Shawn Mendes’ second album, “Illuminate,” was released on Sept. 23 and offers a mature and varied sound for the young star. And through this new effort, Mendes makes a clear ode to two of his acclaimed musical influences: John Mayer and Ed Sheeran.
On “Illuminate,” Mendes seems to bring his admiration for Mayer and Sheeran into focus. Like their work, this new album pays attention to the bittersweetness of love and uses minimal background effects, straying away from the common EDM feel of some pop albums today. Mendes instead relies on his humble vocals and — having left out the remix aspects — draws attention toward the subtle additions of a blues-style electric guitar and occasional keyboard to the majority of his tracks.
The Canadian singer-songwriter was discovered as a result of his singing covers to songs and posting them on the app Vine in 2013. Mendes then won the Web Star in Music award at the Teen Choice Awards in 2014 before releasing his first full-length album, “Handwritten,” in April 2015. Since then, the star opened for the North American portion of Taylor Swift’s “1989 World Tour” and collaborated with Fifth Harmony’s Camila Cabello on their hit single, “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
Mendes brings the blues to his song “Like This.” On the track, his vocals are theatrical to emphasize the mixed emotions you might feel when falling in love. During the chorus Mendes sings, “I can try to stop it / All I like / Hands down I’ve lost this fight …” The singer makes a dramatic pause after each line to strum his guitar — adding in the melodramatic moodiness of blues music. The song swells as Mendes includes a gospel-sounding chorus that quietly builds up in the background.
While a majority of the tracks on “Illuminate” are slow-paced, Mendes adds life to his album through his more upbeat songs, including the album’s first single, “Treat You Better,” and his newest single, “Mercy.” Other tracks also incorporate a faster tempo, including “Honest” and “Lights On.” Mendes then shows some serious soul on “Bad Reputation.” The song includes vocals that are reminiscent of Bruno Mars’ contemporary rhythm and blues sound and Ed Sheeran’s signature tactic of looping his own vocals to be used as a song’s background.
But Mendes does not stop at R&B. The final song on the album, “Understand,” incorporates an occasional chorale background while also utilizing the jazzy effects of a keyboard. The song itself discusses growing up and experiencing change. It’s the longest track on the album — five minutes in total — as it also includes a brief address to his fans. Mendes embraces the transitional times, stating, “Your whole world’s flipped … That’s just simply growing up … You don’t have to pretend that it’s easy all the time / You just let it go and, and grow with it.” This final track really draws on a sophisticated vibe, making listeners feel as if they are getting advice from Mendes in an intimate setting.
Shawn Mendes may not even be 20 years old, but his list of accomplishments is ever-growing and, like other teen stars before him, he is growing up.