Bruno Mars

Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer.

Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars portrait.jpg
Mars in 2010.
Born
Peter Gene Hernandez

(1985-10-08) October 8, 1985 (age 38)[1]
Net worthUS $105 million (2016)[2]
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)[2]
Musical career
Genres
Occupation(s)
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • drums
  • guitar
  • keyboard
  • bass
  • piano
  • harmonica
  • beatbox
Years active2002–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitewww.brunomars.com

After an unsuccessful stint with Motown, Mars signed with Atlantic Records in 2002. He became recognized as a solo artist after lending his vocals and co-writing the hooks for the songs "Nothin' on You" by B.o.B, and "Billionaire" by Travie McCoy. He also helped write the hits "Right Round" by Flo Rida featuring Kesha, "Wavin' Flag" by K'naan, and "Forget You" by Cee Lo Green. In October 2010, he released his album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans. The album reached number three on the Billboard 200 chart.[3] He was nominated for seven Grammys at the 53rd Grammy Awards, winning 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", "When I Was Your Man", "The Lazy Song", "It Will Rain", "24K Magic", and "Finesse" have all reached the top five of the US Billboard Hot 100, with the first five reaching number one.

Mars has sold 10 million albums around the world.[4]

In 2013, his song "Locked Out of Heaven" was nominated for a Grammy Award.[5] He was featured on British producer Mark Ronson's song "Uptown Funk", which became the number-one song of 2015 in the United States. It spent 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. "Uptown Funk" won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year.

Mars co-wrote the song "All I Ask" from English singer-songwriter Adele's third studio album 25 (2015). In 2016, Mars released the single "24K Magic" (pronounced "twenty-four-karat magic") from his album, also called 24K Magic. It has reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100. The second single from 24K Magic, "That's What I Like", became Mars' seventh number-one song on the Hot 100. A remix of the 24K Magic song "Finesse", featuring rapper Cardi B, was released in January 2018 and reached the top five around the world.

In 2021, Mars collaborated with recording artist Anderson .Paak on the song "Leave the Door Open" as the duo Silk Sonic. The song became Mars' eighth and Paak's first number-one on the Billboard Hot 100.[6]

Early life

Peter Gene Hernandez was born on October 8, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was raised in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu. He is the son of Peter Hernandez and Bernadette "Bernie" San Pedro Bayot (died June 1, 2013).[7][8] His father is of half Puerto Rican and half Jewish (from Hungary and Ukraine) ancestry and is originally from Brooklyn, New York.[9][10] Mars' mother immigrated to Hawaii from the Philippines as a child and was a Filipino.[9][11][12]

At the age of six, in 1991, Mars appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show as an Elvis Presley impersonator.[13] After performing many times in his hometown throughout his childhood, he decided to pursue a musical career and moved to Los Angeles after graduating from high school.

Artist influences

As a child, he was influenced by artists such as Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson and would often try to sing like these artists. Mars also incorporates reggae and Motown inspired sounds into his work. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times referred to Mars as "one of the most versatile and accessible singers in pop."[14]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010)
  • Unorthodox Jukebox (2012)
  • 24K Magic (2016)

with Slik Sonic

Awards

Grammy Awards

Mars has won 11 Grammys (10 solo and one as part of The Smeezingtons) from 24 nominations.

Bruno Mars
Year Ceremony Award Nominated work Result Ref.
2011 53rd Best Rap Song "Nothin' on You" Nominated [15]
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Nominated
Record of the Year Nominated
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance "Just the Way You Are" Won
Song of the Year "...You!" Nominated
2012 54th "Grenade" Nominated [16]
Record of the Year Nominated
Best Pop Solo Performance Nominated
Best Pop Vocal Album Doo-Wops & Hooligans Nominated
Album of the Year Nominated
2013 55th Best Rap Song "Young, Wild & Free" Nominated [17]
2014 56th Best Pop Vocal Album Unorthodox Jukebox Won [18]
Record of the Year "Locked Out of Heaven" Nominated
Song of the Year Nominated
Best Pop Solo Performance "When I Was Your Man" Nominated
2016 58th Record of the Year "Uptown Funk" Won [19]
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Won
2018 60th Album of the Year 24K Magic Won [20]
Best R&B Album Won
Song of the Year "That's What I Like" Won
Best R&B Vocal Performance Won
Best R&B Song Won
Record of the Year "24K Magic" Won
The Smeezingtons
Year Ceremony Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2011 53rd Record of the Year "Nothin' on You" Nominated [21]
"... You!" Nominated
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical The Smeezingtons Nominated
2012 54th Nominated
Album of the Year Doo-Wops & Hooligans Nominated
Record of the Year "Grenade" Nominated
2014 56th "Locked Out of Heaven" Nominated
2017 59th Album of the Year 25 Won

References

  1. De Castro, Cynthia (January 5, 2011). "Bruno Mars: The Fil-Am Artist with Universal Appeal". Asian Journal. AJ Press Los Angeles. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Bruno Mars Net Worth". TheRichest. The Richest. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  3. Caulfield, Keith (October 13, 2010). "Toby Keith's 'Gun' Fires at No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media). http://www.billboard.com/#/news/toby-keith-s-gun-fires-at-no-1-on-billboard-1004120559.story. Retrieved October 13, 2010. 
  4. RIAA (28 August 2013). "Congratulations @BrunoMars & @AtlanticRecords! Love your new award".
  5. Agencies (7 December 2013). "Grammy nominations 2014: David Bowie among Robin Thicke and Jay-Z" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  6. Curto, Justin (2021-04-12). "Silk Sonic Charm Their Way to No. 1 With 'Leave the Door Open'". Vulture. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
  7. "Robert A. Bayot of Portland, Oregon. USA.:Information about Peter Hernandez". Familytreemaker.genealogy.com. August 15, 1996. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  8. "Baguio's 40 Artists Under 40 | Basta Pinas". TravelBook.ph. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Smolenyak, Megan (November 12, 2012). "What Race Is Bruno Mars?". Huffington Post. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  10. Farber, Jim (October 3, 2010). "Bruno Mars follows his summer of hits with a big debut album 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans'". Daily News. New York City. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  11. "ACE Title Search: Hernandez Peter Gene". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  12. Jeffries, David. "Bruno Mars Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  13. Classic Hip Hop Storage Box (2018-02-16), Bruno Mars (Six (6) year old Elvis Impersonator) vs. Dancing Grannies in 1991 (RARE), retrieved 2018-03-21
  14. Caramanica, Jon (October 5, 2010). "Bruno Mars in Ascension". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/arts/music/06mars.html. Retrieved October 7, 2010. 
  15. "Grammy Awards 2011: Winners and nominees for 53rd Grammy Awards". latimes.com. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
  16. "Grammy Awards 2012: Winners and nominees list". latimes.com. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
  17. Robertson, James (2013-02-11). Grammy Winners 2013: The full list of winners at 55th annual Grammy Awards. https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/grammy-winners-2013-full-list-1703021. Retrieved 2018-01-30. 
  18. Staff, By CNN. Grammys 2014: Winners list - CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2014/01/26/showbiz/grammys-winners-list/index.html. Retrieved 2018-01-30. 
  19. Staff, Los Angeles Times. "2016 Grammy Awards: Complete list of winners and nominees". latimes.com. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
  20. (in en) 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards. 2017-11-28. https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/60th-annual-grammy-awards. Retrieved 2018-01-30. 
  21. (in en) Smeezingtons. 2017-05-14. https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/smeezingtons. Retrieved 2018-01-30. 

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