Local songwriter debuts at No. 5

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Oceanside native Scott Harris Friedman co-wrote four songs on the Shawn Mendes EP, which debuted at number five on the Billboard 200.

Friedman, 29, currently lives in Brooklyn. He graduated Oceanside High School in 2002 and SUNY Oneonta in 2006 – with a B.A. in Music Industry.

As a child, he liked to play songs on the piano that he made up instead of playing other songs.

“I kind of always was writing songs growing up,” Friedman said.

He would write lyrics and songs for a band he was in when he was in High School. Friedman said he listens to all sorts of music as inspiration for songwriting. He said he writes in all genres so he listens to all kinds of music.

“I am a musician, singer-songwriter, but over the past few years I’ve transitioned into only songwriting,” Friedman said.

In addition to songwriting, Friedman also plays the guitar, the piano, and sings. He works as a pop songwriter at Island Records – where he clicked with Shawn Mendes – and co-wrote what is now the hit song “Life of the Party.”

“Life of the Party” debuted at number 24 on the Billboard singles charts – setting a record for Mendes as the youngest person to debut a single in the top 25. Mendes was 15 years old at the time. He is 16 now.

Friedman said he loves to write songs. “It frees me up to do other things I like to do,” he said. When not songwriting, Friedman likes to play basketball.