Singer Alex Warren disclosed during a guest teaching appearance at a primary school in Queens, New York, that his high school classmates repeatedly compared him to Shawn Mendes.
Warren spent a morning working as a substitute teacher for a second grade class at Public School 11 in the borough of Queens as part of the digital program Celebrity Substitute. During the classroom session, seven and eight year old pupils asked the musician questions covering his career in music, his personal life, and how much money he earned.
Celebrity Substitute is an entertainment series in which public figures step into elementary classrooms to teach students for a day. Public School 11, located in Long Island City in Queens, serves elementary grade students within the New York City public school system.
When one student asked Warren which music artist he would choose to be if given the choice, Warren responded without hesitation that he would choose Shawn Mendes. He explained that he admired Mendes not only for his music, but also because he considered the Canadian performer to possess a special stage presence.
High school comparison to Shawn Mendes
That student question prompted Warren to recall his teenage years in high school, when classmates persistently told him that he shared a striking physical resemblance to Mendes. Mendes, a Canadian singer and songwriter, rose to international stardom with hit pop singles including Stitches and Treat You Better.
Warren noted that he continues to treat the comparison with good humor. He admitted that whenever anyone brings up his similarity to Mendes, his standard response remains that he does not see the physical resemblance himself. The comparison, which began as a lighthearted joke among teenagers, has gained fresh relevance as both performers now occupy prominent places in global pop music.
Career transition from TikTok content creator to musician
Warren entered the public eye as an internet content creator before establishing himself in the recording industry. He was an early member of The Hype House, a collective of digital influencers founded in Los Angeles, California, that played a major role in popularizing short form video content on TikTok.
His transition into mainstream music accelerated with the release of Ordinary, a breakout single that achieved widespread global reach and earned regular placement on international music charts. Warren is currently conducting his world concert tour, titled Finding Family on the Road.
The tour follows the release of his second studio album, WILDCHILD, which arrived on August 28. The record reflects a personal direction for the artist, with songs detailing his childhood experiences, the death of his father, and the personal journey that led to his current career.
Personal confessions to elementary students
Beyond discussing his musical influences, Warren shared details of his personal life with the second grade class. He told the students that he met his wife, Kouvr Annon, when he was 18 years old. He recalled with humor a challenging early period in their relationship when the couple was forced to sleep in a car while working to build their future.
The discussion also led Warren to reflect on his own primary school years. He told the pupils that as a child, he frequently ate lunch alongside his teachers because he had no classmates to sit with. He acknowledged that several of those early educators played a vital role in supporting him during his youth.
Upon concluding his visit to the Queens classroom, Warren admitted that he had initially arrived feeling nervous about standing in front of the class. However, by the end of the school day, the singer said he did not want to leave. What began as a high school label comparing him to Mendes has receded as Warren continues to build his own distinct musical identity.
