About Music - Bruno Mars

After a string of behind-the-scene jobs -- everything from writing songs for Brandy to impersonating Elvis -- singer/songwriter/producer Bruno Mars put his name on top of the charts in 2010 by collaborating with rapper B.o.B for the single “Nothin’ on You.”

Born Peter Hernandez (born October 8, 1985) in Honolulu, Hawaii, Mars’ kicked off his career at the age of four fronting his uncle’s band as Oahu's youngest Elvis impersonator. Ten years later, he was impersonating the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, with the Legends in Concert show. After graduation, his uncle convinced him to move to the mainland U.S. and follow of his dream of becoming a singer. Months of frustration and going nowhere followed before he met songwriter Phillip Lawrence, the man who would convince him to try his hand at writing songs for other artists. The two would dub themselves the Smeezingtons and co-write “Long Distance,” which would be recorded in 2008 by R&B singer Brandy.

The gigs came in fast after that, and in 2009, when he and Lawrence co-wrote “Right Round” for rapper Flo Rida, they had their first number one hit on their hands. A year later, he would co-write and sing on B.o.B’s number one hit “Nothin’ on You,” and would do the same for Travie McCoy with his cut “Billionaire.” Also in 2010, he released his debut solo EP, It's Better If You Don't Understand, which featured more pop material mixed with the R&B. Later in the year he released a full-length album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans. The first single from the album, "Just the Way You Are," topped the Billboard Singles chart the week before the album's October 5th release. Find out more at: http://www.brunomars.com/