Shawn Mendes settles his nerves before a show by boxing.

Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes

The 'Treat You Better' hitmaker likes to relax before his gigs by hitting a portable punching bag, according to his pal Charlie Puth, who recently joined Shawn on the North American leg of his 'Illuminate' world tour.

Charlie told 103.7 KissFM: "He has a punching bag that he sets up before each show, just to relieve some stress. So now I have to get a big thing like that."

Meanwhile, 19-year-old singer Shawn previously revealed he was advised by Taylor Swift to be fearless on stage.

He said: "She told me not to be afraid to go out on stage because everyone in the stadium came to have fun. This is not a judging contest, this is a concert."

And Shawn admits it is tough seeing "so much negativity" on social media but he just tries his best to "hold back" during the "crazy times".

He shared: "During crazy times, I just hold back. People are so quick to jump on something or rip it apart. There's so much negativity on social media, I don't want to add to that. I didn't go into this to become that [inspirational figure]. I think it's not about what you say; it's about what you don't say.

"Any of this could be gone tomorrow. That's why you've got to make the most of it today. People say to me, 'What are you going to be doing in five years?' The thing is, I don't care! It's what I'm doing today that matters."