TORONTO — Two quintessential heartthrobs of Canadian pop music are joining forces for their first duet.

Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber took to social media with plans to unleash their song collaboration “Monster” on Friday.

It’s the first time the Pickering, Ont.-raised Mendes, 22, has released a song with his contemporary, but the two have plenty in common.

Bieber, 26, grew up a few hours away in London, Ont., before becoming an international star through YouTube. Several years later, Mendes built his own name on the now-defunct social platform Vine.

They both saw meteoric rises to global fame in their adolescent years, fuelled by international pop hits and ardent fanbases.

The pair teased “Monster” on social media with a 13-second clip that didn’t feature either of their vocals.

The song arrives as Mendes prepares to release his latest album “Wonder” on Dec. 4. He’ll also be the focus of the Netflix documentary “Shawn Mendes: In Wonder” due out on Nov. 23.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 16, 2020.

The Canadian Press