Charlie Puth turned his first-ever headlining concert at Madison Square Garden into a celebration of the artists who helped shape his musical identity, and one surprise guest in particular underscored a theme he has been discussing throughout 2026. During the sold-out New York City performance on May 29, Puth welcomed gospel legend Kirk Franklin<\/a> to the stage, capping off a night that blended pop, rap, folk, and gospel influences in front of a packed crowd.<\/p>\n According to The Aquarian,<\/a> the appearance came near the end of a two-hour set built around Puth\u2019s latest album, Whatever\u2019s Clever!. After performing fan favorites such as \u201cAttention,\u201d \u201cHow Long,\u201d \u201cWe Don\u2019t Talk Anymore,\u201d and \u201cOne Call Away,\u201d Puth told the audience that church music had played a significant role in shaping his songwriting. He then introduced Franklin, who joined him for a medley of gospel staples including \u201cI Smile,\u201d \u201cLean on Me,\u201d and \u201cStomp.\u201d<\/p>\n COMPLEX SHOP:<\/b> Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what’s next. Buy. Collect. Obsess.<\/a><\/p>\n The Madison Square Garden stop was one of the most significant dates on Puth\u2019s current world tour, which launched in April in support of Whatever\u2019s Clever!, his fourth studio album. The New Jersey-born singer-songwriter has built a career that stretches far beyond his own recordings, collaborating with artists ranging from Wiz Khalifa and Selena Gomez to Justin Bieber, Jungkook, and Ozzy Osbourne.<\/p>\n Throughout that journey, Puth has often spoken about studying the mechanics of songwriting and drawing inspiration from a wide range of genres.<\/p>\n \u201cEach person I\u2019m gonna bring up tonight has influenced me musically,\u201d Puth told the audience before unveiling the evening\u2019s surprise guests. That lineup included Art Garfunkel, who joined him for \u201cThe Boxer,\u201d as well as Jimmy Fallon and Busta Rhymes.<\/p>\n The Franklin collaboration also connected directly to comments Puth made earlier this year during an appearance on The Terrell Show.<\/a> In that interview, he discussed discovering gospel music and credited church-inspired chord progressions as a major influence on his songwriting.<\/p>\n He specifically cited songs like \u201cJesus, You\u2019re the Center of My Joy\u201d as helping him understand the harmonic language he would later incorporate into his own music.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Charlie Puth Reveals the Gospel Influences Behind His Biggest Hits<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Charlie Puth Tapped to Sing the National Anthem at Super Bowl LX<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Watch Coco Jones Sing ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ Before Kickoff<\/span><\/p>\n 50 Cent Reacts to Alleged Leaked Sex Tape of Diddy and Daphne Joy, Says His Son Is the Real Victim<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Jay-Z’s Classic Debut ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Gets 30th Anniversary Edition From Target<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\nRelated News<\/h3>\n
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