What Charlie Puth Got Made Fun of for Doing in Middle School
Charlie Puth was passionate about music — even if he got made fun of in school for playing the piano. Here’s what the “See You Again” singer said about Billy Joel and how the “cool guy” inspired him to pursue music.
Charlie Puth released ‘Light Switch,’ ‘See You Again,’ and recently ‘Left and Right’
Puth is known for his songwriting, creating The Lockdown Sessions with Elton John and collaborating with musicians like Pitbull, Liam Payne, and Maroon 5. The artist is even credited on Thomas Rhett’s “I Feel Good.”
Recently, Puth created the 2022 release CHARLIE, detailing some of the songwriting processes on TikTok. He even featured BTS’ Jungkook on “Left and Right,” starring in a music video with the vocalist.
Billy Joel was ‘living proof’ to Charlie Puth that he could play the piano and be a ‘successful artist’
In addition to singing (and beatboxing), Charlie Puth can play the piano. According to the Berklee College of Music website, at 4 years old, Puth began studying piano and attended the Precollege Division of Manhattan School of Music as a jazz piano student.
It wasn’t easy being a pianist in school, though. As a result, Puth looked to Billy Joel as a “cool guy” who also played the piano.
“Billy Joel was the living proof that I can be a successful artist and play the piano, which, you know, my friends made fun of me for playing,” Puth said during an interview with Rolling Stone. “I was a dork in middle school and beyond. I looked at Billy Joel as the cool guy who made classical music in pop music.”
Growing up in New Jersey, Puth was active in his school’s music scene. The singer later attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
“He had a brilliant ear .. until then, I had never had a student with perfect pitch,” Forrestdale music teacher John Lebitsch told NJ.com. “He could construct these incredible jazz improvisations (on piano) as part of the ensemble band, but he never showed off or tried to show anyone up.”
In 2016, Puth opened for Joel. Writing on Facebook that the “Piano Man” singer let him play his piano. The two even posed for a picture, later shared on social media.
Charlie Puth mentioned his support of ‘My City of Ruins’ singer Bruce Springsteen
As a New Jersey native, Puth also mentioned his admiration for “the Boss” Bruce Springsteen, also known as the artist behind “Dancing in the Dark” and “Streets of Philadelphia.” In fact, “My City of Ruins” helped inspire Puth’s “See You Again.”
“I was always so fascinated how Bruce was able on The Rising to combine happy chords, happy sentiment with the dichotomy of what was being sung lyrically — happy and sad at the same time,” the artist said during the same interview.
