Bruno Mars
| Bruno Mars} | |
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| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2004–present |
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| Website | brunomars.com |
| Members | |
| Current members | |
| Past members | |
Bruno Mars (born Peter Gene Hernandez; October 8, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and musician. Known for his retro showmanship, flamboyant stage presence, and genre-spanning musical style, Mars is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 130 million records sold worldwide.
Early Life
Bruno Mars was born on October 8, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to a family deeply rooted in music and performance. His father, Pete Hernandez, is a percussionist of Puerto Rican and Ashkenazi Jewish descent from Brooklyn, New York, while his mother, Bernadette "Bernie" San Pedro Bayot, was a singer and dancer from the Philippines.
Mars grew up surrounded by music, performing alongside his family's band as a child. He earned the nickname "Bruno" as a toddler due to his resemblance to the professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino. As a child, he performed as an Elvis Presley impersonator at a Honolulu club owned by his family.
After graduating from President Theodore Roosevelt High School in 2003, Mars moved to Los Angeles to pursue a music career.
Career
Early Career and Songwriting (2004–2009)
After moving to Los Angeles, Mars signed with Motown Records but was dropped before releasing any material. He then began working as a songwriter and producer, co-writing hits for other artists. As a member of the production trio The Smeezingtons, he co-wrote songs for artists such as Adam Levine, Brandy, and Flo Rida. He gained wider attention for co-writing and featuring on B.o.B's "Nothin' on You" and Travie McCoy's "Billionaire" in 2010.
Breakthrough (2010–2012)
Mars signed with Atlantic Records and released his debut extended play (EP), It's Better If You Don't Understand, in 2010. His debut studio album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, was released in October 2010 and produced three major hits:
The album reached number three on the [[Bil