Charlie Puth: Pitch Perfect

The Singer-Songwriter Chats About His Rise To Fame, His Surprising Musical Icons And His Next Album.

With catchy tunes, boyish good looks and tons of screaming female fans, Charlie Puth has made a name for himself as a pop star. But the New Jersey native, 27, is a true musician. “I started playing classical piano at 4, and by 10 I was playing jazz,” says Charlie. It was around that time that he discovered he had perfect pitch, the ability to recognize a note without reference and re-create it. “Not a lot of people can do that,” says Charlie. “It’s something crazy, like 1 percent of the population.” Since then, he’s put his talent to good use. On top of releasing two albums, Charlie’s served as a producer and songwriter for some of the biggest names in the industry. “My life is fantastic,” says the four-time Grammy nominee. “It’s all about making music — that’s truly the thing that makes me the happiest.” Here, he opens up about his life in and out of the studio.

When did you realize you had a special talent for music?