Charlie Puth is branching out from pop charts to playbills. The GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum artist revealed this week that he’s working on a Broadway musical — a bold and unexpected turn for the singer-songwriter behind hits like “Attention” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore.”
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“Yes you can,” Puth said when asked if a musical is on the way. “That’s a very musical world. It’s something that we’re starting to work on. The Broadway world is very exciting. It’s really different. It’s a lot less instant gratification because it’s a longer process than making an album. It’s very special. I just like to do things I haven’t done before.”
The announcement came during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where Puth also performed at a private Spotify Soirée, delivering stripped-down versions of his pop hits. But while his set was familiar, the vision he shared marked a new creative direction.
Before his chart-topping success, Puth was a dedicated music student. From seventh grade through high school, he attended the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College as a jazz piano major and classical studies minor. He also studied at the Count Basie Center Academy in New Jersey, where he began developing the performance skills that would later shape his career.
Now, he’s giving back to that same community. The Charlie Puth Performance Scholarships, announced earlier this year provides two scholarships in perpetuity to students interested in attending the Count Basie Center Academy. The scholarships are designed to support young performers as they pursue training in the musical and performing arts — a cause that reflects Puth’s own early journey.
Though Broadway is a new venture, Puth has already hinted at his theatrical side. In December 2019, he did an impromptu Broadway-style rendition of Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon — a brief but telling glimpse of what could be.
At Cannes, he also offered an update on his next studio project. “I’m currently finishing my fourth record off of FaceTime right now,” he said while seated at a piano. “I can’t wait for all of you to hear it. A lot of pianos. A lot of piano.”
His last album, Charlie, was released in 2022. But with a Broadway production on the horizon and scholarships now supporting future performers, Puth’s influence is reaching beyond streaming platforms and into the world of live theater.
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