What Is Shawn Mendes’s First Song? History of His Debut Single

The Beginning of a Pop Legacy: Inside Shawn Mendes’ First Song, “Life of the Party”

Long before he was selling out massive arena tours and dropping global chart-toppers, Shawn Mendes was just a teenager in Pickering, Ontario, uploading six-second song covers to the video-sharing app Vine. Little did he know that a digital hobby would quickly catapult him into music history.

When the time came to step out from behind a smartphone screen and introduce himself to the world as a legitimate recording artist, his debut single set the tone for an extraordinary career. That song was “Life of the Party.”

A Record-Breaking Debut

Released on June 26, 2014, through Island Records, “Life of the Party” served as the lead single from The Shawn Mendes EP before later being featured on his full-length debut studio album, Handwritten (2015).

The track made an immediate, explosive impact:

• The iTunes Takeover: Within just a few hours of its release, the track skyrocketed straight to the number one spot on the iTunes charts.
• Billboard History: “Life of the Party” debuted at Number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
• A Youth Record: At just 15 years old (and shy of his 16th birthday), this milestone made Mendes the youngest artist ever to debut in the top 25 of the Hot 100 with a premiere single.

The Message Behind the Music

Co-written by Ido Zmishlany and Scott Harris, “Life of the Party” stood out in 2014 by steering away from the heavy, club-oriented electronic dance beats dominating mainstream radio at the time. Instead, it leaned into an organic, acoustic-driven pop sound that showcased Mendes’ raw, soulful vocals.