Charlie Puth Charms at Inglewood’s Kia Forum for His Biggest Los Angeles Show to Date: Concert Review

You’ve probably heard the adage that Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist, but in hindsight, it feels prescient. Since the start of his career, which rang off with a feature on the inescapable smash “See You Again” with Wiz Khalifa in 2015, Puth has gone from wallowing in schlocky doo-wop to crafting sharpshooting anthems, ever in the quest to write the perfect pop song. But his mainstream success never quite matched the scope of his talent — sure, he picked up a handful of hits along the way, for himself and others, but it’s somehow always felt like he’s been just out of reach of pop’s upper ranks.

Related Stories

'Jeopardy!' Champ Jamie Ding Calls Out ICE After 31-Game Winning Streak Ends: 'The Government Is Going After Immigrants in a Way Unlike Anything We've Seen'

Natasha Lyonne Says 'I Was Detained' by ICE at Airport; Homeland Security Denies Claims

If Puth’s “Whatever’s Clever!” world tour is any indication, Puth is now, in fact, a bigger artist — not quite dominating the cultural zeitgeist, per se, but cultivating a dedicated fan base that swells with each release. That much was clear at his stop at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on Wednesday night, where he played to a robust audience familiar with the nooks and crannies of his discography, from his puppy dog beginnings (“One Call Away”) to his biggest hits (“Attention”). Puth has managed to thrive in an industry where statistics can code as currency — Puthers can’t really argue that he outsold someone’s fave — yet he’s found a comfortable spot for himself in the pop landscape, one where his creative ambitions can be explored outside of the constraints of megastardom.

That’s partly why Puth has not only endured, but also grown, as an artist over the past decade. He’s your favorite musician’s favorite musician, namely because of his deep appreciation for and approach to music as a medium and an art. “Isn’t music amazing?” he told the Forum audience after a rendition of “Cheating on You.” “I want everyone to leave here inspired tonight.” Sure, it was a little earnest, but you can tell he meant it. Puth radiates sincerity for his love of music, and as he performed for about an hour and a half, it was reinforced with every extended jazz outro or riff-off with another singer, first with a backup vocalist on “Cheating on You” and then again with Jennifer Hudson for a powerful cover of “Silver and Gold.”

Puth isn’t a flashy showman by any means, staying mostly confined to the front of the stage between two opposing keyboards. He centers the performance on the songs, playing bandleader to a trio of singers, guitarists, a bassist and a drummer. The Forum stage appeared considerably small for such a sizable venue (it should be noted that the venue itself was compacted as the upper terrace was closed off), and the only bells and whistles were plumes of smoke and a screen-and-light setup. But that felt appropriate for Puth, who has never needed backup dancers or moving set pieces to sell the show, which is, as always, all about the music.

The “Whatever’s Clever!” tour is in support of Puth’s latest album, a far more mature record that dabbles in everything from yacht rock to City Pop. The set list was equal parts new and old, starting with the charming “Beat Yourself Up” and plucky “How Long.” Unlike at his Blue Note residencies in New York City and Los Angeles last fall, Puth hewed relatively close to the recorded arrangements of his songs. Those Blue Note shows were a warm-up for the tour, an opportunity to flex his jazz chops as he transformed his songs into elastic jams. The Forum performance was more streamlined and rehearsed, save for a few bespoke guest appearances, including Coco Jones on the velvet-lined “Sideways” and Khalifa for the penultimate song “See You Again.” The show came across as both fan service and self-service, from deeper cuts like “Boy” and “Patient With Me” to freshly released songs like “Love in Exile” and “Home” (“This is like a little Janet Jackson ripoff,” he joked as he introduced the latter).

The tour, which kicked off last week in San Diego, is by far his largest yet. In the coming months, he’ll play New York’s famed Madison Square Garden and Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium. But Los Angeles was a homecoming for Puth, who moved to the city 10 years ago, when he set off on his journey to become contemporary pop music’s artist-in-residence. (His “Professor Puth” series on social media, where he teaches followers about music theory, is right on the nose.)

Puth himself seemed to be in disbelief that he was playing the Forum, having headlined the Greek Theater on past treks. He clearly relished the moment: “We’re at the Forum, ladies and gentlemen, I never thought we’d be here,” he said between “Washed Up” and “LA Girls,” making a point of referencing his shirt bearing the letters “LA.” And as he closed the night with his recent single “Changes,” the song title felt fitting — yes, there have been changes, and clearly for the better.