Since catapulting on to the music scene over a decade ago, Charlie Puth has released three studio albums , racked up four Grammy nominations and collaborated with Elton John and James Taylor , among others.

Still, the New Jersey-born pop musician says he wasnt prepared for the amount of attention he received after Taylor Swift name-dropped him on the title track of The Tortured Poets Department, her latest album, and said he should be a bigger artist.

The Tortured Poets Department has been perched at the top of the Billboard charts since its release in April, meaning that legions of listeners have since taken note of Swifts endorsement and, in turn, sought out Puths music.

Nearly four months later, Puth says Swifts words of encouragement continue to boost his confidence, both in and out of the studio. In May, he dropped a tender ballad, Hero , which hed recorded some time ago but had been hesitant to share with fans.