Charlie Puth

Put a piano in front of Charlie Puth and the soul-pop crooner will come up with a hitmaking hook in a heartbeat. Born in 1991, the New Jersey–raised talent took to the keys early, thanks to his mother, who began teaching him piano at age four. By 10, he was studying jazz. At 12, he discovered the power of his voice: "I would go to church and hear the same hymnals and gospel songs," he told Apple Music. "I totally attribute my absolute pitch to church music." A decade later, Puth earned a degree in music production and engineering from the prestigious Berklee College of Music, but by then, he was already a viral video star and a signee to talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres' label eleveneleven. He eventually signed with Atlantic and cowrote and coproduced two major collaborations: the swaying doo-wop bop "Marvin Gaye" with Meghan Trainor and the powerful Wiz Khalifa team-up "See You Again", which became one of 2015's defining hits. On his 2016 debut album, Nine Track Mind, Puth showed off more sleek pop prowess with "One Call Away" and the Selena Gomez–featuring "We Don't Talk Anymore". He'd stretch his range—and Rolodex—even further on 2018's Voicenotes, a thrilling set of bass-driven R&B and electro-funk that includes cowrites with Hall & Oates and James Taylor, duets with Boyz II Men and Kehlani, and international smash "Attention". Topping it all off is that soothingly supple falsetto, which allows Puth—the ultimate hopeless romantic—to translate anything into love. Puth built upon the love language with 2022's Charlie. Cultivated over the course of two years, he teased much of the album through social media. For the LP, he continued pushing his music as he oscillated between sounds with ease. Whether collaborating with BTS' Jungkook ("Left and Right") or embracing nostalgic pop-rock on "Smells Like Me", he swirls feelings and technique with rare finesse.