Shawn Mendes’ First-Ever Tattoo is Pretty Epic!

When Shawn Mendes decided to get his very first tattoo, the “Stitches” singer opted for an incredibly sentimental piece that represents not only his hometown pride, but his love for his family and music, all in one intricate image. Mendes’ tattoo was done on June 27, by artist Livia Tsang of Chronic Ink, located in the singer’s birthplace of Toronto, Canada, and the fresh ink comes just weeks before Shawn’s 18th birthday.

It was Tsang who revealed the tattoo design on social media, giving fans their first glimpse of the piece on Instagram, and captioning the snap, “Look who came to get tattooed today! Thanks @shawnmendes for being a gem.” It was that same day that Shawn himself took to Twitter to confirm getting the ink, writing, “Haha you guys are funny. Yes I got a tattoo, thank you for all the nice comments. @liviatsang is the best.”

Mendes’ tattoo is inked on his right forearm, and the design of the piece is incredibly detailed. Not only does it feature an image of the Toronto skyline and the CN Tower—a Toronto landmark—it also depicts a series of soundwaves that make up the neck of the acoustic guitar and then transition into the body of the guitar, which is made from a stand of trees bordering a tranquil lake. The clever design of the piece makes it interesting to look at, but it’s not just a random tattoo for Shawn; each portion of the artwork has its own special significance for the singer.

As for the meaning behind Mendes’ guitar arm tattoo, the singer revealed in a Snapchat video uploaded by Chronic Ink, that the tattoo is more than just a pretty piece, In fact, he says, “the little soundwave in the middle is actually my parents saying ‘I love you’ in the form of a soundwave.” Aww!!! It doesn’t get much more heartwarming than that, if you ask us. The overall guitar design is obviously a tribute to Shawn’s love for music and the CN tower and city skyline a nod to his hometown. It’s also possible that the lake depicted in Mendes’ tattoo is Lake Ontario, another ode to Canada.

Mendes’ fans were beyond thrilled about his new ink, taking to social media to show their support for the singer and his new tattoo. “I love the fact that Shawn’s tattoo represents how much he loves music and how proud he is to be Canadian,” wrote one. Another wrote, “Shawn’s tattoo suits him so PERFECTLY.” Tsang also provided a little explanation as to the significance of Shawn’s tat, and how he fared during his first-ever tattoo session, posting this message on Twitter: “1) yes the CN tower is in it, 2) No he did not cry.” We can’t wait to see what tattoo Shawn Mendes gets next!