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Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical styles, including
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...
, R&B,
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mi ...
,
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...
,
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
,
disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric p ...
, and rock. Mars is accompanied by his band, the Hooligans, who play a variety of instruments, such as electric guitar, bass, piano, keyboards, drums, and horns, and also serve as backup singers and dancers. Born and raised in
Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the isla ...
, Hawaii, Mars moved to Los Angeles in 2003 to pursue a musical career. In 2009, he co-founded the production team The Smeezingtons, responsible for various successful singles for Mars himself and other artists. He rose to fame in 2010 buoyed by the success of " Nothin' on You" by B.o.B and "
Billionaire A billionaire is a person with a net worth of at least one billion (1,000,000,000, i.e., a thousand million) units of a given currency, usually of a major currency such as the United States dollar, euro, or pound sterling. The American busi ...
" by
Travie McCoy Travis Lazarus "Travie" McCoy (born August 5, 1981) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is the co-founder and former lead vocalist of the rap rock band Gym Class Heroes, in addition to having a solo career. McCoy became involved w ...
, both of which featured his vocals. That year, Mars released his debut studio album '' Doo-Wops & Hooligans'', which blended pop with reggae and R&B. It spawned the international number-one singles " Just the Way You Are", "
Grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade ge ...
", and " The Lazy Song". Drawing inspiration from disco, funk, rock, reggae and soul genres, his second studio album, '' Unorthodox Jukebox'' (2012), was his first number one on the ''Billboard'' 200. It amassed two ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one songs, " Locked Out of Heaven" and "
When I Was Your Man "When I Was Your Man" is a song by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars from his second studio album, ''Unorthodox Jukebox'' (2012). Atlantic Records released the song as the third promotional single and as the second official single, tak ...
". In 2014, Mars was featured on
Mark Ronson Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a British-American DJ, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. He is best known for his collaborations with artists such as Duran Duran, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lily Allen, R ...
's " Uptown Funk", which topped various music charts, spending a total of fourteen and seven weeks atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, respectively. Mars's third studio album, the R&B-focused '' 24K Magic'' (2016), received seven Grammy Awards, winning the major categories of
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. The album also yielded the top-five singles " 24K Magic", " That's What I Like" (his seventh ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one single), and a remix of " Finesse" featuring
Cardi B Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine (service), Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, ...
. In 2021, Mars and Anderson .Paak, as Silk Sonic, released the collaborative studio album '' An Evening with Silk Sonic'', which delved into 1970s R&B and soul and was led by the chart-topping single " Leave the Door Open". It received four Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Mars has sold over 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Eight of his songs have reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and his concert tours are some of the highest-grossing in history. He has received 15
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
s (including three Record of the Year wins), four Brit Awards, eleven American Music Awards, 13
Soul Train Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of ''Soul Train'', the pro ...
and holds three ''
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'', among other accolades. He featured on ''
Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...
''s best songwriters (2011) and ''Billboard''s Greatest of All Time Artists (2019) lists and rankings such as the ''Time'' 100 and ''Forbes'' Celebrity 100. Mars became the first artist to receive six Diamond-certified songs in the United States and has been regarded as a pop icon due to his influential career.


Life and career


1985–2003: Early life and musical beginnings

Peter Gene Hernandez was born on October 8, 1985, in
Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the isla ...
, Hawaii, to Peter Hernandez and Bernadette San Pedro Bayot, and was raised in the
Waikiki Waikiki (; haw, Waikīkī; ; also known as Waikiki Beach) is a neighborhood of Honolulu on the south shore of the island of Oahu in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Waikiki is most famous for Waikiki Beach, which is one of six beaches in the distri ...
neighborhood of Honolulu. His father is of half Puerto Rican and half Jewish descent, and is originally from
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York. Mars has stated that his Jewish ancestors were from Hungary and Ukraine. His mother emigrated from the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
to Hawaii, and was of Filipino and Spanish ancestry. His parents met while performing in a show in which his mother was a Hula dancer and his father played percussion. At the age of two, he was nicknamed "Bruno" by his father because of his resemblance to professional wrestler
Bruno Sammartino Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (October 6, 1935 – April 18, 2018) was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). There, he held the WWWF World Heavy ...
. Mars is one of six children and came from a musical family which exposed him to a diverse mix of music genres, including first and foremost
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm ...
, and later
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
, hip hop, and
rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
. His mother was both a singer and a dancer, and his father performed
Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the " ...
's music, which inspired him as a young child. His uncle was an Elvis Presley impersonator, and also encouraged three-year-old Mars to perform songs on stage by Presley and
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
. At the age of four, Mars began performing five days a week with his family's band, The Love Notes, and became known in Hawaii for his impersonation of
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...
. When he was five he urinated on himself during a performance of Presley's " Can't Help Falling in Love" (1961), which led his parents to think they could be making a mistake. However, Mars never wavered. In 1990, Mars was featured in the Hawaiian tabloid shopper '' MidWeek'' as "Little Elvis" and performed in the halftime show of the
1990 Aloha Bowl The 1990 Aloha Bowl matched the Arizona Wildcats and the Syracuse Orangemen in their final games of the season. Background Syracuse was in their last season as an Independent and last under MacPherson. They went 0-2-2 against teams ranked, but wer ...
. In 1992, he appeared in a cameo role in the film '' Honeymoon in Vegas'' and was interviewed by Pauly Shore on MTV. When Mars was six years old, he was featured on ''
The Arsenio Hall Show ''The Arsenio Hall Show'' is an American syndicated late-night talk show created by and starring comedian Arsenio Hall. There have been two different incarnations of ''The Arsenio Hall Show''. The original series premiered on January 3, 1989, ...
'' and throughout grade school, he performed with his family's band, two shows a night, covering Frankie Lymon and
Little Anthony Little Anthony and the Imperials is an American rhythm and blues/soul vocal group from New York City founded by Clarence Collins in the 1950s and named in part for its lead singer, Jerome Anthony "Little Anthony" Gourdine, who was noted for his h ...
. When he was a child he had a small version of a drum set, guitar, piano, and some percussion and learned to play the instruments. When Mars was 12, his parents divorced, ending The Love Notes act. His father's various businesses, ranging from temporary-tattoo parlors to memorabilia shops, failed. Consequently, there was no longer a steady source of income. He moved out of his parents' house along with his brother and father. They lived in the "slums of Hawaii", on the back of a car, on rooftops, and in an abandoned bird zoo, Paradise Park, where his father worked before it closed. Mars transferred schools and was bullied initially, but he became popular in his last school days. The time Mars spent impersonating Presley had a major impact on his musical evolution and performing techniques. He later began playing guitar after being inspired by American rock guitarist
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
. In 2010, he also acknowledged his Hawaiian roots and musical family as an influence, explaining: "Growing up in Hawaii made me the man I am. I used to do a lot of shows in Hawaii with my father's band. Everybody in my family sings, everyone plays instruments ... I've just been surrounded by it." When he attended President Theodore Roosevelt High School in Honolulu he sang in a group called The School Boys, who did several shows including opening for his father's new band, performing songs by the Isley Brothers and
the Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...
. The singer, while in high school, became well known in Hawaiian entertainment, becoming the opening gig for a huge magic show and impersonating Michael Jackson in a celebrity-impersonators show, making $75 per performance. After his sister in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, California, played his demo for Mike Lynn (the head of A&R at
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and w ...
's Aftermath Entertainment record label), Lynn summoned Mars to Los Angeles. In 2003, shortly after graduating from high school at the age of 17, Mars moved to Los Angeles to pursue a musical career. At that time, he lived on Mansfield Avenue and was surprised by the poverty and squalor of the neighborhood. He adopted his stage name from the childhood nickname his father gave him, adding "Mars" at the end because: "I felt like I didn't have no pizzazz, and a lot of girls say I'm out of this world, so I was like I guess I'm from
Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin at ...
." Moreover, the adoption of his stage name was also an effort to "avoid being stereotyped", as the
music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...
tried to pigeonhole him as another
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
artist. They even tried to convince Mars to sing in Spanish.


2004–2010: Production work and ''It's Better If You Don't Understand''

Shortly after moving to Los Angeles, Mars signed a record contract with
Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
Records in 2004, but the deal "went nowhere", leading him to have a conversation with will.i.am's management, which also turned out to be fruitless. However, the singer's experience with Motown proved to be beneficial to his career. American songwriter and record producer Philip Lawrence was also signed to the label. After Mars was dropped by the label less than a year after being signed, he stayed in Los Angeles and landed a music publishing deal in 2005 with American record producers
Steve Lindsey Steve Lindsey (born Steve Clark Lindsey; May 6, 1956) is an American record producer, songwriter music publisher and music industry executive. Early life Steve Lindsey, born in New York City, to Mort Lindsey and his wife Judy. He had a conn ...
and Cameron Strang at Westside Independent. Lindsey showed Mars and fellow songwriters Brody Brown and Jeff Bhasker (who Mars met through Mike Lynn) the ins and outs of writing pop music and acted as a mentor, helping them to hone their craft. Bhasker explained that Lindsey would "mentor us, and kind of give us lectures as to what a hit pop song is, because you can have talent and music ability, but understanding what makes a hit pop song is a whole other discipline." Lindsey confessed he "held Mars back for five years while they learned an extensive catalog of hit music." In a different interview, Brown corroborated the former story. During this time, Mars played cover songs around Los Angeles in a band called Sex Panther, with Bhasker and Eric Hernandez (the former's brother), who eventually became the drummer of The Hooligans. When Lawrence was first told he should meet Mars he was reluctant to do so since he did not even have money for bus fare. Keith Harris, the drummer for the American musical group
The Black Eyed Peas Black Eyed Peas (also known as The Black Eyed Peas) is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo (rapper), Taboo. The group's line-up during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie (singer ...
, told Lawrence: "Whatever it costs you to get out here, I'll reimburse you." Lawrence responded: "Just give me five dollars back for the bus." The pair began collaborating, writing songs for Mars, but they received many rejections from record labels. In 2006, Lawrence introduced Mars to his future A&R manager at
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...
, Aaron Bay-Schuck. After hearing him play a couple of songs on the guitar, Bay-Schuck wanted to sign him immediately, but it took roughly three years for Atlantic Records to finally sign Mars to the label, because they felt it was too early and that he still needed to develop as an artist. In 2008, on the verge of giving up, they received a call from Brandon Creed, who was looking for songs for a reunited Menudo. He liked their song "Lost", which was written for Mars. The duo did not want to give the song away, but when they were offered $20,000 for it, they agreed. The sale of this song allowed them to continue working, and Mars and Lawrence decided that they would write and produce songs together for other artists. Eventually, Creed became the former's manager for nine years. Before becoming a successful solo artist, Mars was an acknowledged music producer, writing songs for the likes of
Alexandra Burke Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988) is a British singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the British television series '' The X Factor'' in 2008, and has been signed to Epic Records, RCA Records and S ...
,
Adam Levine Adam Noah Levine (; born March 18, 1979) is an American singer and songwriter. He serves as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the pop rock band Maroon 5. Levine began his musical career in 1994 with the band Kara's Flowers, of which ...
,
Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
,
Sean Kingston Kisean Paul Anderson (born February 3, 1990), better known by his stage name Sean Kingston, is an American-Jamaican singer and rapper. He is known for his hit songs " Beautiful Girls", " Fire Burning", " Take You There", and his collaboration wi ...
, and
Flo Rida Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), better known by his stage name Flo Rida (, ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 breakout single " Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the record for digital dow ...
. He also co-wrote the Sugababes' hit song "
Get Sexy "Get Sexy" is a song by British girl group Sugababes, taken from their seventh studio album, ''Sweet 7'' (2010). It was written by Fred Fairbrass, Richard Fairbrass, Rob Manzoli, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars and produced by the la ...
" (2009) and provided backing vocals on their album '' Sweet 7'' (2010). In 2009, he was featured as a singer on Far East Movement's second studio album, ''Animal'', on the track "3D". In the same year, he was also featured on American pastor and hip hop artist
Jaeson Ma Jaeson Ma (Traditional Chinese characters, Chinese: 馬正遠; pinyin: Mǎ Zhēngyuǎn; born November 11, 1980) is an American serial entrepreneur, artist, and media executive. He is the founder of the east-west talent, brand strategy & investme ...
's debut single "Love" and on American rapper
Travie McCoy Travis Lazarus "Travie" McCoy (born August 5, 1981) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is the co-founder and former lead vocalist of the rap rock band Gym Class Heroes, in addition to having a solo career. McCoy became involved w ...
's "One at a Time", a charity single for
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's Staying Alive foundation. He reached prominence as a solo artist after being featured on, and composing (as part of the production group the Smeezingtons) American rapper B.o.B's " Nothin' on You" (2009) and McCoy's "
Billionaire A billionaire is a person with a net worth of at least one billion (1,000,000,000, i.e., a thousand million) units of a given currency, usually of a major currency such as the United States dollar, euro, or pound sterling. The American busi ...
" (2010); both songs peaked within the top ten of various music charts, with the former charting at number one on both the United States ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. Mars said of these successful singles: "I think those songs weren't meant to be full-sung songs. If I'd sung all of 'Nothin' on You', it might've sounded like some '90s R&B." On May 11, 2010, Mars released his debut
extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.
(EP), '' It's Better If You Don't Understand''. It peaked at number 99 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and a music video was released for the song "The Other Side" featuring American singer CeeLo Green and B.o.B. Mars, under the Smeezingtons, also composed Green's successful single " Fuck You" (2010).


2010–2012: ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans''

On July 20, 2010, Mars released " Just the Way You Are" as the lead single from his debut studio album, '' Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' (2010), an album produced mainly by the Smeezingtons. The song topped the charts in various countries, including Australia, Canada and the U.S. The album, released on October 5, 2010, debuted at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number one in the UK. It also charted at number one in the Netherlands and Canada. ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' has since sold 15.5 million copies worldwide. It spawned two other international singles, "
Grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade ge ...
", which topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, New Zealand, the UK, as well as multiple other charts, and " The Lazy Song", which peaked at number four on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and reached the top spot in the UK and Denmark. Other singles include " Talking to the Moon", which was exclusively released in Brazil and topped ''Billboard'' Brasil's Hot Pop Songs and Hot 100 Airplay. "
Marry You "Marry You" is a song by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars from his debut studio album, ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' (2010). Written and produced by the Smeezingtons, it serves as the record's sixth track and was released as a single outsi ...
", which was only released to international markets, entering the top ten of various countries, and " Count On Me", which served as the final single in Australia. Mars released the single " It Will Rain" for '' The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1''
film soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
(2011). The song reached number three in the U.S. and at number two in New Zealand. During this period, Mars featured on "
Lighters A lighter is a portable device which creates a flame, and can be used to ignite a variety of items, such as cigarettes, gas lighter, fireworks, candles or campfires. It consists of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable liquid or c ...
" with American hip hop duo Bad Meets Evil, "
Mirror A mirror or looking glass is an object that reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror will show an image of whatever is in front of it, when focused through the lens of the eye or a camera. Mirrors reverse the direction of the im ...
" with American rapper
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
, and " Young, Wild & Free" with American hip hop artists
Wiz Khalifa Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 20 ...
and
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
. The songs peaked at number four, sixteen, and seven in the U.S. and reached the top-20 of various music charts. Mars started to promote his debut album as the opening act for American bands
Maroon 5 Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. It currently consists of lead vocalist Adam Levine, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine (musician), James Valentine, drummer Matt ...
and
OneRepublic OneRepublic is an American pop rock band formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2002. It consists of lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Tedder, lead guitarist and violist Zach Filkins, rhythm guitarist Drew Brown (musician), Drew Bro ...
on the fall leg of the former act's Palm Trees & Power Lines Tour. Later, on October 18, 2010, the singer began a co-headlined European concert tour with McCoy that lasted until early November. ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' received further promotion when the singer embarked on his first headlined concert tour,
The Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour The Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour was the first headlining concert tour by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars. Launched in support of his 2010 debut studio album ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'', the tour was announced in October 2010 and included da ...
, which ran from November 2010 to January 2012. Nevertheless, in February 2011, a joint co-headlining tour between Mars and Janelle Monáe was announced, dubbed Hooligans in Wondaland Tour (2011). The concert tour was performed in North America in May and June 2011. Mars turned down offers to open for notable artists on arena tours, opting instead to play at smaller venues, such as theaters and ballrooms. This made the tour less lucrative, but helped him build his fan base. At the
2011 Grammy Awards The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers. Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights prio ...
, Mars won his first Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Just the Way You Are" and received other six nominations for his work: Best Rap Song, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Record of the Year for "Nothin' on You"; the latter category along with Song of the Year for "Fuck You" by CeeLo Green, and Producer of the Year, Non-Classical as part of the Smeezingtons. At the
2012 Grammy Awards The 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 12, 2012, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles being broadcast on CBS honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. LL Cool J hosted the ...
, Mars lost all the six categories in which he was nominated to British singer Adele. This included
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
and Best Pop Vocal Album for ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'', Best Pop Solo Performance, Record and Song of the Year for "Grenade", while Producer of the Year, Non-Classical as the Smeezingtons was lost to English producer
Paul Epworth Paul Richard Epworth (born 25 July 1974) is an English record producer, songwriter, musician, and remixer. He has worked with artists including Adele, Florence and the Machine, Rihanna, and Maxïmo Park, among many others. He is a member o ...
. During this time, Mars also won his first
American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist The American Music Award for Favorite Male Artist – Pop/Rock has been awarded since 1974. Years reflect the year in which the awards were presented, for works released in the previous year (until 2003 onward when awards were handed out on Novembe ...
, International Male Solo Artist at the Brit Awards and the Echo Award for Best International Male.


2012–2014: ''Unorthodox Jukebox'' and Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime Show

In March 2012, Mars signed a worldwide publishing deal with BMG Chrysalis US. In September 2012, when interviewed by ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
'' magazine, Mars stated that his next album would be more musically varied, adding: "I want to have the freedom and luxury to walk into a studio and say, 'Today I want to do a hip-hop, R&B,
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...
or rock record'". He announced '' Unorthodox Jukebox'' release date, December 11, 2012. The album debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200, eventually peaking at number one on the chart. It also charted at number one in Australia, Canada, and in the UK, where it became the third fastest-selling album by a solo artist in 2012. The album has since sold over six million copies worldwide. " Locked out of Heaven" was released on October 1, 2012, and preceded the release of ''Unorthodox Jukebox'', an album produced mainly by the Smeezingtons. The song topped the U.S. and Canada charts, peaking at number two on the UK. It also charted within the top ten in various countries. Other singles released from the album include "
When I Was Your Man "When I Was Your Man" is a song by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars from his second studio album, ''Unorthodox Jukebox'' (2012). Atlantic Records released the song as the third promotional single and as the second official single, tak ...
", "
Treasure Treasure (from la, thesaurus from Greek language ''thēsauros'', "treasure store") is a concentration of wealth — often originating from ancient history — that is considered lost and/or forgotten until rediscovered. Some jurisdictions le ...
", "
Gorilla Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four ...
" and " Young Girls". Because "When I Was Your Man" reached number one ''Billboard'' Hot 100, aside from Elvis Presley, no other male artist has achieved five number-one singles more quickly than Mars. It also peaked at number three in Canada, number two in the UK, and was top-ten in various countries. "Treasure" reached number five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number four in Canada, but had less commercial success in other countries. Mars contributed vocals to Jamaican-American EDM trio
Major Lazer Major Lazer is an American electronic dance music DJ trio, which includes record producer Diplo, and DJs Walshy Fire and Ape Drums. It originates from Kingston, Jamaica, and was founded in 2008 by Diplo and Switch, with Switch leaving af ...
's "
Bubble Butt "Bubble Butt" is a song by American electronic dance music trio Major Lazer featuring American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars and American rappers Tyga and Mystic from the trio's second studio album, ''Free the Universe'' (2013). It was writt ...
", released in May 2013. The single also features American rappers Tyga, 2 Chainz, and American hip-hop singer Mystic. Mars ran his second headlining concert tour, the Moonshine Jungle Tour, from June 2013 to October 2014. He also announced a concert residency titled Bruno Mars at The Chelsea, Las Vegas,
Paradise, Nevada Paradise is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Clark County, Nevada, United States, adjacent to the city of Las Vegas. It was formed on December 8, 1950. Its population was 191,238 at the 2020 census, making it the f ...
. The tour grossed $156.4 million. On September 8, 2013, Mars was disclosed as the headline performer at the Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show, which took place on February 2, 2014, with American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers as special guests. It was the first Super Bowl halftime headlined by a performer under 30 in a decade. It was the most watched halftime show in the history of the Super Bowl at that time, drawing a rating of 115.3 million viewers. The viewership for the halftime show was higher than that for the game. At the
2014 Grammy Awards The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid compe ...
, Mars won the award for Best Pop Vocal Album for ''Unorthodox Jukebox''. "Locked Out of Heaven" was nominated for Record and Song of the Year, while "When I Was Your Man" earned a nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance. In the same year, the album was recognized with a
Juno Award for International Album of the Year The Juno Award for International Album of the Year is an annual award given to a non-Canadian album. It has been given out since 1975. It was formerly known as Best Selling Album (Foreign or Domestic) (1993–2002), Best Selling Album by a Foreign ...
. Aside from his music career, Mars cast as Roberto in the movie ''
Rio 2 ''Rio 2'' is a 2014 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. It is the sequel to the 2011 computer-animated film '' Rio'' and the second installment of the ''Rio'' franchise ...
'' (2014). He also contributed to the film's
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrac ...
with the song "Welcome Back". On November 10, 2014, British musician
Mark Ronson Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a British-American DJ, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. He is best known for his collaborations with artists such as Duran Duran, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lily Allen, R ...
released " Uptown Funk", featuring Mars. The song was a major commercial success, reaching number one in several countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. "Uptown Funk" spent a total of fourteen and seven weeks atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, respectively. The song became a worldwide phenomenon with a major impact on
pop culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ...
.


2015–2018: Super Bowl 50 Halftime performance and ''24K Magic''

In September 2014, Mars began working on his third studio album, '' 24K Magic'', affirming, "Now it's time to start writing chapter 3". He had not come up with a date for the release, stating: "Until it's done ... It's gotta be just as good if not better". At the 2016 Grammy Awards "Uptown Funk" won Ronson and Mars a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Record of the Year. On February 7, 2016, British band
Coldplay Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University ...
headlined the Super Bowl 50 halftime show with Mars and American singer
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
as guest acts, marking their second appearance on the Super Bowl halftime. It became one of the most watched halftime shows in Super Bowl history. In early 2016, Mars was working with bass player
Jamareo Artis Jamareo "Jam" Artis is an American bass guitarist. He is known for his work as bass guitarist for pop star Bruno Mars and for winning P. Diddy's MTV Making His Band in 2009. In 2014, Jamareo recorded with Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars on "Uptown Fun ...
, musician Brody Brown, singer-songwriter
Andrew Wyatt Andrew Wyatt Blakemore is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. Born and raised in Manhattan, New York, he began his career playing in New York bands such as The A.M. and Black Beetle. He gained wider notability as the frontman ...
and EDM producer Skrillex. ''24K Magic'' was set to be issued in March but was postponed several months due to Mars's appearance at the Super Bowl halftime show. At that time, seven songs had already been recorded. They were composed mainly by Shampoo Press & Curl, a production team consisting of Mars, Lawrence, and Brown, which replaced the Smeezingtons. In May 2016, the singer split with his manager because Creed sold half his company. Mars took his business affairs under his own management company, Gorilla Management, operated by Aaron Elharar. At the
2017 Grammy Awards The 59th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 12, 2017. The CBS network broadcast the show live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, ...
, his work (as part of the Smeezingtons) on Adele's " All I Ask", a track from her third studio album, '' 25'' (2015), brought him a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. In 2017, ''
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'' recognized Mars as the "First Male Artist to achieve three 10-million-selling-singles". In October 2016, " 24K Magic" was released as the lead single of '' 24K Magic''. It peaked at number four in the U.S. and reached the top in France and New Zealand. The album, issued on November 18, 2016, debuted at number two in Canada, France, New Zealand, and the U.S. It has since sold over five million copies globally. Four more singles were released throughout 2017 and 2018: " That's What I Like", "
Versace on the Floor "Versace on the Floor" is a song by American singer Bruno Mars from his third studio album, '' 24K Magic'' (2016). Atlantic Records released the song as the only promotional single and the third official single from the album to Hot AC radio ...
", " Chunky", exclusively released in Australia, and a remix of " Finesse" featuring American rapper
Cardi B Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine (service), Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, ...
. "That's What I Like" was the album's highest-charting single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number one, while "Finesse" reached the top-three. Both singles reached number three in Canada, number four and two in New Zealand, respectively. All appeared on ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
''s
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
, with "That's What I Like" and "Finesse" reaching number one. In late 2016, the singer started his second concert residency titled Bruno Mars at Park MGM. He also announced his third headlining concert tour, 24K Magic World Tour, which began in March 2017 and ended in December 2018. The tour grossed more than $300 million worldwide. On November 29, 2017, CBS aired Mars's first TV concert special, '' Bruno Mars: 24K Magic Live at the Apollo''. He received seven awards at the 2017 American Music Awards, including Artist of the Year, two for "That's What I Like" and other two for ''24K Magic''. He also won Album/Mixtape of the Year at the 2017 Soul Train Music Awards, in addition to four other awards. At the 2018 Grammy Awards, Mars won in the six categories for which he was nominated: Album of the Year and Best R&B Album for ''24K Magic'', Record of the Year for the title track and Song of The Year, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "That's What I Like". ''24K Magic'' also won a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, for the work of the album's engineers.


2018–present: Further collaborations and ''An Evening with Silk Sonic''

Mars worked on Chic's studio album '' It's About Time'' (2018), with the song expected to be featured on Chic's next studio album, according to musician
Nile Rodgers Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, record producer and composer. The co-founder of Chic, Rodgers has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million ...
. In early 2018, Mars worked with recording engineer
Charles Moniz Charles Moniz is a Canadian recording engineer who worked on Bruno Mars's studio albums ''Unorthodox Jukebox'' and '' 24k Magic''. Alternatively, he recorded " All I Ask" for Adele's 2015 studio album '' 25''. For his recordings with Mars and Adele ...
, as well as songwriting and recording production team the Stereotypes. In September 2018, Mars and American rappers
Gucci Mane Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He helped pioneer the hip hop subgenre of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Young Jeez ...
and
Kodak Black Bill Kahan Kapri (born Dieuson Octave; June 11, 1997), better known by his stage name Kodak Black, is an American rapper. He gained initial recognition with his single " No Flockin", released in 2014. His debut album, '' Painting Pictures'' ( ...
released " Wake Up in the Sky" for Mane's thirteenth studio album, '' Evil Genius'' (2018). It reached number 11 in the US. In February 2019, Cardi B and Mars released a single together, " Please Me". It peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The single also reached the top-20 of Canada, New Zealand and the UK. Five months later, British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, American singer-songwriter
Chris Stapleton Christopher Alvin Stapleton (born April 15, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. In 2001, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee, t ...
, and Mars collaborated on, "
Blow Blow commonly refers to: * Cocaine *Exhalation * Strike (attack) Blow, Blew, Blowing, or Blown may also refer to: People * Blew (surname) * Blow (surname) Arts and entertainment Music *The Blow, an American electro-pop band Albums * ''Blo ...
", for the former's fourth studio album, ''
No.6 Collaborations Project ''No.6 Collaborations Project'' is the fourth studio album and first collaboration album by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released through Asylum Records and Atlantic Records on 12 July 2019. The album features guest appearances f ...
'' (2019). In October 2019, Mars posted a picture of himself in a recording studio, possibly indicating new music. In February 2020, it was announced a partnership between Mars and Disney for a "music-themed theatrical narrative", in which the singer will both star and produce the movie. A month later, it was confirmed that Mars was working on his next album, possibly with American musician Babyface. While on quarantine, the singer wrote music every day for his upcoming album. In the same year, Mars sold part of his song catalog to Warner Chappell Music, keeping a small share in the deal. In exchange for its payment to Mars, Warner Chappell Music, a subsidiary of the
Warner Music Group Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and th ...
, will collect future income from the songs. Furthermore, Mars's co-publishing contract with BMG, which collects "revenue on his share of the songs" was also a part of the business acquisition. On February 26, 2021, Mars and American rapper Anderson .Paak announced that they have recorded an album together under the band name Silk Sonic. Their debut album, '' An Evening with Silk Sonic'', was released on November 12, 2021, and it features American musician
Bootsy Collins William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist and singer. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading ...
as a special guest host. It debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200 and entered at the top-five in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The songs " Leave the Door Open", "
Skate Skate or Skates may refer to: Fish * Skate (fish), several genera of fish belonging to the family Rajidae * Pygmy skates, several genera of fish belonging to the family Gurgesiellidae * Smooth skates or leg skates, several genera of fish belongi ...
, "
Smokin out the Window "Smokin out the Window" is a song by American superduo Silk Sonic, consisting of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. It was released on November 5, 2021, by Aftermath Entertainment and Atlantic Records as the third single from their debut studio albu ...
", a cover version of
Con Funk Shun Con Funk Shun (formerly known as Project Soul) is an American R&B and funk band whose popularity began in the mid-1970s and ran through the 1980s. They were influenced by funk legend James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone. Signed to Mercury ...
's "
Love's Train "Love's Train" is a song by American R&B and funk band Con Funk Shun from their tenth studio album, '' To the Max'' (1982). The song was written by Michael Cooper and Felton C. Pilate II, and produced by Con Funk Shun. Cooper wrote the song ...
" and " After Last Night" featuring Thundercat and
Bootsy Collins William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist and singer. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading ...
were released as singles. "Leave the Door Open" peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and in New Zealand. "Smokin out the Window" peaked at number five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number four in New Zealand. All the singles, but "Skate", topped the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
'' Adult R&B Songs, which led the album to become the second with four number-one singles on the aforementioned chart, tying with Toni Braxton's record. In early 2022, Silk Sonic started their debut concert residency titled An Evening with Silk Sonic at Park MGM. The duo won Best Group at the
BET Awards 2021 The 21st BET Awards took place on June 27, 2021. The ceremony celebrated achievements in entertainment and honors music, sports, television, and movies. The ceremony's theme was "Year of the Black Woman" and was held in-person with a vaccinated a ...
, International Group of the Year at the
2022 Brit Awards Brit Awards 2022, presented by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), was held on 8 February 2022 to recognize the best in British and international music. The ceremony took place at The O2 Arena in London, and was hosted by British comedian ...
and Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration, Traditional at the 53rd NAACP Image Awards. They received three awards at the 2021 Soul Train Music Awards, including Song of the Year for "Leave the Door Open". The music video for the latter song won Best R&B Video and Best Editing at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards. At the
2022 Grammy Awards The 64th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from September 1, 2020, to September 30, ...
, Silk Sonic won Record of the Year, Song of The Year, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "Leave the Door Open".


Artistry


Influences

Mars was raised on his father's 1950s
doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
collection – "simple four-chord songs that got straight to the point" – and on Little Richard, Frankie Lymon,
Little Anthony Little Anthony and the Imperials is an American rhythm and blues/soul vocal group from New York City founded by Clarence Collins in the 1950s and named in part for its lead singer, Jerome Anthony "Little Anthony" Gourdine, who was noted for his h ...
, and
Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as " rock & roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis mad ...
. As a child, Mars spent time impersonating
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...
. This playacting had a major impact on his musical evolution; he later reflected: He also impersonated Michael Jackson, another major inspiration. The hip-hop productions by
The Neptunes The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music video ...
and Timbaland, that were played on the radio, also influenced him. Mars's musical style gravitated initially towards R&B. He was influenced by artists such as
Keith Sweat Keith Sweat (born July 22, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and an early figure in the new jack swing musical movement. He is known for his collection of hits including " I Want Her", " Make It Last Forever", " I'll Give ...
, Jodeci, and R. Kelly. As a child he also took notice of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, New Edition, Bobby Brown,
Boyz II Men Boyz II Men (pronounced ''boys to men''), also known as B2M, is an American vocal harmony group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are currently a trio composed of baritone Nathan ...
, Teddy Riley and Babyface. At the same time, he also listened to 1950s rock 'n' roll,
doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
music, and
Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
. In high school, he listened to classic rock groups such as
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ...
, and
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
, whose influences can be heard in his work, as well as singers with high voices, like
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, s ...
and
Freddie Mercury Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991) was a British singer and songwriter, who achieved worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. Regarded as one of the greatest singers in the ...
.
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements ...
, and local bands in Hawaii, were a major influence and account for his reggae roots. Hip-hop acts like
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...
,
The Roots The Roots are an American hip hop band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy F ...
, and
Cody Chesnutt Cody Chesnutt (stylized as Cody ChesnuTT; born October 21, 1968) is an American R&B and neo soul musician from Atlanta, Georgia. Biography Chesnutt's music blends elements of rock, funk, soul, hip hop, and blues. After relocating to Los Ange ...
were among some of his favourites, and have influenced his compositions. Each of these musical genres has influenced the singer's musical style; he observed: "It's not easy to reatesongs with that mixture of rock and soul and hip-hop, and there's only a handful of them." Mars also admires classical music. Other artists Mars has said inspired his work include
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
,
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
, Amy Winehouse, Sly Stone,
Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of Rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound feature ...
, George Clinton, and
Usher Usher may refer to: Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place: * Usher (occupation) ** Church usher ** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony ** F ...
. Mars has also stated that he is a fan of
Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...
,
Jessie J Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind''. She studied ...
, Jack White,
The Saturdays The Saturdays were a British-Irish girl group based in London, England. The group formed during the summer of 2007 and have been on hiatus since 2014. The lineup consists of Frankie Bridge, Una Healy, Rochelle Humes, Mollie King, and Vaness ...
, and Kings of Leon.


Musical style and themes

Mars's music has been noted for displaying a wide variety of styles, musical genres, and influences, including
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...
, R&B,
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mi ...
,
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...
,
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
, and rock. His debut album, ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'', is predominantly a pop,
reggae pop Reggae fusion is a genre of reggae that mixes reggae and/or dancehall with other genres, such as pop, rock, hip hop, R&B, jazz, funk, soul, disco, electronic and latin. Origin Although artists have been mixing reggae with other genres from as ...
and R&B record. It is influenced by most of the genres mentioned above. Many of his songs on the album, reflect "feel-good", carefree, and optimistic sentiments. However, darker subjects are addressed in his songs, detailing failed relationships, pain and loneliness. His subsequent release, ''Unorthodox Jukebox'', as with his debut album, is infused with different influences including disco, funk, rock, reggae and soul, as well as
balladry A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or '' ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
. Lyrically, the album is different from the former, addressing traditional notions of romance, male chauvinism, and sexuality. The explicit content in the song "
Gorilla Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four ...
" caused a controversy in Australia. Mars's third album, ''24K Magic'', was significantly influenced by R&B,
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mi ...
, pop and
new jack swing New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle, new jack swing wa ...
. Lyrically, the album involves themes of money and sex. Mars has explained his writing process: "I don't sit down and think, 'I'm going to write a song'", since "You can't force creativeness" as inspiration comes out of the blue in different places. Ideas occur suddenly to him; and occasionally, he is able to materialize them into lyrics. He has stated that he typically writes songs by playing the guitar or piano first. Mars claims that his work with other artists has influenced his musical style: "''Nothin' on You'' had a Motown vibe, ''Billionaire'' was a reggae acoustic guitar-driven song, though one of my favorites is the CeeLo Green song. I don't think anyone else could've sung that song. And there's ''Just the Way You Are''. If you know my story, you know I love all different genres of music." Mars states that growing up in Hawaii influenced his style, giving the songs a reggae sound. He explains: "In Hawaii some of the biggest radio stations are reggae. That music brings people together. It's not urban music or pop music. It's just songs. That's what makes it cross over so well. The song comes first." Philip Lawrence, one of his music partners, stated: "What people don't know is there's a darker underbelly to Bruno Mars." Nevertheless, most of his music is romantic and Mars himself says: "I blame that on me singing to girls back in high school". Mars possesses a three-octave
tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...
vocal range. Jon Caramanica of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' commented that he is one of the most "versatile and accessible singers in pop, with a light, soul-influenced voice that's an easy fit in a range of styles, a universal donor", while Tim Sendra from
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...
described the singer's vocals on ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' as "the kind of smooth instrument that slips into your ear like honey." Jody Rosen from ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' called Mars a "nimble, soulful vocalist" on ''Unorthodox Jukebox''. Jim Farber of the ''
New York Daily News The New York ''Daily News'', officially titled the ''Daily News'', is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, NJ. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in ...
'' likened the voice "the purity, cream and range of mid-period Michael Jackson" in a review of a concert promoting ''Unorthodox Jukebox''. On ''24K Magic'', '' Consequence of Sound''s Karen Gwen afirmed that Mars showed his "pips" and pushed his vocals to the limit. She described his voice as a "clear, unapologetic tenor" being a "blessing" nowadays. Jon Caramanica of ''The New York Times'' found ''24K Magic'' to show the singer's vocal ability from tenderness to "the more forceful side of his voice". Mars is also able to play drums, guitar, keyboard, bass, piano, ukulele and congas. Mars usually plays the instrumentation or part of it, on his albums and on the songs he composes for other artists.


Showmanship

Mars is known for his retro showmanship, which is widely acclaimed by tour critics and reviewers. Deanna Ramsay of ''
The Jakarta Post ''The Jakarta Post'' is a daily English-language newspaper in Indonesia. The paper is owned by PT Niskala Media Tenggara and based in the nation's capital, Jakarta. ''The Jakarta Post'' started as a collaboration between four Indonesian med ...
'' described Mars as a "truly global star". ''
Boston Herald The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Puli ...
''s Jim Sullivan compared the showmanship of Mars to Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. Kevin Johnson of the '' St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' called Mars a "consummate performer." ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' Sarah Rodman said that Mars shows an "indefatigable ecstatic approach to performing" and "classic showmanship." In the same vein, Jim Farber of the ''Daily News'' stated of the halftime show at Super Bowl XLVIII that Mars "brings old-school showmanship to dynamic performance." The singer took its inspiration by playing videotapes of Elvis, James Brown and Michael Jackson when he was younger. Nowadays, before the shows, he watches Brown's T.A.M.I. Show, James Hendrix's Live at Woodstock or Prince performing " Purple Rain" (1984). During
The Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour The Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour was the first headlining concert tour by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars. Launched in support of his 2010 debut studio album ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'', the tour was announced in October 2010 and included da ...
, Ara Jansan from ''
The West Australian ''The West Australian'' is the only locally edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia. It is owned by Seven West Media (SWM), as is the state's other major newspaper, '' The Sunday Times''. It is the second-oldest continuous ...
'' called the performance "one of the most creative and exciting displays of musical artistry" she had witnessed in a long time and noticed the concert attracted a wide-ranging audience of all age groups. ''
The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 18 ...
''s Robert Ham noticed, on the Hooligans in Wondaland Tour, that the singer not only grabbed the spectators' attention throughout the entire concert, but he also sang every note by himself with noticeable guitar skills. During the Moonshine Jungle Tour, Jason Lipshutz of ''Billboard'' described the singer's performance as "entertaining ... keeping smiles plastered on the faces of his onlookers, and he does a better job at it than almost anyone working in music right now". ''Rolling Stone'' magazine placed Mars at number 35 on its list of 50 Best Live Acts Right Now in 2013; "Anyone from the age of 5 to 95 can walk out of a Bruno Mars concert feeling like the show was designed just for them. Mars walks the old-school walk and talks the sexy talk, but he also nails the hits, leads a super-energetic nine-piece soul band, and rips a mean drum solo". NFL executives Sarah Moll and Tracy Perlman stated that: "If you go to his concerts, it's 11-year-old girls to 65-year-old women—it's everyone", after seeing The Moonshine Jungle tour several times during the summer of 2013. The 24K Magic World Tour, was praised by critics due to the showmanship, guitar skills and stage production. The tour won two '' Pollstar'' awards, two Billboard Music Awards and one TEC Award. Mars's concerts feature The Hooligans, a band that includes a guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboardist, and a horn section. They also serve as dancers and background singers. Critics noted the difference the backup band and the arrangements made to the sound of the live versions of the songs compared to those on the album. The shows feature all-band choreographed dancing arrangements, including footwork inspired by
James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the hono ...
and the splits. The shows are influenced by the
disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric p ...
era with a
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...
revue-inspired set. In addition, long, mellow, and soft interludes that echo the smooth
contemporary R&B Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music. The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhy ...
style which was popular during the 1990s are also part of the show. The set lists blend several genres of music, including pop, doo-wop, funk, R&B, soul and reggae. His shows usually feature
pyrotechnics Pyrotechnics is the science and craft of creating such things as fireworks, safety matches, oxygen candles, explosive bolts and other fasteners, parts of automotive airbags, as well as gas-pressure blasting in mining, quarrying, and demolition ...
, strobe and laser lighting, and he typically plays the drums and guitar. In 2021, ''Pollstar'' named Mars the hip-hop/R&B touring artist of the 2010s decade.


Music videos

Mars has collaborated with many different directors to produce his music videos, and over time he emerged as a music video director. From 2010 to 2017, Mars co-directed with
Cameron Duddy Cameron Duddy (born December 6, 1985) is an American music video director and musician. As a director, he is known for his work with Bruno Mars, OneRepublic, and Fifth Harmony. He is also the bass guitarist in the country music band Midland. Ca ...
ten music videos from his albums ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'', ''Unorthodox Jukebox'', and ''24K Magic'', as well as featured singles. In 2011, not only Mars developed the second concept and treatment for "The Lazy Song", but he also brought in Duddy to co-directed the music video with him. In an interview, Duddy elaborated that he and Mars "can fight like sisters when it comes to doing music videos. The best collaborations are always fueled by opposite perspectives or alternative ideas. We always find a common ground." In 2018, Mars co-directed the music video for "Finesse" with Florent Dechard. He continued to collaborate with Dechard on the music videos for "Please Me", "Blow", "Leave the Door Open" and "Skate". Mars, who choreographed the video for "Treasure", won the award for
Best Choreography The MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography is a craft award given to the artist, the artist's manager, and choreographer of the music video. From 1984 to 2007, the full name of the award was Best Choreography in a Video. The biggest winner ...
at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. Mars and Duddy work was recognized at several award shows, including two nominations for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction on "Uptown Funk" and "24K Magic". Mars collaborations with Dechard earned them a nomination for Video Director of the Year at the
2019 BET Hip Hop Awards The 2019 BET Hip Hop Awards was a recognition ceremony held on TV on October 9, 2019 from the Atlanta's Cobb Energy Center. The nominations were announced on September 12, 2019. After notching four wins at the previous year's festivities, Cardi ...
. In 2017, "That's What I Like" directed by Mars and Jonathan Lia led both to a nomination at the BET Awards 2017 for Video Director of the Year. In 2018, Mars and Ben Winston's direction of ''Bruno Mars: 24K Magic Live at the Apollo'' (2017) earned them a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction. In 2021, Mars and Dechard directed the video for " Leave the Door Open", for which they won Video Director of the Year at the
BET Awards 2021 The 21st BET Awards took place on June 27, 2021. The ceremony celebrated achievements in entertainment and honors music, sports, television, and movies. The ceremony's theme was "Year of the Black Woman" and was held in-person with a vaccinated a ...
. The afformentioned music video also won Video of the Year at the 2021 Soul Train Music Awards.


Aesthetic

Mars not only wears outfits inspired by previous decades, but he also matches that aesthetic to his music. On his debut studio album, ''Doo-Wops and Hooligans'', the singer wore '60s-inspired suits and presented faded hair. However, on his third studio album, ''24K Magic'', Mars was channeling the '80s and '90s in its sound and aesthetic. During the recording process of ''24K Magic'', Mars imposed a
dress code A dress code is a set of rules, often written, with regard to what clothing groups of people must wear. Dress codes are created out of social perceptions and norms, and vary based on purpose, circumstances, and occasions. Different societies a ...
in the studio, favoring jewelry and "fine clothes" over
sweatpants Sweatpants are a casual variety of soft trousers intended for comfort or athletic purposes, although they are now worn in many different situations. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa they are known as ...
to create "groovy, smooth and soulful songs". In 2021, he collaborated with Anderson .Paak on their supergroup, Silk Sonic, to release their debut studio album, ''An Evening with Silk Sonic''. Mars wore "wide collars, leisure suits, and funky patterns", as was usual in the '70s, which was also paired with their sound. Tessa Petak writing for ''
InStyle ''InStyle'' was an American monthly women's fashion magazine founded in 1994. It was published in the United States by Dotdash Meredith. In February 2022, it was announced that InStyle would cease print publications and move to a digital-only f ...
'' affirmed, "Regardless of the decade he's emulating, Mars's fashion sense and stage presence make him larger-than-life".


The Hooligans – Band members

Current members * Bruno Mars – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (2010–present) * Philip Lawrence – backing vocals (2010–2018, 2022-present) * Phredley Brown – keyboard, rhythm guitar (2010–2012), lead guitar (2012–present), backing vocals (2010–present) *
Jamareo Artis Jamareo "Jam" Artis is an American bass guitarist. He is known for his work as bass guitarist for pop star Bruno Mars and for winning P. Diddy's MTV Making His Band in 2009. In 2014, Jamareo recorded with Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars on "Uptown Fun ...
 – bass guitar (2010–present) * Eric Hernandez – drums (2010–present) * Kameron Whalum – trombone (2010–present), backing vocals (2018–present) * Dwayne Dugger – saxophone (2010–present) * James King – trumpet (2010–present), backing vocals (2018–present) * John Fossit – keyboard (2012–present) Former members * Kenji Chan – lead guitar (2010–2012) * Mateus Asato – rhythm guitar (2019), (2021) Silk Sonic members * All The Hooligans (excluding Phredley Brown) – same instruments (2022–present) *
Maurice "Mobetta" Brown Maurice "Mobetta" Brown (born January 6, 1981) originally from Harvey, Illinois is a Grammy Award-winning American jazz trumpeter, producer and composer. As a member of Tedeschi Trucks Band, he shared the 2011 Grammy for Best Blues Album ('' Rev ...
 – trumpet (2022) * Mateus Asato – lead guitar (2022–present) Timeline


Other ventures


Endorsements and partnerships

In 2011, Mars appeared in two commercials for Bench. He and model Joan Smalls were photographed in 1950s influenced suits in Puerto Rico as part of the clothing line "La Isla Bonita" for ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
''. In 2012, Mars decided to invest in Chromatik, which makes digital versions of sheet music for the web and iPad. Mars said: "I love that Chromatik will bring better music education into schools. ..And I'm happy to be a part of it." In 2013, Mars tweeted a picture of himself using an
electronic cigarette An electronic cigarette is an electronic device that simulates tobacco smoking. It consists of an atomizer, a power source such as a battery, and a container such as a cartridge or tank. Instead of smoke, the user inhales vapor. As su ...
. A press release was published reporting his investment in the NJOY Electronic Cigarette Company, "in order to quit smoking for his mother", as the singer "believes in the product and the company's mission." In 2014, the small rum brand SelvaRey Rum began catering events and parties by Mars. In the following year, the singer was introduced to the brand by co-founder Seth Gold. At that point, Mars decided to invest an undisclosed amount for an equity stake in SelvaRey. In 2020, Mars decided to go global, after he and Gold tried multiple combinations with the bottles and flavors for years, the singer was responsible for the new taste, branding, and design of the packaging, with a 1970s style. The brand was founded and is co-owned by Mars, Seth Gold, Marc Gold, and Robert Herzig. Later, The Hooligans, along with Anderson .Paak, American record producer and songwriter D'Mile, American singer-songwriter James Fauntleroy, and Charles Moniz also became co-owners. On March 5, 2021, Mars, under his designer alter ego, Ricky Regal, released a luxury 1970s-inspired sportswear with
Lacoste Lacoste S.A. is a French company, founded in 1933 by tennis player René Lacoste, and entrepreneur Mangkha. It sells clothing, footwear, sportswear, eyewear, leather goods, perfume, towels and watches. The company can be recognised by its ...
, entitled Lacoste x Ricky Regal. He worked with Louise Trotter, Lacoste's creative director, in order to create a clothing line that matched his personality with Lacoste's sportswear. According to Trotter, the singer was involved with every aspect of the collection from concept to fittings. When they started to work on the design process, Mars adopted "an alter ego to help him think as a designer." On July 29, 2022, it was reported that Mars is set to open a lounge bar on the
Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas cit ...
, replacing the Lily Bar & Lounge at the Bellagio. It will be named "The Pinky Ring", a reference to a lyric from his song " 24K Magic" (2016).


Philanthropy

In 2014, it was announced that Mars had partnered with the Hawai'i Community Foundation and the
Grammy Foundation The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy A ...
to establish a Grammy Camp Scholarship Fund for qualified needs-based applicants from Hawaii. On September 27, 2017, he expanded his camp scholarship in order to include applicants from all over the United States. The singer established the partnership in honor of his mother. In 2014, Mars donated US$100,000 to the orphans of
Bantay Bata Bantay Bata 163 () is a social welfare program of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation (formerly ABS-CBN Foundation). Launched in 1997, it aims to protect disadvantaged and at-risk children through a nationwide network of social services. Among ...
, who were among the victims of
Typhoon Haiyan Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. On making landfall, Haiyan devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. It is one of the ...
, in order to raise the morale of those who lost their families and homes. The singer performed at the Make It Right gala, whose campaign goal is to "help build homes for people in need." He also performed at the
Robin Hood Foundation The Robin Hood Foundation is a charitable organization which attempts to alleviate problems caused by poverty in New York City. The organization also administers a relief fund for disasters in the New York City area. In 2010, a key supporter gave ...
's 2014 annual benefit to "fight poverty in New York City by supporting nonprofit organizations with financial and technical assistance." In 2017, Mars and
Live Nation Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American global entertainment company and monopoly that was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The company promotes, operates, and manages ticket sales for live entertai ...
donated 1 million dollars from the show at the Palace in
Auburn Hills, Michigan Auburn Hills is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,412 at the 2010 census. Before incorporating as a city in 1983, the area was part of the now-defunct Pontiac Township. It is home to Oakland Universi ...
, to help the victims of the Flint water crisis. The singer participated in the "Somos Una Voz" relief initiative to help survivors of
Hurricane Maria Hurricane Maria was a deadly Category 5 hurricane that devastated the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly Dominica, Saint Croix, and Puerto Rico. It is regarded as the worst natural disaster in recorded history to affect ...
in Puerto Rico and Mexico's earthquake. In November 2018, Mars donated 24,000 meals in aid to the Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division's 48th annual Thanksgiving Dinner. In 2020, he donated $1 million to the MGM Resorts Foundation, in order to assist MGM employees with financial difficulties due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. In the same year, Mars and other artists donated autographed or unique microphones to
Reverb.com Reverb.com is an online marketplace for new, used, and vintage music gear. It was founded in 2013 by David Kalt, shortly after he purchased the musical instrument store Chicago Music Exchange and became frustrated with then-available options fo ...
, a music gear online marketplace, for a charity sale "with all proceeds going to ten youth music education programs" affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He also created a protest placard with an Angela Davis quote for an online auction called Show Me the Signs to help families of black women killed by police. Until the end of 2021, Mars donated all the profits earned with SelvaRey Rum to the Honolulu Community College's Music & Entertainment Learning Experience program, in Hawaii. In the same year, the singer was part of the "Keep Memory Alive Power of Love" gala. The event's proceeds support services, care, and resources to patients and their caregivers to combat neurocognitive diseases. In 2022, Mars alongside Billie Eilish,
Dua Lipa Dua Lipa ( , ; born ) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Possessing a mezzo-soprano vocal range, she is known for her signature disco-pop sound. Lipa has received numerous accolades, including six Brit Awards, three Grammy A ...
, Shawn Mendes, and Rosalía were named co-chairs for the "Grammy Museum's Campaign for Music Education". The aim is to raise between 3-$5 million for the Grammy's educational programs. This will allow people, who are 18 and under as well as college students, free entrance to the Los Angeles Grammy Museum and access to various "music education programs" in the US.


Impact

Bruno Mars has been cited as a "pop icon" by media outlets such as ''
The Philippine Star ''The Philippine Star'' (self-styled ''The Philippine STAR'') is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines and the flagship brand of the Philstar Media Group. First published on July 28, 1986, by veteran journalists Betty Go-Belmonte, ...
'', '' Courier & Press'', ''
The Dickinson Press ''The Dickinson Press'' is a weekly newspaper printed in Dickinson, North Dakota. ''The Press'', as the paper is colloquially known, is the official newspaper of Stark County, North Dakota, and has a modest circulation in southwest North Dakota ...
'', and
iHeartRadio iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast and radio streaming platform owned by iHeartMedia. It was founded in August 2008. , iHeartRadio was functioning as the national umbrella brand for iHe ...
. ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'' writer Michael Cragg deemed "the Bruno Mars strategy" the career path of "songwriter turned popstar", as he became known within the music industry by writing and producing hit singles for other artists, and eventually appearing as a featured artist on them—with ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'' stating that he overshadowed the lead artists on those songs. Amanda Petrusich of ''The New Yorker'' described him as "arguably one of the most instinctive and enthralling showmen of his generation".
Fuse TV Fuse is an American pay television channel launched in 1994 which was originally dedicated to music. After merging with the Latino-oriented NuvoTV in 2015, Fuse shifted its focus to general entertainment and lifestyle programming targeting mult ...
website has credited Mars for bringing the "funkalicious vibes" of retro pop and R&B back to modern music, while ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
'' writer Roisin O'connor has cited him as the "king of retro crooning". In 2013,
NPR Music NPR Music is a project of National Public Radio, an American privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization, that launched in November 2007 to present public radio music programming and original editorial content for music ...
writer Ann Powers defined Mars as "the most valuable pop historian" at the time. In 2016, Damien Scott writing for
BET Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los ...
called Mars "the prince of pop music". In 2019, Margaret Farrell from ''Stereogum'' affirmed that "Uptown Funk"s success "solidified Mars' kingly pop stature." ''Billboard'' has expressed that no male artist in contemporary pop music during the 2010s has enjoyed a longer success streak than Mars. Similarly, ''
Slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...
'' considered him "the most consistent male pop star of the 2010s". In 2021, WBLS stated that Mars "has been a dominant force in popular culture for more than a decade". ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' and ''
Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and par ...
'' have described "Uptown Funk" as one of the most recognizable pop songs of the century. Speaking on his Puerto Rican roots and ethnic labels, '' Remezcla'' website argued that Mars is "the first proud Latino artist to make it" to the "top of international pop culture" while not following the music industry's "cynical labels game" to be pigeonholed. Singers such as AJ Mitchell,
Thomas Rhett Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...
,
Dua Lipa Dua Lipa ( , ; born ) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Possessing a mezzo-soprano vocal range, she is known for her signature disco-pop sound. Lipa has received numerous accolades, including six Brit Awards, three Grammy A ...
, Benny Dayal, Rauw Alejandro, KiDi,
Lee Brice Kenneth Mobley Brice Jr. (born June 10, 1979), known professionally as Lee Brice, is an American country music singer and songwriter, signed to Curb Records. Brice has released five albums with the label: '' Love Like Crazy'', '' Hard to Love'', ...
, Shawn Mendes, Selena Gomez, and Meghan Trainor have cited his music and showmanship as an inspiration. In 2013, Mars was named Artist of the Year by ''Billboard'', while in 2016 he became the recipient of NRJ Artist of Honor "in special recognition for his contribution to music". The singer earned an Innovator Award at the
2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards The 2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards were held on March 5, 2017 at The Forum in Inglewood, California, and hosted by Ryan Seacrest. The list of nominations was announced on January 3, 2017. Drake received the most nominations with fifteen categories, ...
and a Visionary Award at the 2017 Teen Choice Awards. In 2019,
iHeartRadio Canada Bell Media Radio, G.P. (formerly CHUM Radio), operating as iHeartRadio Canada, is the radio broadcasting and music events subsidiary of Canadian media conglomerate Bell Media. The company has its origins in CHUM Limited, which was acquired by ...
placed Mars on theirs "Icons of the Decade" of the 2010s, while '' Insider'' gave him an honorable mention on their 2010s list. In 2021, ''Billboard'' named Mars the third Top Artist of the 2010s and ranked him at number 14 on the list of Top Touring Artists of the 2010s.


Awards and achievements

Mars has earned numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including 15
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
s, four Brit Awards, four
Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
11
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
and 13
Soul Train ''Soul Train'' is an American musical variety television show. It aired in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 25, 2006. Across its 35-year history the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists. The series ...
Music Awards. In 2011, he made ''Time'' magazine's 100 list and his former songwriting and record producing team, the Smeezingtons, earned several accolades. In 2014, Mars topped ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' magazine's '30 Under 30' list, a tally of the brightest stars in 15 different fields under the age of 30 in the US. At the 2018 Grammys, he became the second artist to win Record and Song of the Year with two different songs from the same album. At the 2022 Grammys, Mars became the second artist to win Record of the Year three times. In 2019, ''Billboard'' ranked Mars at number 41 on its list of Greatest of All Time Artists. As a songwriter, Mars has been honored, as part of the Smeezingtons, by ''
Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...
'' as best songwriters of 2010 and by ''Billboard'' as he ranked at number six on their 2013 list of Hot 100 Songwriters. " Just The Way You Are" holds the record as the longest-reigning debut on
adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
, spending twenty weeks atop the
Adult Contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
chart in the U.S. "
When I Was Your Man "When I Was Your Man" is a song by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars from his second studio album, ''Unorthodox Jukebox'' (2012). Atlantic Records released the song as the third promotional single and as the second official single, tak ...
" became the second number one song in the U.S. to feature only piano and vocals. He is the first male artist to place two titles as a lead act in the U.S. top 10 simultaneously. In total, he has eight number-one singles in the U.S. In 2018, he matched Beyonce and Mariah Carey as the only artists with three top-five singles in the U.S. from their first three studio albums. In the same year, he became the first solo male artist with nine number ones in the U.S. Mainstream Top 40 chart. Mars, Sheeran and Jewel are the only artists with two songs to spend at least half a year in the U.S. top 10. In 2019, Mars was one of the few artists who have spent at least 241 weeks among all their U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top 10s. "Uptown Funk" and "Grenade" were listed by several publications as being among the best songs of the decade. According to the
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 1 ...
(IFPI), "Just the Way You Are" and "Grenade" are two of the most successful digital singles of all time, with sales of 12.5 million and 10.2 million, respectively. This contributed to Mars becoming the biggest selling artist of 2012. His songs "Just The Way You Are", "Grenade", "Locked Out Of Heaven", and "When I Was Your Man" have each sold over 4 million digital copies, making him the first male artist to do so as a lead singer. Six of his singles are counted among the best-selling singles of all time. Worldwide, Mars has sold 26 million albums as of 2016, and a total of 200 million singles as of 2020. In 2022, he became the first artist to receive six diamond certified songs in the United States. Due to the ticket reselling that occurred during the week after the performance of Mars at the Super Bowl, and in order to limit that kind of profiteering, Hawaii Senate President Donna Mercado Kim introduced Senate Resolution 12, also known as the ''Bruno Mars Act''. It limits all ticket purchases within 48 hours of the on-sale date to the physical box office. This ensures that anyone who comes to the box office to buy tickets for a show should almost certainly be guaranteed a ticket and discourages ticket scalping. The State Senate in Hawaii passed the law. However, the bill died at the conference committee. As of September 2021, ''Billboard'' reported that Mars has earned $604.4 million from concerts. He is one of fewer than 30 artists to cross the $600 million threshold in Boxscore history. In 2022, Mars became the fastest-selling artist for his five shows in Japan, selling approximately 210.000 tickets in record time.


Personal life


Family and relationships

Eric Hernandez, Mars's brother, has continuously served as the drummer for his backup band, The Hooligans. Their sisters, Tiara, Tahiti, and Presley, as well as their cousin Jamie, make up the all-girl music group The Lylas. When she was young, Jamie moved in with the siblings due to parental issues. Mars began dating model
Jessica Caban Jessica Caban (born June 13, 1982) is an American model, actress and fashion designer. She was a contestant on '' Model Latina'', where she was crowned the first ever Model Latina champion. Early life Caban was born to Puerto Rican parents in ...
in 2011. The two remain a couple , residing together in a mansion in the Hollywood Hills with a
Rottweiler The Rottweiler (, ) is a breed of domestic dog, regarded as medium-to-large or large. The dogs were known in German as , meaning Rottweil butchers' dogs, because their main use was to herd livestock and pull carts laden with butchered meat ...
named Geronimo. On May 31, 2013, Mars was returning to Los Angeles from an overseas gig when he learned in the airport that his mother was gravely ill. He immediately got on a plane to Hawaii. The following day, his mother died at Queens Medical Center in Honolulu, aged 55, from complications of a
brain aneurysm An intracranial aneurysm, also known as a brain aneurysm, is a cerebrovascular disorder in which weakness in the wall of a cerebral artery or vein causes a localized dilation or ballooning of the blood vessel. Aneurysms in the posterior circ ...
. On June 7, 2013, the singer wrote about the loss of his mother on Twitter: "So thankful for all the love during the most difficult time in my life. I'll be back on my feet again soon. That's what mom wants, she told me."


Race

In 2013, Mars told ''Rolling Stone'' that record executives "had trouble categorizing him", and were consequently unsure which radio stations would play his songs, or to which ethnic group (black or white) he would appeal. In the same month, he confessed that "Nothin' on You" was rejected by a "music industry decision-maker" because of his race. That experience made him feel like a "mutant", and he says that was his lowest point. "Even with that song in my back pocket to seal the deal, things like that are coming out of people's mouths. It made me feel like I wasn't even in the room." In 2018, Mars was accused during ''The Grapevine'', a series that explores African-American issues, of cultural appropriation on social media for using his racial ambiguity to profit from black music, and was criticized for mimicking the sound of past artists. Various black celebrities, including
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, s ...
, Charlie Wilson,
9th Wonder Patrick Denard Douthit (born January 15, 1975),
better known as 9th Wonder, is a Mars has spoken often about his influences and has given credit to several black artists, such as Babyface, Teddy Riley, and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. In 2021, during an interview on ''
The Breakfast Club ''The Breakfast Club'' is a 1985 American teen coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by John Hughes. It stars Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy. The ...
'', Mars responded to the criticism, "The only reason why I'm here is because of James Brown, is because of Prince, Michael
ackson Tulia Ackson (born 23 November 1976) is the Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, in office since 2022. She was appointed as a Member of Parliament by President John Magufuli. Early life Ackson was born on 23 November 1976 in B ...
..that's it. This music comes from love and if you can't hear that, then I don't know what to tell you."


Legal issues

On September 19, 2010, Mars was arrested in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
,
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
, at the Hard Rock Casino for possession of
cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...
. While talking to a police officer, Mars reportedly declared that what he did was "foolish" and that "he has never used drugs before." Mars pleaded guilty to felony drug possession and in return was told that the charges would be erased from his criminal record as long as he stayed out of trouble for a year. He paid a $2,000 fine, did 200 hours of community service, and completed a drug counseling course. Nevertheless, in a cover story for '' GQ'' magazine in 2013, Mars said: "I was young, man! I was in fucking Vegas ... I wasn't thinking". He added: "I was given a number one record and I'm out doing dumb shit." Mars confessed that he lied to the authorities about having done cocaine before, saying "I don't know where that came from", adding: "I was really intoxicated. I was really drunk. So a lot of that is a big blur, and I try every day to forget." On January 28, 2014, Demetrius Orlandus Proctor filed a lawsuit, claiming he holds the copyright for the McCoy and Mars track "Billionaire". Proctor claimed he owned the copyright to the music and lyrics of the track since March 31, 2011, though the song was released a year before. As evidence, Proctor has submitted a United States Copyright Office registration certificate for "Frisky Vol. 1 to 30 (Tapes)", issued in 2000. Proctor accused McCoy and Mars of "willful and intentional" infringement of copyright, seeking the destruction of all copies of the recording. Proctor claims he has exclusive rights to reproduce and distribute the song. "Uptown Funk" by Ronson and Mars has received various accusations and lawsuits over copyright infringement. In 2015, similarities with " Oops Up Side Your Head" (1979) by The Gap Band led them, along with keyboardist Rudolph Taylor, and producer Lonnie Simmons to be added as co-writers of "Uptown Funk" and receive publishing royalties. In the same year, Serbian artist Viktorija argued that "Uptown Funk" infringed on one of her tracks. She decided not to sue Mars and Ronson. In 2016, electro-funk band
Collage Collage (, from the french: coller, "to glue" or "to stick together";) is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an Assemblage (art), assemblage of different forms, thus creat ...
sued Ronson and Mars for copying their single, "Young Girls" (1983), while The Sequence, a rap group, claimed it infringed their single " Funk You Up" (1979) and sued a year later. In 2017, Lastrada Entertainment filed a lawsuit due to similarities with " More Bounce to the Ounce" (1980) by
Zapp Zapp may refer to: People *Jim Zapp (1924-2016), baseball player *Robert-Richard Zapp, a German U-boat commander during World War II *Walter Zapp, a Baltic German inventor, designer of miniature cameras *Zapp Brannigan, a fictional character from t ...
. The company seeks damage, a jury trial and prevent Ronson from profiting with "Uptown Funk". In 2018, the Collage and Zapp lawsuits were dropped, it was not revealed if there had been any financial settlement. "Treasure" was re-registered with new writing credits, which included Thibaut Berland and Christopher Khan, due to the similarities with Breakbot's "Baby I'm Yours".


Wealth

''Billboard'' estimated Mars's earnings at $18,839,681, making him the twelfth highest paid musician of 2013. ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' magazine began reporting his earnings in 2014, calculating that the $60 million earned between June 2013 to June 2014, for his music and tour, made him thirteenth on the list of the Celebrity 100 list. In June 2017, Mars ranked sixth on the Forbes World's Highest Paid Celebrities, earning an estimated $39 million from June 2016 through June 2017. In July 2018, ''Forbes'' announced that Mars was America's highest-paid musician of 2017, with an estimated total of $100 million. This, in turn, placed him at number 11 on the Celebrity 100 list as well as being his highest yearly earnings to date. In 2019, he was placed at number 54 on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list, with estimated earnings of $51.5 million between June 1, 2018, and June 1, 2019.


Discography

Studio albums * '' Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' (2010) * '' Unorthodox Jukebox'' (2012) * '' 24K Magic'' (2016) Collaborative albums * '' An Evening with Silk Sonic'' (with Anderson .Paak, as Silk Sonic) (2021)


Filmography

* '' Honeymoon in Vegas'' (1992) * ''
Rio 2 ''Rio 2'' is a 2014 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. It is the sequel to the 2011 computer-animated film '' Rio'' and the second installment of the ''Rio'' franchise ...
'' (2014)


Tours and residencies


Concert tours

Headlining *
The Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour The Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour was the first headlining concert tour by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars. Launched in support of his 2010 debut studio album ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'', the tour was announced in October 2010 and included da ...
(2010–2012) * Moonshine Jungle Tour (2013–2014) * 24K Magic World Tour (2017–2018) Co-headlining * European tour with
Travie McCoy Travis Lazarus "Travie" McCoy (born August 5, 1981) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is the co-founder and former lead vocalist of the rap rock band Gym Class Heroes, in addition to having a solo career. McCoy became involved w ...
(2010) * Hooligans in Wondaland Tour with Janelle Monáe (2011) Opening act * Palm Trees & Power Lines Tour (2010)


Concert residencies

* Bruno Mars at The Chelsea, Las Vegas (2013–2015) * Bruno Mars at Park MGM (2016–2023) * An Evening with Silk Sonic at Park MGM (2022)


See also

* List of best-selling singles in the United States * List of ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones *
List of highest-certified music artists in the United States This is the list of the highest-certified music artists in the United States based on certifications of albums and digital singles (but not physical singles) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). RIAA certifications are base ...
* List of highest-grossing concert tours *
List of most-followed Twitter accounts This list contains the top 50 accounts with the most followers on the social media platform Twitter. Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Rihanna and Cristiano Ronaldo top the list, with over 100 million followers each. Most ...


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mars, Bruno 1985 births 21st-century American singers 21st-century American male singers 21st-century multi-instrumentalists American contemporary R&B singers American funk singers American hip hop singers American male dancers American male singer-songwriters American music video directors American musicians of Filipino descent American musicians of Puerto Rican descent Hispanic and Latino American musicians Hispanic and Latino American singers American male actors of Filipino descent American male pop singers Record producers from California American reggae musicians American soul singers American tenors APRA Award winners Atlantic Records artists Brit Award winners Elektra Records artists Elvis impersonators Grammy Award winners Living people Musicians from Honolulu President Theodore Roosevelt High School alumni Reggae fusion artists Singers from Los Angeles Singers with a three-octave vocal range Writers from Honolulu Juno Award for International Album of the Year winners Jewish singers Jewish American songwriters MTV Europe Music Award winners Hawaii people of Puerto Rican descent Silk Sonic members Singer-songwriters from California Singer-songwriters from Hawaii BT Digital Music Awards winners