“I Was Like, ‘I Can’t Do This.’”

See Shawn Mendes’ Surprising Confession

Back when he was just a typical teenager in Ontario, Shawn Mendes loved music and hanging out with his friends. But being the shy and humble guy he is, the now 20-year-old admits that without social media, he’s not sure if he would’ve ever given music a shot. “To be honest, I don’t think I would have had the confidence to step in the street and start singing,” he says.

Luckily, he had a friend who encouraged him to post a cover video online. “It was so unique at the time,” he remembers. “I didn’t do it to become famous, I didn’t do it to get recognition, I just did it for fun.” And what started as a fun hobby would soon turn into full-fledged viral superstardom, which Shawn says he wasn’t ready for. “I was like, ‘I don’t want that,’” he remembers. “It scared me. I was like, ‘I can’t do this!’”

Fortunately, he had some close friends who encouraged him to keep posting videos, and Shawn’s growing fan base began to inspire him, too. Soon, he started channeling his fears into beautiful songs. “I was starting to get overwhelmed and feel like I was going to explode,” he explains. “So to release the stress I wrote ‘A Little Too Much.’ Every person feels like things are a little too much at times: Their shoulders get heavy and the pressure comes on. The song is basically to say it’s okay to talk about it, it’s okay to get upset, its okay to cry, it’s okay to feel like it’s killing you or feel like it’s weighing you down – because everybody feels the same. It’s a very empowering song.”

Listen to “A Little Too Much” below and get empowered.