YOU could feel the anticipation and excitement even before American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth made his appearance at the Malawati Indoor Stadium in Shah Alam for his Malaysian debut on Nov 14.
The pop star and producer, whose voice the world first sampled on rapper Wiz Khalifa’s mega-hit See You Again from the Furious 7 soundtrack, was in town for his one-night-only show here as part of his Voicenotes Asia Tour.
Fans were treated to songs from Puth’s May 2018 album Voicenotes, alongside radio-friendly titles from his first studio album Nine Track Mind.
With chants of “Charlie!”, and periodic bursts of shrieks and screams acting as a precursor to the main act, it was clear concert-goers were eager for the chance to greet the singer in the flesh.
There was even a happy rendition of Negaraku, which the young crowd – many chaperoned by their parents – cheerfully sang followed by a brief applause, just moments before the singer took to the stage.
The screaming frenzy intensified when Puth finally appeared singing The Way I Am, but it was his more commercially-appealing tracks like One Call Away, Marvin Gaye, and Attention that really got the crowd singing along.
Yet, Puth still made every performance feel like it was just him and his fans, minus the “empty cups” – a reference to a line off the track of the same name in Voicenotes.
Speaking to the sea of fans present that night, Puth expressed his gratitude and awe at being in Malaysia, and that he “can check this off my bucket list”.
He told his fans: “It’s kinda crazy where this music stuff can take me, and it’s because of you,” before adding that “we’re gonna play a lot of stuff you like. Hopefully, not a lot of stuff you don’t like”.
From Done for Me to We Don’t Talk Any More and Patient, Puth’s all-out infectious energy and vocal calibre was made even more endearing by his onstage antics.
His casual interaction with his fans felt genuine, and more importantly, Puth looked like he was having a good time too.
The New Jersey-born singer also explained his unusual choice of instrument – a combination of piano and guitar – that was hanging from his shoulders.
“This is called a keytar,” said Puth who was taught the piano as a young child, adding it was “because I didn’t practise much guitar when I was growing up”, before easing into LA Girls.
At one point during the concert, the singer also showcased his impressive perfect pitch, his ability to instantly able to recognise and recreate any musical note.
While talking about the inspiration behind Change, a sudden high shriek from the crowd to the right side of the stage caused Puth to pause midway.
“That note was a C sharp!” he exclaimed while pointing at the fan’s direction, before adding: “It’s a very high tune. It’s like, higher than Mariah Carey!”
Despite Puth’s continuing chart-topping success, his explosive See You Again remains one of his most recognisable tracks, and, of course, was the encore for the night.
Crediting a “persistent work ethic” in the early part of his musical career for his success, the singer gave some creative encouragement for his fans: “If there’s any artiste in the audience tonight, if there’s anybody who does art for a living, just never get discouraged.”
Puth added: “You never know, you might travel the world one day and play in places in front of millions.”
In a way, he was also counting his own blessings.
Charlie Puth Voicenotes Tour Live in Malaysia was organised by PR Worldwide and Live Nation.
