On the surface, Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes have a lot in common. They're both pop stars from Canada, they both rose to fame via social media and video streaming sites and they both appeal to a massive young audience. But, that doesn't mean that the elder teen icon knows who his successor is. In a new interview, the "What Do You Mean?" singer revealed that he has no idea who Mendes is.
Mendes, who rose to fame on Vine and now has a top 20 single with "Stitches" on Island Records, is a total mystery to Bieber. In an interview with a New York radio station (via Billboard), Bieber revealed that he has never even heard of the person people are calling, well, the next Justin Bieber.
The DJ and Bieber discussed the pop star's early days of fame, and when the interview name checks Mendes, Bieber seems to indicate that he has no idea who that is.
"Who's Shawn Mendes?" Bieber asks, looking off in to the distance, presumably for someone who may have the answer.
"He's on Island. He's 17 years old. He's from Ontario. He's got a song called 'Stitches' that's doing OK at pop radio," the DJ explained.
Bieber seemed impressed by Mendes' rising star, but said that he doesn't know who he is, despite sharing a homeland. "No, I don't know him. But I'll check him out for sure," he said.
Some people have spun Bieber's comments toward Mendes as shade, though Bieber seems genuine about his confusion.
Bieber's new album comes out Nov. 13. Mendes' Handwritten is out now.
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