Fans of singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes and those who find his music catchy, have already listened and enjoyed his newest album, “Illuminate.” Released September of 2016, this serene album debuted on top of the Billboard 200 and has attained plenty of recognition for its plentiful variety of quality songs.

The excellent feedback from supporters and fans has guaranteed his “Illuminate” world tour, which he will be headlining in March 2017. The album showcases Mendes’ signature sound of crystal-clear vocals and soothing background music.

Mendes was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, where he began posting videos to the internet singing popular song covers and playing guitar. Most of his subscribers came from the legendary video-sharing application, Vine, where he gained a massive and loyal fanbase.

The young artist was soon to sign with Island Records, leading to the release of his first single, “Life of the Party” in June 2014. Mendes’ first album, “Handwritten,” features his first hit song “Stitches” that reached number four on the Billboard top 100.

Since his last album, Mendes has managed to write a few more extraordinary songs for “Illuminate.” “Treat You Better,” due to its popularity and radio play, easily distracts from the other excellent songs featured throughout the album.

“Treat You Better” is a perfect example of ‘Shawn Mendes-style’ music. Showcasing his trademark clear voice, acoustic guitar, and his generic pop music twist, “Treat You Better” and songs alike are the catchy tunes most people associate with when they hear the name Shawn Mendes.

The song “Three Empty Words” exhibits Mendes’ classic sound of slow guitar and calm lyrics that appeal to the emotions. This song is a great listen when down-in-the-dumps because of Mendes’ genuine lyrics and delicate voice.

In the song “Lights On,” Mendes’ begins to branch out from pop sounding music into something a little more original. Rather than his usual instrumental sound, this song wanders into a funky electric guitar.  

Other overlooked songs in this album challenge his typical music style as he intermixes aspects of different genres with his own. Mendes’ song, “Understand,” contributes to this change. Near the end of this song he speaks the lyrics rather than singing them.

“Bad Reputation,” a song on the latter end of Mendes’ album, reverts back to his signature style with few slight changes. This song features piano as well as guitar, that shifts from an extremely calming and gentle song into more intense and heartfelt at the chorus.

All songs featured in this album, while handwritten by Mendes himself, successfully reach the hearts of whoever is listening. Every individual song has its own deep meaning that is beautifully portrayed through the music.

“Illuminate” is a quality album with a variety of different types of songs. Mendes does an excellent job making sure each song sounds unique to its own message and pleasing to all music preferences. The mood of this album is best communicated while wearing headphones and keeping to oneself to truly appreciate the lyrics.

Shawn Mendes is an excellent musician who has successfully challenged the identity of pop music. This variation of the pop genre is a satisfying change from the regular tunes that circulate the radio. “Illuminate” is refreshingly different from past albums and will make a magnificent world tour, especially considering Mendes’ pure talent.  

On July 29, the Shawn Mendes World Tour will make a stop in Duluth, Ga.  Additional tour dates and information can be found here.