Early on a Friday morning, Charlie Puth performed a free concert before early-rising fans at Rockefeller Plaza as part of the NBC Today show’s Citi Concert Series. Chatting with the program’s hosts, Puth spoke about his debut Madison Square Garden concert that evening. Puth teased that “we’re bringing out some artists I have always really wanted to work with.”
Arguably, MSG might be the most prestigious stop on Puth’s expansive 19-month world tour. Announced in January 2026, the tour began a month ago in San Diego, California, and will continue to headline large venues across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific through November 2027. The concerts promote his fourth album, Whatever’s Clever!, released on March 27, 2026.
The tour also adds an exclamation point to the soaring career of a New Jersey-born singer-songwriter who had been a music school student for the bulk of his youth. His years of training took form and went public when the young adult became a viral pop star on social media, covering songs made famous by other artists. Making advantageous connections in the recording industry, Puth’s career gained traction through spotlight collaborations with Megan Trainor, Wiz Kalifa, Selena Gomez, Jungkook, Justin Bieber, Kehlani, James Taylor, Dan + Shay, Sabrina Carpenter, even Ozzy Osbourne, among numerous other giants. Sometimes Puth served as a vocalist, and other times as a composer, musician and/or producer. This has been a lot for a musician who is only 34 years old.
Approximately 12 hours after Puth’s performance on morning television, pop singers Ally Salort and Daniel Seavey performed impressive opening sets for him at the World’s Most Famous Arena. After intermissions, the house lights dimmed and Puth appeared center stage on a sparse lighted platform wearing a New York Knicks cap, which he left on for the entire performance. Smiling as he enjoyed the enthusiastic welcome from the audience, he took his position, center stage by his two white keyboards. Four musicians and three singers assumed their posts behind him. The set began with “Beat Yourself Up” from his current album.
Much of the evening’s repertoire would be devoted to Whatever’s Clever! As expected, the set also peppered many fan favorites across the two-hour set. Decade-old hits, including “How Long”, “We Don't Talk Anymore”, “Attention”, and “One Call Away” had the charmed audience singing and swaying. Puth sang well, the music was masterfully arranged, and several songs featured the ensemble playing extended jazzy outros.
Puth delivered on his early-morning promise of presenting surprise guests. He did not have to do it, but he chose to do this for his own enjoyment and for that of the New York fans. Nobody, not even the press, knew what was coming next.
“Each person I’m gonna bring up tonight has influenced me musically,” Puth told his audience. As the concert progressed, the audience came to realize that Puth’s influences have come from unexpected sources. Although Puth is primarily known for love songs, sad songs and sad love songs, the well from which he draws his inspiration is deep and wide.
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| Charlie Puth with Art Garfunkel |
Puth’s first guest was Art Garfunkel of Simon & Garfunkel. The occasion marked Garfunkel’s return to Madison Square Garden after 17 years, having last performed there with Paul Simon for the 25th anniversary of the Rock Hall of Fame in 2009. The 89-year-old folk artist, an eight-time Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, said he was “thrilled” when Puth called him.
“He’s a very big star, you know,” Garfunkel told the audience, praising Puth for following in the tradition of Simon & Garfunkel. Sitting on a stool, turning to Puth standing on his right, Garfunkel concluded by saying, “You’re my student.”
“I AM your student,” echoed Puth. “I’m serious. I’m not just saying this because all these wonderful people are here. The reason why I’m here right now is because of the music that you’ve written.”
Garfunkel introduced the song he and Puth would sing by recounting the ups and downs of several Simon & Garfunkel hits. “Different songs have different life spans,” said Garfunkel. “’The Boxer’ stays well-loved.” Garfunkel’s longtime guitarist, Tab Laven, started the 1970 hit on his acoustic guitar. The duo’s phrasing and harmonies were spellbinding.
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| Charlie Puth w. Jimmy Fallon |
Midway through the concert, Puth introduced Jimmy Fallon as his next surprise guest. The duo sang a sped-up cover of Toto’s “Africa.” Before leaving the stage, Fallon presented Puth with a Knicks jersey.
Fallon introduced Busta Rhymes, who noted the “incredible energy in New York City” with the Knicks heading into the NBA finals. The Brooklyn-born rapper performed abbreviated versions of “Break Ya Neck”, “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See,” and his 2011 song with Chris Brown, “Look at Me Now.” Puth and his musicians served as Rhymes’ back-up band.
Towards the end of the program, Puth announced that a lot of his music was influenced by church music. He then introduced gospel artist Kirk Franklin. The gravelly-voiced vocalist, with three of his silky-voiced singers, led Puth and his band through an uplifting medley of Franklin’s compositions, “I Smile,” “Lean on Me” (Franklin’s song, closing with a snippet Bill Withers’ song of the same title) and “Stomp,” the breakthrough song that Franklin wrote for the group God’s Property.
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| Charlie Puth with Busta Rhymes |
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| Charlie Puth with Kirk Franklin |
Prior to concluding the concert with “Changes,” Puth recalled his first New York City performance in 2013 at the Bitter End. He spoke about the “peaks and valleys” he experienced throughout his career. He encouraged the aspiring musicians in the audience to continue striving to complete the song that is in their heads. “You could be up here one day.”
As both the morning and evening audiences witnessed, Charlie Puth and his musicians could have performed a splendid piano-driven soft-rock concert on their own. The guest appearances by Art Garfunkel, Jimmy Fallon, Busta Rhymes and Kirk Franklin made the concert a once-in-a-lifetime spectacular. How will Puth top this night over the next 18 months of his tour?
All photographs by Grace Tom.
Setlist
- Beat Yourself Up
- How Long
- Washed Up
- The Boxer (Simon & Garfunkel cover, with Art Garfunkel)
- LA Girls
- Home
- Cry
- Sideways
- We Don't Talk Anymore
- BOY
- Done for Me
- Africa (Toto cover, with Jimmy Fallon)
- Break Ya Neck (Busta Rhymes song, with Busta Rhymes)
- Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See (Busta Rhymes song, with Busta Rhymes)
- Look at Me Now (Chris Brown cover, with Busta Rhymes)
- Attention
- Cheating on You
- I Smile (Kirk Franklin song, with Kirk Franklin)
- Lean on Me (Kirk Franklin & the Family song, with Kirk Franklin, closing with a snippet of “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers)
- Stomp (God's Property song, with Kirk Franklin)
- One Call Away
- See You Again (Wiz Khalifa cover)
- Changes
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The Manhattan Beat covers New York City's live music circuit. All articles are written by Everynight Charley Crespo. All photographs are taken by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise.
For a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to the right of the home page and click on the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music."
For a more complete listing of upcoming performances in the New York City area, visit The Manhattan Beat's June calendar.
Charley,... great review!!!!!
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