Bruno Mars – Grenade

Bruno Mars is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, and dynamic performer who was born into the entertainment industry. His stage name, “Mars,” is fitting for a showman. His ability has been acknowledged with multiple Grammy nominations and accolades. Mars rose to fame in 2010 when three songs he co-wrote and produced, “Nothin’ on You” by B.o.B., “Just the Way You Are” by him, and “Fuck You” by CeeLo Green, all reached or near the top of the Billboard Hot 100. These songs combined to create a contemporary pop twist on genres that included early rock & roll, R&B, new wave, and reggae. These singles, together with his multi-platinum debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans, helped Mars win the Male Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award and earn a total of 13 nominations. Mars was just getting warmed up. His chart-topping Mark Ronson duet “Uptown Funk,” his 2012 comeback Unorthodox Jukebox, his production for Adele’s 25, and his third album, 24K Magic, released in 2016, all combined for 10 Grammy awards, including victories in three of the Big Four categories. After modernizing various funk, mid-’80s pop, and new jack swing sounds on 24K Magic, Mars collaborated with touring partner Anderson Paak to produce a set of insightful retro-soul music under the Silk Sonic moniker. With just the number one pop single “Leave the Door Open” winning four Grammys, Mars’ 2021 album An Evening with Silk Sonic went on to become his fourth platinum album. With a characteristic raspy conviction, Mars led the duo’s 2022 rendition of Con Funk Shun’s “Love’s Train,” which has since become a classic on R&B radio.

Born Peter Hernandez in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1985, Mars began his career as the lead singer of his uncle’s band at the age of four, making him the youngest Elvis impersonator on Oahu. A decade of years later, he was performing Michael Jackson impressions for the Legends in Concert series. He followed his uncle’s advise and relocated to California in 2003 to pursue a career in music after receiving his high school diploma. Eventually, he got to know songwriter Philip Lawrence, who persuaded Mars to give songwriting for other artists a shot. Named the Smeezingtons, the two collaborated on Brandy’s song “Long Distance.” 2009 saw the pair get their first number one success together as co-songwriters of Flo Rida’s global hit song “Right Round.”

By 2010, Mars appeared to be involved in everything: co-writing “Billionaire,” performing with B.o.B on the hit song “Nothin’ on You,” and working with CeeLo Green on the Grammy-nominated single “Fuck You.” Along with this, he started releasing his own music, with his debut EP, It’s Better If You Don’t Understand, coming out in May 2010. Later that year, he released his full-length debut, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, which swiftly yielded a number one single, “Just the Way You Are.” His hits “Grenade” and “The Lazy Song” kept him in the Top Ten, as did “It Will Rain.” He also achieved another number one single. Tracks from Mars’ next album were premiered in 2012 when he appeared on Saturday Night Live as both a musical guest and host.

Mark Ronson, Diplo, and other producers contributed to the album’s chart-topping hit “Locked Out of Heaven,” which was part of the genre-jumping Unorthodox Jukebox release later that year. The album peaked at number two in the United States while “Locked Out of Heaven” topped the Hot 100. “When I Was Your Man,” the second song, also peaked at number one. Later on, Unorthodox Jukebox took home the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album. With all of his success, Mars was an obvious choice for one of the most famous assignments in the world: the 2014 Super Bowl halftime show, where he joined Red Hot Chili Peppers. Subsequently, Mars sang lead vocals on “Uptown Funk,” a song he co-wrote that became one of the year’s biggest hits. It became his sixth number one hit worldwide and won multiple Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year.

With the release of the eponymous parent album and another funk-flavored single, “24K Magic,” Mars made a comeback in 2016. 24K Magic, which spawned Bruno Mars’ seventh chart-topper, “That’s What I Like,” as well as “Finesse,” a collaboration with rapper Cardi B, and “Versace on the Floor,” which was also made available as a David Guetta remix, was influenced by soul, funk, and ’90s R&B. It peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The record won the Grammy for Best Non-Classical Engineered record. Mars and Cardi B once more worked together in February 2019 on the song “Please Me,” which peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. He collaborated with Ed Sheeran and Chris Stapleton on the song “Blow” in July of that year.

As Silk Sonic, Mars linked up with Anderson.Paak in early 2021. Paak launched the European leg of the 24K Magic World Tour. The pair debuted on television with a performance at the 2021 Grammy Awards, following the release of their first single, “Leave the Door Open,” in March. After winning Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best R&B Performance, and Best R&B Song for “Leave the Door Open” from their worldwide Top Ten debut An Evening with Silk Sonic, the duo swept the 2022 Grammy Awards event. The pair made a triumphant comeback to the radio in 2022, delivering a faithful rendition of Con Funk Shun’s 1982 deep quiet storm song, “Love’s Train.”