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Bruno Mars: The Showman and Hitmaker

Peter Gene Hernandez, known as Bruno Mars, was born on October 8, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Raised in a musical family, he gained recognition in Hawaii as a child for his impersonation of Elvis Presley. He moved to Los Angeles in 2003 to pursue a music career — and became one of the most decorated live performers of his generation.

The Songwriter First

After an unsuccessful stint with Motown, Mars signed with Atlantic Records and built his name as a songwriter. He co-founded the production team The Smeezingtons and wrote hits for other artists, including Flo Rida's "Right Round" and CeeLo Green's "Fuck You." His big break as a recording artist came when he co-wrote and featured on B.o.B's US number-one single "Nothin' on You" (2009).

Doo-Wops to 24K Magic

Mars's debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010), produced the hits "Just the Way You Are" and "Grenade." Unorthodox Jukebox (2012) brought "Locked Out of Heaven" and "When I Was Your Man." His 2014 collaboration with Mark Ronson, "Uptown Funk," became Billboard's best-performing song of the 2010s, spending 14 weeks at number one. His third album, 24K Magic (2016), won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

Silk Sonic and the 2024 Duets

In 2021, Mars released An Evening with Silk Sonic alongside Anderson .Paak, featuring the US number-one single "Leave the Door Open," which won four Grammy Awards. In 2024, he scored two more record-breaking number-one duets: "Die with a Smile" with Lady Gaga and "APT." with Rosé. Across his career, he has won 16 Grammy Awards and sold over 150 million records worldwide.

Mars's debut album earned him 13 Grammy nominations and a win for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Just the Way You Are." His singles "Just the Way You Are," "Nothin' on You," "Grenade," "Locked Out of Heaven," and "When I Was Your Man" all reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Time named him among the 100 most influential people in the world in 2011. He performs with his band, The Hooligans, and is known for a three-octave tenor vocal range.

Legacy

Bruno Mars is a throwback showman in a modern age — a singer, songwriter, dancer, and multi-instrumentalist whose live shows are regularly called the best in pop. He proves that old-school craft still wins.

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