Singer/songwriter Charlie Puth's second studio album Voicenotes was released in May and reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200, topping his 2016 debut album Nine Track Mind's No. 6 peak position. On July 9 Puth released the video for his latest's opening track "The Way I Am," soaring swiftly past its first million views on YouTube.
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A pop anthem for self-acceptance, with confessional overtones, its message holds a "just Puth" commentary on his rapid rise as a successful new voice. Puth is up-front about this ambivalence with the lyric, "I'm just trying to find a place to hide," and center stage seems like a good place for that — Puth kicks off his North American tour in Toronto on July 11. With his summer packed with performance dates, whatever shyness fuels his talent can be explored before thousands of adoring fans.
In 2014 Puth's Hot 100 No. 1 hit "See You Again" with Wiz Khalifa associated his relaxed tenor register with the lasting relationships that powered Furious 7 and commemorated the loss of Paul Walker. In addition to the track's Best Pop Duo/Group Performance nomination at the 58th GRAMMY Awards, the pair were also nominated as composers in Best Song Written For Visual Media and Song Of The Year. Puth told us he wrote the first draft in 10 minutes while staying at the Montage in Beverly Hills.
Puth's relationship with collaborators stands out on Voicenotes and these were a big part of the lead up to its May release, including "Done For Me" featuring Kehlani and "Change" with James Taylor.
The album's pre-release single "How Long" made it to the Billboard Hot 100 No. 21 in Feb. and has received more than 400 million views for its complaints about being cheated on. Like "The Way I Am"'s complaints about shyness, there is a tuneful celebration of self-acceptance at its center.
Finding his voice and gaining comfort in the spotlight, Charlie Puth's craft and growth as an artist feel centered. Heading on tour with a great sophomore LP on the books, it seems like Puth is just where he should be.
