Claim: Shawn Mendes and Island Records signed a deal.

Shawn Peter Raul Mendes -LRB- -LSB- ˈmɛndɛz -RSB- , -LSB- ˈmẽdɨʃ -RSB- ; born August 8 , 1998 -RRB- is a Canadian singer and songwriter . He attracted a following in 2013 , when he began posting song covers on the video sharing application Vine . The following year , he caught the attention of artist managers Andrew Gertler and Island Records A&R Ziggy Chareton , which led to him signing a deal with the record label . Mendes went on to release an EP and his debut studio album Handwritten , whose single `` Stitches '' reached the top 10 in the US and Canada , and number one in the UK . His sophomore album , Illuminate -LRB- 2016 -RRB- , was preceded by the single `` Treat You Better '' . Both albums debuted atop the US Billboard 200 .