Charlie Puth started off 2022 by collaborating with Megan Thee Stallion on a new Super Bowl commercial, but the "Light Switch" singer says there's another collaboration that blew him away.
Speaking with PopCulture, Charlie recalled working with Elton John on his The Lockdown Sessions series, and says teaming up with the legend was a humbling and "surreal experience."
As for why he was so moved, 30-year-old Charlie says "he didn't make it seem like he was Elton John" and that the legend "humanizes himself a lot." One thing Sir Elton did was chat up Charlie's parents and walk them through his songwriting process — saying his folks were stunned the "entire time."
"He kind of just sits down, and he invited my parents to come in and he started talking about how he wrote 'Tiny Dancer,'" Charlie described. "It was a surreal experience. But I felt like I was talking to just another fellow musician. Not intimidating in the least."
Another lesson Elton gave was how "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" came to be, which Elton co-wrote with longtime musical partner Bernie Taupin. Charlie recalled that the British singer was handed a poem and he was able to "see the music come out of the words."
"He showcased that when he sat down on the keyboard, this keyboard that I have over here," Charlie continued and said Elton gave him the instrument following their collaboration.
The Grammy nominee saluted Sir Elton for his "incredible genius attribute" and said he provided solid constructive criticism when looking over music Charlie felt "wasn't very good."
Elton agreed "[the] music that I was working on wasn't good enough," which Charlie said "reaffirmed to me [how] I have to truly be myself."
Puth's new album, Charlie, is forthcoming.
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