Shawn Mendes’ 18th Birthday: Singer Clears Up Dating And Sexuality Rumors, Plus Watch Some Of His Best Cover Songs From Before He Was Famous

Shawn Mendes just had his 18th birthday a few days ago, so it’s only natural that he be back in the spotlight. Rumors that the “Stitches” singer had been dating Fifth Harmony’s Camilla Cabello and even that he was supposedly gay have been flying around forever. Now, here’s the dirt on everything you wanted to know (or thought you already knew) about him.

Is Shawnmila A Thing?

The Daily Mail cleared up some of the gossip surrounding the Toronto native’s supposed relationship with Camila. Though the solo artist told the site the two are just friends, he also added that Camila “…blows [his] mind musically” and had nothing but high praise for Cabello. So, no matter how much we may want to ‘ship them, ShawnMila is sadly not happening at the moment. Also, the couple name sorta sounds like a monster, so maybe we’re better off.

Some fans had apparently also speculated that Mendes was gay. Mendes cleared up the whispers in an Entertainment Tonight article, in which he said he was not gay but wished people would focus more on the music and not on his sexual orientation. Fans had previously commented on YouTube that they were sensing a “gay vibe” from the vocalist’s videos. However, Mendes mentioned that 99 percent of his fans are not making these sort of baseless assumptions, but he felt the need to address the 1 percent.

1. “Say Something” by A Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera

As you might expect, the vocals to the song start with a sad, soulful sound that makes us think male Adele. The mic amplifies the sounds to a professional level and gives it the little reverb and edge it needs. Not a bad thing to reflect back on for your birthday!

2.”Sweater Weather” By The Neighborhood

Mendes makes this tune sound more meaningful than the original playful version, but his talent shines through nonetheless. The fact that he can play guitar and sing at the same time is impressive, and certainly something that takes a lot of practice. This gem came out three years ago to the tune of over 4,000,000 views and thousands of likes and comments. He sounds something like a young Justin Bieber as he navigates his way through this musical masterpiece.

3. “Summertime Sadness” By Lana Del Rey

We really see how powerful our boy’s voice is here, almost like a birthday gift to his future self from two years ago. He hits some super-high notes during and after the chorus, and doesn’t sound like he’s even breaking a sweat! Definitely a great example of how talented he is. Mendes still sounds like Bieber here, albeit a more grown-up one. We think Lana herself would be proud.

4. “Drag Me Down” By One Direction

Get ready to dance to this one! Even the biggest Scrooge will want to start tapping their toes when they hear this cover. A one-man show, Sean accurately covers the vocal range of all four 1D members, and has fun doing it. Whereas “Summertime Sadness” shows us perhaps the highest range the 18-year-old can hit, the aptly-named “Drag Me Down” brings him to a lower register. You can definitely hear the maturity in the Canadian’s voice, and that comes through in his singing as well.

5. “Counting Stars” By OneRepublic

Mendes sounds similar to Ryan Tedder here, but still retains his own authentic voice. If you’ve never had appreciation for Mendes before, you will now. He’s like the best thing to come out of Canada since Maple Syrup. The Toronto native adopts a smoky voice that auto-tune just can’t replicate, and again proves why he deserves to be taken seriously as an artist.

[Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Images]