Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Ashley Pointer | August 4, 2026
Charlie Puth walked into the Tiny Desk and turned it into a jazz club. Known for crafting some of the biggest pop records of the last decade, Puth approaches the Desk less like a hitmaker and more like a bandleader, reimagining familiar songs with fresh arrangements that spotlight the musicianship at his core. With effortless precision — and plenty of spontaneity — he guides his band through each song, shaping dynamics in real time like a professor leading a masterclass.
"We Don't Talk Anymore" opens with a colorful vamp before unfolding into what Puth jokingly calls "the version I wish came out," trading glossy pop production for rich harmony and space to breathe. Performing another hit, "Attention" leans into an early '90s, Michael Jackson-inspired groove, extending the outro into a jam. Introducing "See You Again," Puth reflects on how much of his music is inspired by church. This version, wildly different from the one that soundtracks the Furious 7 tribute to actor Paul Walker, swells into a warm, worship-like song.
Closing the set with "Changes" from his latest album, Whatever's Clever!, Puth leaves behind any notion that he is just a pop songwriter and producer. These arrangements reveal an artist deeply fluent in the language of harmony, groove and collaboration — one who's still approaching music with the curiosity of a lifelong student.
SET LIST
"We Don't Talk Anymore"
"Attention"
"See You Again"
"Changes"
MUSICIANS
Charlie Puth: vocals
Darek Cobbs: keys, music director
Jan Ozveren: guitar
Brandon Brown: bass
Cedric Thompson: drums
Olivia Tapia: background vocals
Blakley: background vocals
Lorea Turner: background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Ashley Pointer
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Director: Josh Newell
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Alanté Serene
Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
Audio Mix: Maggie Luthar
Photographer: Bronson Arcuri
Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
#tinydesk #nprmusic #charlieputh
Support for NPR comes from Moises, the creative suite for musicians, used by over 75 million artists worldwide to learn create and collaborate. Available for phone, tablet and desktop.
Ashley Pointer | August 4, 2026
Charlie Puth walked into the Tiny Desk and turned it into a jazz club. Known for crafting some of the biggest pop records of the last decade, Puth approaches the Desk less like a hitmaker and more like a bandleader, reimagining familiar songs with fresh arrangements that spotlight the musicianship at his core. With effortless precision — and plenty of spontaneity — he guides his band through each song, shaping dynamics in real time like a professor leading a masterclass.
"We Don't Talk Anymore" opens with a colorful vamp before unfolding into what Puth jokingly calls "the version I wish came out," trading glossy pop production for rich harmony and space to breathe. Performing another hit, "Attention" leans into an early '90s, Michael Jackson-inspired groove, extending the outro into a jam. Introducing "See You Again," Puth reflects on how much of his music is inspired by church. This version, wildly different from the one that soundtracks the Furious 7 tribute to actor Paul Walker, swells into a warm, worship-like song.
Closing the set with "Changes" from his latest album, Whatever's Clever!, Puth leaves behind any notion that he is just a pop songwriter and producer. These arrangements reveal an artist deeply fluent in the language of harmony, groove and collaboration — one who's still approaching music with the curiosity of a lifelong student.
SET LIST
"We Don't Talk Anymore"
"Attention"
"See You Again"
"Changes"
MUSICIANS
Charlie Puth: vocals
Darek Cobbs: keys, music director
Jan Ozveren: guitar
Brandon Brown: bass
Cedric Thompson: drums
Olivia Tapia: background vocals
Blakley: background vocals
Lorea Turner: background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Ashley Pointer
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Director: Josh Newell
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Alanté Serene
Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
Audio Mix: Maggie Luthar
Photographer: Bronson Arcuri
Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
#tinydesk #nprmusic #charlieputh
Support for NPR comes from Moises, the creative suite for musicians, used by over 75 million artists worldwide to learn create and collaborate. Available for phone, tablet and desktop.
