a UK radio show and admitted it would be “insane” to turn down a collaboration with Bieber “considering he’s been one of my favourite artists since I was like nine years old.”
Mendes, 22, gushed that Bieber, 26, is "freakishly talented.”
Both singers were born in Ontario and both were discovered after posting songs on video platforms.
Mendes became only the second male artist – after Bieber – to have two consecutive albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart by the age of 18.
Teaming up with Bieber on "Monster" is a good move for Mendes, whose biggest hit ever was a duet. “Señorita” with Camila Cabello became Mendes’ first No. 1 song when it topped the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2019.
Bieber has done a string of collaborations that made it into the Top 5, including ”Stuck With U" with Ariana Grande, ”Intentions" ft. Quavo, “I Don’t Care” with Ed Sheeran and “10,000 Hours” with Dan + Shay.
“Holy,” ft. Chance the Rapper, debuted at No. 3 on Hot 100 and is currently at No. 7.
Watch the video for "Monster" below: