"The Way I Am" is a song recorded and produced by American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth. It was sent to US contemporary hit radio through Atlantic Records on July 24, 2018, as the fifth and final single from his second studio album, Voicenotes. It was initially released as the second promotional single from the album on May 3, 2018. Puth wrote the song alongside Jacob Kasher Hindlin.
The song deals with Puth's reaction to his sudden fame, specifically his insecurities and anxieties. He has identified the song as his most personal on the album. The content of the song was so personal in fact that Puth "was almost crying while writing it because it was so overwhelming."[1]
In an interview with Genius, Puth explained the meaning behind the song, saying: "I was known for who I was dating more than my music. People were forgetting that I was actually a singer. And that was not good and multiple people told me that wasn't good. I worked too hard to have that reputation. So I just like a slight steer to the left and brought it back to the music. I honestly feel better mentally than I ever have in my life."[2]
"The Way I Am" is an upbeat pop song in which Puth addresses his self-acceptance.[3][4] Described as an "introspective, autobiographical track", it heavily features "a plugging electric guitar riff" throughout, with "Puth's vocals syncing up to the instrumental during the verses".[5]
Directed by Colin Tilley, the music video was released on July 9, 2018.[6] It features Puth wandering from one room to another, interspersed between flashbacks of a house party that took place the night before and shots of him sitting alone on the roof of the house, as partygoers drink and dance past him in fast-motion.[7] Throughout the video, he locks eyes with a brunette woman (acted by Trew Mullen);[8] they come face to face and exchange smirks as the party comes to an end.[9] Salvatore Maicki of The Fader regarded the video as "a nice aesthetic throwback to the late 90s",[3] while PopSugar's Mekishana Pierre opined that Puth's character bears a resemblance to My So-Called Life's Jordan Catalano.[10]
