Shawn Mendes
Shawn Mendes used to be a bundle of nerves when performing onstage. Being an opening act for Taylor Swift’s “1989” tour, in particular, terrified him; he didn’t want to “mess up” in front of the pop superstar and her legions of fans.
But Taylor gave Shawn some valuable advice that changed the young singer-songwriter’s outlook about performing for a big crowd.
“She told me, ‘Everybody in the audience is there to have fun and support you. Nobody is there to judge. It’s not a TV show where they’re judging you,’” he recalled in an interview with Billboard.
From that moment, Shawn said, he finally learned what it truly meant to be a performer—it’s not about being perfect, but enjoying it.
“Because you watch someone onstage and whatever they’re doing, if they’re really enjoying themselves, so are you. She went onstage every night to have fun, to enjoy and to be in happiness because that’s what the live show is about,” he said. “It wasn’t about being perfect. She’s perfect anyway, but that was the biggest thing I learned from her.”—ALLAN POLICARPIO