What Was Shawn Mendes’s First Song Ever Released?

From Vine Loops to Global Stardom: The Story Behind Shawn Mendes’ First Song, “Life of the Party”

Long before he was selling out stadiums worldwide, headlining arena tours, and dominating global charts, Shawn Mendes was just a teenager in Pickering, Ontario, strumming his guitar in his bedroom and recording six-second clips on the now-defunct app Vine.

When he officially transitioned from internet personality to mainstream pop artist, he needed a song that would prove he was a serious musician rather than a social media flash-in-the-pan. That song was “Life of the Party.”

Released on June 26, 2014, under Island Records, his debut single didn’t just introduce him to the industry—it shattered records and set the blueprint for his entire career.

1. The Rise Before the Release

To understand the impact of “Life of the Party,” you have to look at how Mendes built his audience. In 2013, he began posting covers of popular songs—such as Justin Bieber’s “As Long as You Love Me”—on Vine, gaining millions of loops overnight. His raw acoustic style and boy-next-door charm caught the attention of artist manager Andrew Gertler, who brought him to New York City in early 2014.

By May 2014, Mendes had signed with Island Records. Just a month later, the label dropped “Life of the Party” as the lead single from The Shawn Mendes EP (and later, his 2015 debut studio album, Handwritten).

2. Sound and Message: More Than Just Teen Pop

Co-written by Ido Zmishlany and Scott Harris, “Life of the Party” was an acoustic-driven pop ballad that leaned heavily into emotional vulnerability—a thematic style that would become Mendes’ signature.