Way to make an impression. As a part of his audition, Tanner Howe performed a Shawn Mendes song in the blind audition in “The Voice.” He replicated Mendes’ voice and prompted an immediate response from Camila Cabello.
Howe sang “Mercy” and shocked Cabello when she heard his voice. “It that my… is that Shawn up there?” she asked as he started to sing. “I thought that was Shawn,” Cabello said again, this time to Gwen Stefani, who simply said “Wow.”
While at first none of the judges turned for his performance, once Howe reached the chorus, Blake Shelton pressed his button, triggering a trickle response from the rest of the judges. They all turned except for Cabello, who was the first to address Howe, asking him his name. “I was like, Is Shawn onstage right now?” Cabello said.
“You know him best, so that’s awesome,” said Howe.
“I know him better than anybody in this room,” said Cabello. “But the reason I didn’t turn around was that I felt like you sounded a little bit too much like him. Obviously, he has an amazing voice and I love this song,” she said, then explaining that she’d love for Howe to differentiate himself from Mendes.
“I really respect Shawn as an artist and I see myself in that lane but I totally love what you’re saying, thank you so much,” said Howe.
“I was in his lane, deeply,” said Cabello, making everyone laugh.
Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes had a very notorious relationship that lasted for about three years. The couple split up in 2021 and while their romantic relationship is over, the two maintain a friendly relationship.