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 guideshis 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
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NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concerts is a popular video series featuring live, intimate music performances by diverse artists, from major stars to up-and-coming musicians, recorded in the small workspace of Bob Boilen’s NPR office in Washington, D.C.brought to you by SloppBoxx.Com.
📻Do you tune into every Tiny Desk concert or maybe just watch your favorites on repeat? Either way, let us know here: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8929725/TDC1
I tune in for most but Dua Lisa’s first tiny desk Adelle and Fred Again I watch regularly…Billy Eilish❤
Scarface and cypress Hill my favorite
Un tiny desk de Alex Ferreira por fi
Both!!!!
tune in often but also hv my go-to favs as well, like Fujii Kaze’s tiny desk❤.
Side note: would love a tiny desk from She’s Green—just picked up a copy of Swallowtail and loving it ❤ 👍 edit: just read they’ll b n DC in October—would b amazing if they could do something with u all while they’re there!!
Kurang Ajar, enakkkkkk!!!
Waiting on Olivia Dean’s Tiny, tbh
The music industry nerfed him a lot…
I don’t know about this one. Maybe it’s the first Tiny Desk concert I didn’t love. Charlie’s voice feels very insecure and empty, tune was not always there… I hate to be the devil. I hope he got to have fun during this show tho.
Please release this on spotify!🔥🔥🔥 Love the piano solo!!
When he said church, i nearly teared up cuz i wish he created worship music. But I can at least use his ideas to create the worship music he can’t because of being chained to the secular industry elites.
The cut to the audience was upliftin seeing the man with his hand in the air and eyes closed!
My only issue with this concert is that it ends. So uplifting and genuinely good 🤍
THE BACKING VOCALS ARE GREAAAT! LOVE U GUYS