Charlie Puth Talks Super Bowl, Anxiety, and Anthem Challenges on 'Hot Ones'

Singer and producer Charlie Puth recently opened up about the pressure of performing at the Super Bowl LX and the surprising nerves he felt while appearing on the popular YouTube show Hot Ones.

During the episode released March 5, Puth joined host Sean Evans to answer questions while eating extremely spicy chicken wings.

The "See You Again" hitmaker admitted that the experience made him almost as nervous as performing in front of millions during the championship game earlier this year.

"I haven't been this nervous since the Super Bowl, I'm going to be honest," Puth said before the wing challenge even began.

The musician performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" ahead of the big game on Feb. 8 at Levi's Stadium, Billboard reported.

That matchup saw the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New England Patriots 29–13. The pregame ceremony also featured performances by Brandi Carlile singing "America the Beautiful," Coco Jones performing "Lift Every Voice and Sing," and Green Day delivering a short medley.

While speaking on "Hot Ones," Puth explained why the national anthem is one of the hardest songs for any singer to perform.

"It's constant tension and release," he said about the song written by Francis Scott Key.

"Listen to it. It's constant tension and release. It's major chord, minor chord. And I don't know, it just has a melody that soars and when you put it in 4/4 timing, it's just good."

Charlie Puth Says Whitney Houston Inspired His Performance

Puth's arrangement of the anthem also carried a special tribute.

After the Super Bowl performance, he revealed that he designed the version to honor legendary singer Whitney Houston, whose famous rendition at the 1991 Super Bowl is widely considered one of the greatest performances of the anthem.

"I wrote the arrangement in a very specific way to honor Whitney Houston," Puth shared online at the time. "I hope that was heard."

Despite his confidence on stage, the "Hot Ones" challenge tested Puth in a different way. As the wings grew hotter, he struggled to keep eating and joked about feeling overwhelmed by the spice.

According to Yahoo, at one point, he admitted he felt close to an "anxiety attack" while trying to continue the interview.

Beyond the spicy challenge, the conversation also turned to music and the future of pop. Puth said he appreciates how the industry is changing, especially with artists having more freedom to release music without strict rules from radio stations.

"I like the fact on a logistical standpoint that there's no longer people telling you what song you have to sing in order to get played," he said. "It's just best song wins, which is what I've always wanted."

Tags

Charlie Puth, National Anthem