Singer Shawn Mendes is crediting his mentor John Mayer for helping him handle anxiety on tour.
The 18-year-old is currently performing throughout the world as part of the Illuminate World Tour opposite Mayer, and he's picking up tips about the pressures of fame in between stops.
The Stitches hitmaker admits the 39-year-old has helped him keep calm when he's feeling anxious onstage.
“(Performing with Mayer) was obviously incredible. As a person I really relate to him and I think he’s awesome,” Mendes tells People magazine. “He’s a dude I can call - for him to be like, ‘Hey man, how’s life? You’re gonna be fine'. And my anxiety level's down to a one instead of a 55. That’s something that’s really nice."
Mendes has long admired Mayer for his ability to maintain a successful career and hopes to stay as inspired as he has been after over a decade in the music industry.
“It’s cool to be able to see someone like him be so creatively inspired after so many albums and after so much touring,” he says. “It gets me so excited to know that I can always be this pumped up — and you only get better, because Mayer has only got better.”
The Canadian already seems to be following in the footsteps of his idol. His first two albums, Handwritten and Illuminate, debuted atop the Billboard 200 charts in the U.S. He's also becoming a seasoned concert headliner, with Illuminate marking his third time out on the road.
Mendes' experience on tour has taught him the value of balancing his personal and professional life.
“It’s taught me how to be away from home, how to be my own person on the road, how to spend time with people,” Mendes added. “And also, at the end of the night, I have time for myself and I don’t go crazy but also have fun and work.”
