RADIO DISNEY ANNOUNCES LATEST “N.B.T.” FEATURED ARTIST:
ISLAND RECORDS’ VIRAL VIDEO SENSATION SHAWN MENDES
Fifteen-year-old singer-songwriter and viral video sensation Shawn Mendes is the next featured artist in Radio Disney’s popular “N.B.T.” (Next Big Thing) music showcase. It was announced today on popular morning talk show “LIVE with Kelly and Michael.” “N.B.T.” will follow Mendes as he wraps up his first tour opening for Austin Mahone and releases his debut self-titled EP on July 28.
In early 2013, Toronto native Mendes began uploading acoustic covers of popular songs on the video-sharing platform Vine and quickly developed a fan base that resulted in over 2,000 attendees to his first public appearance in Toronto and his first headlining show, selling out in less than 24 hours. In January 2014, AG Artists’ Andrew Gertler discovered Mendes’ YouTube cover of the song “Say Something,” which led to the young singer signing with Island Records. Mendes released his first single, “Life of the Party,” on June 26, 2014, and it became the number one song on iTunes in both the U.S. and Canada within one hour, selling over 100,000 copies in its first day. With over 150,000 first week sales, Mendes became the youngest artist to break the Top 25 on Billboard Hot 100 with his first chart entry. The single also garnered over 2-million mentions on Twitter within 24 hours, taking the number one position on Billboard’s Trending 140 Real-Time Twitter Chart.
Mendes joins Austin Mahone and label mates The Vamps on Mahone’s 26-city “Secret Tour,” which begins Friday, July 25 in San Antonio, with stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Boston, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cleveland and more.
The year-round “N.B.T.” showcase gives fans the chance to discover young recording artists on their journey to becoming music’s Next Big Thing – Radio Disney offers unprecedented access, going behind-the-scenes from the recording studio to music video shoots and concert tours across the country. The program takes place across multiple platforms, including Radio Disney, Disney Channel, RadioDisney.com, the Radio Disney app and across social media platforms, as well as at live Radio Disney events in local markets, with new featured artists to be introduced on an on-going basis throughout the year. Mendes becomes the latest “N.B.T.” artist alongside Island Records’pop/rock band The Vamps, Kemosabe/RCA Records’ rapper Becky G, Hollywood Records’ pop/rock band R5 and Epic Records’ teen pop female vocal group Fifth Harmony.
Radio Disney is the #1 radio network devoted to kids, tweens and families on a 24-hour basis and is widely recognized as the first platform for many of today’s most popular young artists, including Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and Austin Mahone. The network’s customized Top 40 format is driven by listener requests and represents major recording label artists, including One Direction, Katy Perry, Cody Simpson, Fifth Harmony and Demi Lovato. Radio Disney reaches nearly 21-million listeners each week across 24 local stations in the top 25 media markets, RadioDisney.com, SiriusXM satellite radio on channel 79, TuneIn App or at TuneIn.com/RadioDisney, iTunes Radio Tuner, mobile phones, the Radio Disney iPhone, iPad and Android Apps, and the Radio Disney Facebook page.
