140-457: The Smeezingtons were an American songwriting and record production team consisting of Bruno Mars , Philip Lawrence , and Ari Levine formed in 2009. The Smeezingtons were established in Los Angeles , California ; the trio primarily served as the producers for the singles and albums of Mars, with additional work for diverse range of artists. Eventually, the trio split, and Mars and Lawrence formed
280-420: A "blessing" nowadays. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times found 24K Magic to show the singer's vocal ability from tenderness to "the more forceful side of his voice". Mars has explained his writing process: "I don't sit down and think, 'I'm going to write a song'", since "You can't force creativeness" as inspiration comes out of the blue in different places. Ideas occur suddenly to him; and occasionally, he
420-487: A "nimble, soulful vocalist" on Unorthodox Jukebox . Jim Farber of the New York Daily News likened the voice "the purity, cream and range of mid-period Michael Jackson" in a review of a concert promoting Unorthodox Jukebox . On 24K Magic , Consequence of Sound ' s Karen Gwen affirmed that Mars showed his "pips" and pushed his vocals to the limit. She described his voice as a "clear, unapologetic tenor" being
560-449: A "tiny Hollywood studio" with a "whiteboard hanging on the wall". The studio is "set in a ramshackle cottage between a laundromat and a medical marijuana dispensary on a seedy Hollywood side street". In the beginning, and according to Lawrence, they "worked long and hard in this little shack, hoping just to pay rent and have someone listen to our songs". The latter also said; "we always find that we still do our best work in our little shack of
700-562: A Motown vibe, Billionaire was a reggae acoustic guitar-driven song, though one of my favorites is the CeeLo Green song. I don't think anyone else could've sung that song. And there's Just the Way You Are . If you know my story, you know I love all different genres of music." Mars feels that growing up in Hawaii influenced his style, giving the songs a reggae sound. He explains: "In Hawaii some of
840-451: A Pill in Ibiza" and "Be As You Are". David Jeffries of AllMusic noted an improvement for Posner in the album, writing "this might not yet be the ultimate showcase for his talents, but At Night, Alone is both a welcome return and a significant step forward." On February 17, 2017, Posner announced that the third single from the album would be a remix by American electronic duo Grey of his song "In
980-647: A Smile ". The song became his first number one on the Billboard Global 200 , and reached number two in the US. It reached the top spot of several countries, including the Netherlands, New Zealand and Switzerland, and received nominations for Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 2025 Grammy Awards . A month later, Mars and New Zealand–South Korean singer Rosé released their collaboration single " Apt. ",
1120-490: A US State Department travel advisory warned people of a massive COVID-19 outbreak in the country. In Nepal, he traveled to the base camp of Mount Everest and sang for climbers in the midst of a localized COVID-19 outbreak at base camp. On June 1 2021, at 4:35am, he summited Mount Everest with a team composed of guide Jon Kedrowski and two Sherpas (locals who serve as porters and guides) Dawa Chirring Sherpa and Dawa Dorje Sherpa. Posner used his climb to raise $ 250,000 for
1260-618: A call from Mars's former manager Brandon Creed, who was A&Ring a reunited Menudo , who needed songs. Creed liked their song " Lost ", which was written for Mars. At first Mars and Lawrence did not want to give up the song so Creed offered them $ 20,000 for it. Mars and Lawrence were so surprised they said; "You can have that one and whatever else you need!"; the call allowed them to stay in L.A. longer. In late 2008, Aaron-Bay Schuck (A&R), Lawrence and Mars helped write Flo Rida 's single " Right Round ". Lawrence and Mars decided to call their partnership The Smeezingtons. We used to always say in
1400-404: A couple of songs on the guitar Bay-Schuck wanted to sign him immediately. However, it took roughly three years for Atlantic Records to finally sign Mars, because they felt it was too early and that he still needed to develop as an artist. In 2008, on the verge of giving up, they received a call from Brandon Creed, who was looking for songs for a reunited Menudo . He liked their song "Lost", which
1540-472: A date for the release, stating: "Until it's done ... It's gotta be just as good if not better". At the 2016 Grammy Awards "Uptown Funk" won Ronson and Mars a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Record of the Year. On February 7, 2016, British band Coldplay headlined the Super Bowl 50 halftime show with Mars and American singer Beyoncé as guest acts, marking their second appearance on
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#17328756085811680-483: A hit pop song is, because you can have talent and music ability, but understanding what makes a hit pop song is a whole other discipline." Lindsey confessed he "held Mars back for five years while they learned an extensive catalog of hit music." In a different interview, Brown corroborated the former story. During this time, Mars played cover songs around Los Angeles in a band called Sex Panther, with Bhasker and Eric Hernandez (the former's brother), who eventually became
1820-508: A major impact on his musical evolution; he reflected: I'm a big fan of 1950s Elvis when he would go on stage and scare people because he was a force and girls would go nuts! You can say the same thing for Prince or The Police . It's just guys who know that people are here to see a show, so I watch those guys and I love studying them because I'm a fan. He also impersonated Michael Jackson, another major inspiration. The hip-hop productions by The Neptunes and Timbaland , that were played on
1960-628: A major influence and account for his reggae roots. Hip-hop acts like Jay-Z , The Roots , and Cody Chesnutt were among some of his favorites, and have influenced his compositions. Each of these musical genres has influenced the singer's musical style; he observed: "It's not easy to [create] songs with that mixture of rock and soul and hip-hop, and there's only a handful of them." Mars also admires classical music. Other artists Mars has said inspired his work include Janet Jackson , Jimi Hendrix , Amy Winehouse , Sly Stone , Carlos Santana , George Clinton , and Usher . Mars has also stated that he
2100-519: A music festival, and on the 2010s Warped Tour . The second and third singles, " Please Don't Go " and " Bow Chicka Wow Wow " reached the top 20 and 30 on the Hot 100 respectively. The latter was released with an added verse by rapper Lil Wayne . Posner won a 2011's ASCAP Award from the publishing organization for "Cooler Than Me". On October 7, 2011, RCA Music Group announced that it was disbanding J Records along with Arista Records and Jive Records . With
2240-524: A production team consisting of Mars, Lawrence, and Brown, which replaced the Smeezingtons. In May 2016, the singer split with his manager and started his own management company, Gorilla Management, operated by Aaron Elharar. At the 2017 Grammy Awards , his work (as part of the Smeezingtons) on Adele's " All I Ask ", a track from her third studio album, 25 (2015), brought him a Grammy Award for Album of
2380-443: A rap-opera type album titled Operation: Wake Up . On January 4, 2019, Posner announced that starting on March 1, 2019, he would begin a walk across America, with a support tour bus, indicating that the journey would take "most of my 31st year." He received a significant amount of press and fandom surrounding the walk, including an interview on CBS This Morning . On April 15, 2019, he set out from Asbury Park, New Jersey to begin
2520-501: A solo artist in 2012. The album has since sold over six million copies worldwide. " Locked out of Heaven " was released in October 2012, and preceded the release of Unorthodox Jukebox , an album produced mainly by the Smeezingtons. The song topped the U.S. and Canada charts, peaking at number two on the UK. It also charted within the top ten in various countries. Other singles released from
2660-399: A song than really taking the time to make a good song a hit song". After working with The Smeezingtons on Unorthodox Jukebox , Jeff Bhasker said, "One of their great talents is that they have this fun, light vibe in the studio" that enables anyone "to be free so that you can let that primal emotion come out without being embarrassed. Then they polish afterward." Mark Ronson said the key
2800-439: A studio ... That's where we find our magic." Lawrence and Mars came from musical families. Lawrence grew up listening to "everything" and Mars was exposed to a diverse mix of reggae , rock , hip hop , and R&B . Their interest in music started at a very young age; Lawrence started to perform when he was four years old, and Mars started to perform when he was three years old and regularly performed with his family band by
2940-505: A successor production trio with Christopher Brody Brown called "Shampoo Press & Curl". Before Mars' mainstream breakthrough as a performer, the Smeezingtons first gained recognition after producing the song " Wavin' Flag " for Canadian singer K'naan in 2009, which was used by Coca-Cola as the theme for television coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup . In December of that year, the trio produced and co-wrote Mars' debut single appearance, " Nothin' on You " by American rapper B.o.B . It
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#17328756085813080-470: A three-octave tenor vocal range. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times commented that he is one of the most "versatile and accessible singers in pop, with a light, soul-influenced voice that's an easy fit in a range of styles, a universal donor", while Tim Sendra from AllMusic described the singer's vocals on Doo-Wops & Hooligans as "the kind of smooth instrument that slips into your ear like honey." Jody Rosen from Rolling Stone called Mars
3220-420: A very, very, very, very, very, very, very cold day , which was released on January 26, 2018. In September 2018, he released "Song About You", the lead single from his third studio album, A Real Good Kid ; the album was released on January 18, 2019. He released a fourth mixtape Keep Going on October 9, 2019, to commemorate his trek across the country. On December 18, 2020, he released his fourth studio album,
3360-458: Is Mars's charisma. Mars says the trust that he, Levine and Lawrence have built in seven years of working together is essential. He added "We all know when we're onto something ... We also know when something's not jelling. And that's the thing you pray you will always have." Levine said the musical influences the three share completed his idea: "It's about finding ways to mix the classic we all love with modern songs. That's why people connect to
3500-528: Is a $ 150 cheap Fender ". Levine runs most of the keyboards and the MPC through the 02R and uses a Mackie Big Knob as an interface. He often uses Pro Tools. He does not use MIDI extensively despite it being incorporated in Pro Tools. According to Levine, "We're not making dance songs, so we don't need the synths to do all kinds of crazy stuff. And I fairly quickly render MIDI tracks to audio in Pro Tools". In 2011, Levine
3640-443: Is a fan of Alicia Keys , Jessie J , Jack White , The Saturdays , and Kings of Leon . Mars's music has been noted for displaying a wide variety of styles, musical genres, and influences, including pop, R&B, funk , soul , reggae , and rock. His debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans , is predominantly a pop, reggae pop and R&B record. It is influenced by most of the genres mentioned above. Many of his songs on
3780-423: Is able to materialize them into lyrics. He has said that he typically writes songs by playing the guitar or piano first. Mars plays drums, guitar, keyboard, bass, piano, ukulele, and congas. He usually plays the instrumentation or part of it, on his albums and on the songs he composes for other artists. Mars claims that his work with other artists has influenced his musical style: " Nothin' on You had
3920-454: Is accompanied by his band, the Hooligans , whose members are also backup singers and dancers. In 2021, Mars and fellow singer Anderson .Paak formed the musical superduo Silk Sonic . Mars moved to Los Angeles in 2003 to pursue a musical career. Following a brief contract with Motown Records , he established his name in the music industry as a songwriter and co-founder of the production team
4060-652: Is also one half of the alternative hip hop duo Mansionz with blackbear , a Florida rapper. Michael Robert Henrion Posner was born on February 12, 1988 in Detroit. He grew up in Southfield , a northern suburb of Detroit. He has a sister who is six years older. His father was a Jewish criminal defense lawyer and his mother is Catholic . Mike went to Bingham Farms Elementary School, Berkshire Middle School, and graduated from Groves High School where he ran varsity track and cross-country. He attended Duke University , where he
4200-492: Is one of six children and came from a musical family which exposed him to a diverse mix of music genres, including first and foremost rock and roll , and later reggae , hip hop , and rhythm and blues . His mother was both a singer and a dancer, and his father performed Little Richard 's music, which inspired him as a young child. His uncle was an Elvis Presley impersonator , and also encouraged three-year-old Mars to perform songs on stage by Presley and Michael Jackson . At
4340-536: Is originally from Brooklyn , New York. Mars has stated that his Jewish ancestors were from Hungary and Ukraine . His mother emigrated from the Philippines to Hawaii, and was of Filipino and some Spanish ancestry. His parents met while performing in a show in which his mother was a hula dancer and his father played percussion. At the age of two, he was nicknamed "Bruno" by his father because of his resemblance to professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino . Mars
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4480-510: The Billboard 200 and saw mixed critical response. He parted ways with J Records in favor of Island Records in 2014. In 2015, an EDM remix of his song " I Took a Pill in Ibiza " peaked within the top ten on the charts in 27 countries, and the top five of the Billboard Hot 100. Its success led to the release of his second studio album, At Night, Alone (2016), which peaked at number 12 on
4620-707: The Billboard Global 200 . Mars has sold over 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time . Eight of his songs have reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and his concert tours are some of the highest-grossing in history. He has received 15 Grammy Awards (including three Record of the Year wins), four Brit Awards , eleven American Music Awards , 13 Soul Train Awards and holds three Guinness World Records , among other accolades . He featured on Music Week ' s best songwriters (2011) and Billboard ' s Greatest of All Time Artists (2019) lists and rankings such as
4760-616: The Billboard Hot 100 , the UK Singles chart, and the Dutch Top 40 . In 2010, The Smeezingtons were responsible for " Billionaire " by American rapper Travie McCoy featuring Mars. It peaked at number four in the US, number three in the UK and topped the Dutch Top 40. In the same year, " Fuck You " by American singer Cee-Lo Green became another success for The Smeezingtons, reaching number one in
4900-640: The Time 100 and Forbes Celebrity 100 . Mars became the first artist to receive six diamond-certified songs in the United States and has been regarded as a pop icon due to his influential career. Peter Gene Hernandez was born on October 8, 1985, in Honolulu , Hawaii, to Peter Hernandez and Bernadette San Pedro Bayot growing up in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu. His father has Puerto Rican and Jewish heritage, and
5040-521: The 2011 Grammy Awards ; they were nominated for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical for their work on "Fuck You", "Just The Way You Are", "Nothin' on You", and others. Their work on "Nothin' on You" earned them a nomination for Record of the Year , while "Fuck You" was nominated on the aforementioned category and Song of the Year . Mars won his first Grammy on the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category for "Just The Way You Are". With
5180-430: The 2014 Grammy Awards , The Smeezingtons' work received three nominations. "Locked out of Heaven" was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, while Unorthodox Jukebox won Best Pop Vocal Album. In 2016, The Smeezingtons were not composers of Mars's third studio album, 24K Magic (2016), which led some writers to believe the trio had split. The Smeezingtons were replaced with Shampoo Press & Curl, which
5320-484: The 2017 Grammy Awards , The Smeezingtons received the Grammy for Album of the Year for their work on 25 ; it was their last production as a team. In May 2010, The Smeezingtons composed Mars's debut EP It's Better If You Don't Understand , using the attention they gained from the success of "Nothin' on You" and "Billionaire". The EP's four songs were included on Mars's debut studio album Doo-Wops & Hooligans , which
5460-490: The Avid Reverb One sounded substantially better than Altiverb to him. The New York Times reviewer Jon Caramanica wrote The Smeezingtons "[Ha]ve got a firm grip on the full spectrum of black pop, and white pop as well". Randall Roberts of Los Angeles Times wrote The Smeezingtons "[are] making some of the most cohesive yet expansive pop music today ... incredibly well-versed in the language of American music and
5600-591: The BET Awards 2021 , International Group of the Year at the 2022 Brit Awards and Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration, Traditional at the 53rd NAACP Image Awards . They received three awards at the 2021 Soul Train Music Awards , including Song of the Year for "Leave the Door Open". At the 2022 Grammy Awards , Silk Sonic won Record of the Year, Song of The Year, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for
5740-639: The Billboard 200 and entered at the top-five in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. " Leave the Door Open ", " Skate , " Smokin out the Window ", a cover version of Con Funk Shun 's " Love's Train " and " After Last Night " featuring Thundercat and Collins were released as singles. "Leave the Door Open" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and in New Zealand. "Smokin out the Window" peaked at number five on
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5880-639: The Billboard 200 and was met with positive critical reception. His third and fourth albums, A Real Good Kid (2019) and Operation: Wake Up (2020), were both met with continued praise despite failing to chart. Along with his recording career, he has served as a record producer and songwriter for acts including Justin Bieber , Big Sean , Maroon 5 , Iggy Azalea , Big Time Rush , Austin Mahone , Nick Jonas , Cher Lloyd , and Labrinth . In 2017, Posner released his first book of poetry, Tear Drops & Balloons . He
6020-504: The Billboard Hot 100 and number four in New Zealand. All the singles, but "Skate", topped the Billboard Adult R&;B Songs , which led the album to become the second with four number-one singles on the aforementioned chart, tying with Toni Braxton 's self-titled studio album (1993). In early 2022, Silk Sonic started their debut concert residency titled An Evening with Silk Sonic at Park MGM . The duo won Best Group at
6160-524: The Billboard Hot 100, New Zealand, the UK, as well as multiple other charts, and " The Lazy Song ", which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top spot in the UK and Denmark. Other singles include " Talking to the Moon ", exclusively released in Brazil and topped Billboard Brasil 's Hot Pop Songs and Hot 100 Airplay . " Marry You ", only released to international markets, entering
6300-550: The Moonshine Jungle Tour , from June 2013 to October 2014. He also announced a concert residency titled Bruno Mars at The Chelsea, Las Vegas , Paradise, Nevada . The tour grossed $ 156.4 million. On September 8, 2013, Mars was disclosed as the headline performer at the Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show , which took place on February 2, 2014, with American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers as special guests. It
6440-454: The Unplugged tour. Running seven dates in the major US markets, the tour highlighted music new and old from his discography, including some new material from Pages , while also giving fans a shot at learning new information from him through the stories and Q&A sessions interspersed with the tunes. The unplugged sets featured little more than him on predominantly acoustic instruments, save for
6580-597: The "slums of Hawaii", on the back of a car, on rooftops, and in an abandoned bird zoo, Paradise Park, where his father worked before it closed. Mars transferred to another school and was bullied initially, but he became popular in the last days of school. The time Mars spent impersonating Presley had a major impact on his musical evolution and performing techniques. He later began playing guitar after being inspired by American rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix . In 2010, he also acknowledged his Hawaiian roots and musical family as an influence, explaining: "Growing up in Hawaii made me
6720-603: The 3,000+ mile trip across the country. On August 7, his walk was delayed a few weeks after he was bitten by a rattlesnake in Colorado and airlifted to a local hospital. He finished his walk across the US on October 18, 2019, in Venice Beach in Los Angeles . He traveled more than 2,800 miles in the six-month trip. On March 6, 2020, Posner endorsed Bernie Sanders for president in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries . In May 2021, Posner traveled to Nepal although
6860-490: The Apollo . He received seven awards at the 2017 American Music Awards , including Artist of the Year , two for "That's What I Like" and other two for 24K Magic . He also won Album/Mixtape of the Year at the 2017 Soul Train Music Awards , in addition to four other awards. At the 2018 Grammy Awards , Mars won in the six categories for which he was nominated: Album of the Year and Best R&B Album for 24K Magic , Record of
7000-652: The Arms of a Stranger". In 2017, he began to explore new ground. Not only did he release a book of poetry, Teardrops and Balloons , on March 17, but he also put out a new collaboration with American singer blackbear under the name Mansionz . A soulful hip hop project with spoken word influence, the song was a collaboration with rapper Spark Master Tape titled "Stfu". Mansionz is signed to Island Records and has released three singles, "Stfu" (featuring Spark Master Tape), "Rich White Girls", and "Dennis Rodman" (featuring Dennis Rodman ). The duo's self-titled debut full-length album
7140-696: The EP. " I Took a Pill in Ibiza " was then remixed by Norwegian production duo SeeB , whose version of the song has gathered over one billion streams on Spotify and a charting position of two on the Global Top 50 Chart and five on the USA Top 50 Chart. The SeeB remix topped the charts in the Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the Dance/Mix Show Airplay of American Billboard; it peaked within
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#17328756085817280-553: The Hawaiian tabloid shopper MidWeek as "Little Elvis" and performed in the halftime show of the 1990 Aloha Bowl . In 1992, he appeared in a cameo role in the film Honeymoon in Vegas and was interviewed by Pauly Shore on MTV. When Mars was six years old, he was featured on The Arsenio Hall Show and throughout grade school, he performed with his family's band, two shows a night, covering Frankie Lymon and Little Anthony . When he
7420-614: The Smeezingtons . He rose to fame as a recording artist following his guest performances on the singles " Nothin' on You " (2009) by B.o.B and " Billionaire " (2010) by Travie McCoy , which reached number one and four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 , respectively. Mars pop-influenced debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010), amassed the number-one singles " Just the Way You Are ", " Grenade ", and " The Lazy Song ". His second album, Unorthodox Jukebox (2012), explored various genres and had two U.S. number one singles, " Locked Out of Heaven " and " When I Was Your Man ". In 2014, Mars
7560-426: The Smeezingtons. The song topped the charts in various countries, including Australia, Canada and the U.S. The album, released on October 5, 2010, debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and number one in the UK. It also charted at number one in the Netherlands and Canada. Doo-Wops & Hooligans has since sold 15.5 million copies worldwide. It spawned two other singles, " Grenade ", which topped
7700-653: The Stereotypes . In September 2018, Mars and American rappers Gucci Mane and Kodak Black released " Wake Up in the Sky " for Mane's thirteenth studio album, Evil Genius (2018). It reached number 11 in the US. In February 2019, Cardi B and Mars released " Please Me ". The single peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached the top-20 of Canada, New Zealand and the UK. Five months later, British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran , American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton , and Mars collaborated on " Blow ", for
7840-597: The Super Bowl halftime. It became one of the most watched halftime shows in Super Bowl history. In early 2016, Mars was working with bass player Jamareo Artis , musician Brody Brown, singer-songwriter Andrew Wyatt and EDM producer Skrillex . The album was set to be issued in March but was postponed several months due to Mars's appearance at the Super Bowl halftime show. At that time, seven songs had already been recorded. They were composed mainly by Shampoo Press & Curl,
7980-594: The Temptations . The singer, while in high school, became well known in Hawaiian entertainment, becoming the opening gig for a huge magic show and impersonating Michael Jackson in a celebrity-impersonators show, making $ 75 per performance. After his sister who lived in Los Angeles played his demo for Mike Lynn (the head of A&R at Dr. Dre 's Aftermath Entertainment record label), Lynn summoned Mars to Los Angeles. In 2003, shortly after graduating from high school at
8120-469: The U.S. It has since sold over five million copies globally. Four more singles were released throughout 2017 and 2018: " That's What I Like ", " Versace on the Floor ", " Chunky ", exclusively released in Australia, and a remix of " Finesse " featuring American rapper Cardi B . "That's What I Like" was the album's highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number one, while "Finesse" reached
8260-424: The U.S. and reached the top-20 of various countries. Mars started to promote his debut album as the opening act for American bands Maroon 5 and OneRepublic on the fall leg of the former act's Palm Trees & Power Lines Tour . Later, on October 18, 2010, the singer began a co-headlined European concert tour with McCoy that lasted until early November. Doo-Wops & Hooligans received further promotion when
8400-469: The UK and Danish charts , and peaked in the top ten of other countries. The three were among the best selling digital singles of 2011. In the same year, The Smeezingtons composed Mars's single " It Will Rain " for the soundtrack of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 . The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number two in New Zealand, and entered the top 20s of charts in other countries. The team received six nominations for
8540-592: The UK and the Netherlands, and number two on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2011, The Smeezingtons composed " Lighters " for Bad Meets Evil , featuring Mars's vocals. It peaked at number four in the U.S. and on the Canadian Hot 100 , as well as number two in New Zealand . They also worked with Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa on " Young, Wild & Free ", which features Mars, for the movie Mac & Devin Go to High School . The song
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#17328756085818680-458: The US Billboard 200 and a music video was released for the song "The Other Side" featuring American singer CeeLo Green and B.o.B. Mars, with the Smeezingtons, also composed Green's successful single " Fuck You " (2010). On July 20, 2010, Mars released " Just the Way You Are " as the lead single from his debut studio album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010), an album produced mainly by
8820-542: The Year for the title track and Song of The Year, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "That's What I Like". 24K Magic also won a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical , for the work of the album's engineers. Mars worked on Chic 's studio album It's About Time (2018), with the song expected to be featured on Chic's next studio album, according to musician Nile Rodgers . In early 2018, Mars worked with recording engineer Charles Moniz , as well as songwriting and recording production team
8960-407: The Year, Non-Classical as part of the Smeezingtons. At the 2012 Grammy Awards , Mars lost all the six categories in which he was nominated to British singer Adele . The categories included Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Doo-Wops & Hooligans , Best Pop Solo Performance , Record and Song of the Year for "Grenade", while Producer of the Year, Non-Classical as the Smeezingtons
9100-449: The Year, while "When I Was Your Man" was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance. In the same year, the album was recognized with a Juno Award for International Album of the Year . Aside from his music career, Mars cast as Roberto in the movie Rio 2 (2014). He also contributed to the film's soundtrack with the song "Welcome Back". On November 10, 2014, British musician Mark Ronson released " Uptown Funk ", featuring Mars. The song
9240-502: The Year. In 2017, Guinness World Records recognized Mars as the "First Male Artist to achieve three 10-million-selling-singles". In October 2016, " 24K Magic " was released as the lead single of 24K Magic . It peaked at number four in the U.S. and reached the top in France and New Zealand. The album, issued on November 18, 2016, debuted at number two in Canada, France, New Zealand, and
9380-536: The adoption of his stage name was also an effort to "avoid being stereotyped", as the music industry tried to pigeonhole him as another Latin artist. They even tried to convince Mars to sing in Spanish. "I'd always been a working musician in Hawaii and never had problems paying rent. And then it's like, 'Now I'm in L.A. and my phone's getting shut off.' That's when reality hit. I started DJing. I told this person I could DJ because they said they could pay me $ 75 cash under
9520-424: The age of 17, Mars moved to Los Angeles to pursue a musical career. At the time, he lived on Mansfield Avenue and was surprised by the poverty and squalor of the neighborhood. He adopted his stage name from the childhood nickname his father gave him, adding "Mars" at the end because: "I felt like I didn't have no pizzazz, and a lot of girls say I'm out of this world, so I was like I guess I'm from Mars ." Moreover,
9660-448: The age of four, Mars began performing five days a week with his family's band, The Love Notes, and became known in Hawaii for his impersonation of Elvis Presley . When he was five he urinated on himself during a performance of Presley's " Can't Help Falling in Love " (1961), which led his parents to think they could be making a mistake. However, Mars never wavered. In 1990, Mars was featured in
9800-722: The age of four. In an article by American Songwriter , Lawrence cites acts such as Billy Joel , Elton John , and Seal as his biggest influences and inspirations. He was raised listening to acts including Isley Brothers , Eagles , Led Zeppelin , Stevie Wonder , and Billy Joel . As a child, Mars was influenced by R&B artists such as Keith Sweat , Jodeci , and R. Kelly , as well as 1950s rock 'n' roll and Motown . Later, in high school, Mars began listening to classic rock groups such as The Police , Led Zeppelin, and The Beatles . His influences include Billy Joel, Elton John, Prince , The Police, Michael Jackson , Little Richard , and Bob Marley . Mars has stated, "Ari turned out to be
9940-788: The album include " When I Was Your Man ", " Treasure ", " Gorilla " and " Young Girls ". "When I Was Your Man" reached number one Billboard Hot 100, aside from Elvis Presley, no other male artist has achieved five number-one singles quicker than Mars. It also peaked at number three in Canada, number two in the UK, and was top-ten in various countries. "Treasure" reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four in Canada, but had less commercial success in other countries. Mars contributed vocals to Jamaican-American EDM trio Major Lazer 's " Bubble Butt ", released in May 2013. The single also features American rappers Tyga , 2 Chainz , and singer Mystic . Mars ran his second headlining concert tour,
10080-410: The album was close to completion after months of production work, with a new sound and an unconfirmed release date. Mars is also planning a new aesthetic to go with it and is in early talks with Live Nation Entertainment to set up a tour throughout 2024 and 2025, with "large-scale, three-dimensional" performances. On August 16, 2024, Mars and Lady Gaga released their collaborative single " Die with
10220-508: The album, reflect "feel-good", carefree, and optimistic sentiments. However darker subjects are addressed in his songs, detailing failed relationships, pain and loneliness. His subsequent release, Unorthodox Jukebox , as with his debut album, is infused with different influences including disco, funk, rock, reggae and soul, as well as balladry . Lyrically, the album is different from the former, addressing traditional notions of romance, male chauvinism, and sexuality. The explicit content in
10360-513: The biggest radio stations are reggae. That music brings people together. It's not urban music or pop music. It's just songs. That's what makes it cross over so well. The song comes first." Philip Lawrence , one of his music partners, stated: "What people don't know is there's a darker underbelly to Bruno Mars." Nevertheless, most of his music is romantic and Mars himself says: "I blame that on me singing to girls back in high school". Brody Brown , who has worked various times with Mars, affirmed that
10500-434: The conclusion that the best way to further his career was writing and producing hit songs." —Strang on developing Mars's career. Lindsey showed Mars and fellow songwriters Brody Brown and Jeff Bhasker (who Mars met through Mike Lynn) the ins and outs of writing pop music and acted as a mentor, helping them to hone their craft. Bhasker explained that Lindsey would "mentor us, and kind of give us lectures as to what
10640-670: The drummer of The Hooligans. When Lawrence was first told he should meet Mars he was reluctant to do so since he did not even have money for bus fare. Keith Harris , the drummer for the American musical group The Black Eyed Peas , told Lawrence: "Whatever it costs you to get out here, I'll reimburse you." Lawrence responded: "Just give me five dollars back for the bus." The pair began collaborating, writing songs for Mars, but they received many rejections from record labels. In 2006, Lawrence introduced Mars to his future A&R manager at Atlantic Records , Aaron Bay-Schuck . After hearing him play
10780-467: The first "big hit" he and Lawrence wrote was the 2009 single " Right Round " by Flo Rida : "That was our first taste of what could really happen with a hit we hundred-percented". He also co-wrote the Sugababes 's " Get Sexy " (2009) and provided backing vocals on their album Sweet 7 (2010). In 2009, he was featured as a singer on Far East Movement 's second studio album, Animal , on the track "3D". In
10920-492: The following year. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and received septuple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His follow-up single, " Please Don't Go " peaked within the top 20 of the chart and received triple platinum certification; both songs preceded the release of his debut album, 31 Minutes to Takeoff (2010), which peaked at number eight on
11060-477: The former's fourth studio album, No.6 Collaborations Project (2019). In October 2019, Mars posted a picture of himself in a recording studio, indicating new music. In February 2020, it was announced a partnership between Mars and Disney for a "music-themed theatrical narrative", in which the singer will both star and produce the movie. A month later, it was confirmed that Mars was working on his next album with American musician Babyface . While on quarantine,
11200-411: The freedom and luxury to walk into a studio and say, 'Today I want to do a hip-hop, R&B, soul or rock record'". He announced Unorthodox Jukebox release date, December 11, 2012. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, eventually peaking at number one on the chart. It also charted at number one in Australia, Canada, and in the UK, where it became the third fastest-selling album by
11340-413: The good ones in "a melting pot of trial and error", according to Lawrence. The team explained their songwriting process by saying every song should be like a "three-minute movie" that needs to have a conflict to make it interesting. Mars criticized "hit songwriters" by saying, "I liked hearing that from these hit songwriters because it seems like many times songwriters are more interested in just finishing
11480-506: The instruments on those songs. Levine recorded and engineered Mars's debut EP and his first two albums, and mixed the track "Somewhere in Brooklyn". He also engineered, recorded, and mixed "Nothin' on You". Levine engineered and mixed "Billionaire" and "Young, Wild & Free". Levcon Studios was located in Los Angeles and was co-owned by Levine and his brother and manager Josh Levine. The studios were used by The Smeezingtons and were described as
11620-462: The latter is in charge of both the melody and lyrics of his tracks, "I'll just do the music, but Bruno does both. I chime in on some things with words, but the majority of the content is written by Bruno and Phil (Lawrence)." Mars is known for his retro showmanship, which is widely acclaimed by tour critics and reviewers. Deanna Ramsay of The Jakarta Post described Mars as a "truly global star". Boston Herald ' s Jim Sullivan compared
11760-536: The latter song. At the BET Awards 2022 Silk Sonic won Album of the Year for their debut album and Video of the Year . The same music video also won Video of the Year at the 2022 Soul Train Music Awards . In 2022, Mars continued his second concert residency Bruno Mars at Park MGM and started a small world tour in Sydney and Tokyo. The shows continued in 2023, in several countries such as South Korea, Philippines, Brazil, Chile, Georgia, Qatar and Israel. In 2024,
11900-515: The lead single of Rosé's debut album, Rosie (2024). The song became his second number one on the Billboard Global 200, reached the top spot in Australia and New Zealand. Mars was raised on his father's 1950s doo-wop collection–"simple four-chord songs that got straight to the point"–and on Little Richard, Frankie Lymon, Little Anthony , and Jerry Lee Lewis . As a child, Mars spent time impersonating Elvis Presley . The playacting had
12040-511: The man I am. I used to do a lot of shows in Hawaii with my father's band. Everybody in my family sings, everyone plays instruments ... I've just been surrounded by it." When he attended President Theodore Roosevelt High School in Honolulu he sang in a group called The School Boys, who did several shows including opening for his father's new band, performing songs by the Isley Brothers and
12180-541: The music on multiple levels: It's familiar-sounding but new-classic songwriting and instrumentation with a little twist". He added, "We're that weird middle ground, where there's live instruments but it's still rhythmic and pop". The Smeezingtons used an Akai MPC4000 , three Roland Fantom S88 , V‑Synth GT , a regular V‑Synth, Korg R3 , MicroKorg , Novation Ultranova , Dave Smith Mopho , and two Access Virus TI 's to produce music. Ari Levine stated he rarely uses MPC , Storm Drum or Addictive Drums software. In August 2012,
12320-463: The next big thing. He said, "Whatever it costs you to get out here, I'll reimburse you." So I said, "Just give me five dollars back for the bus." I get to the studio, and it was Bruno, and that session was the first time either of us had written and recorded an entire song. Mars and Lawrence started writing songs together for Mars to perform but they received rejections from labels. The duo considered moving back to their home cities but that week, they got
12460-688: The potential live production on "a song or two"—much like, he says, how much of his music starts. Posner began the tour on March 31 at the World Cafe in Philadelphia , wrapping up on April 10 at The Mint in Los Angeles . The string of dates included a hometown show in Posner's native Detroit, his first such show, he says, in around two years. In an interview with Billboard , Mike revealed that he had signed with Island Records and that Pages would be replaced with another project. He also said that he would like to let
12600-673: The radio, also influenced him. Mars's musical style gravitated initially towards R&B . He was influenced by artists such as Keith Sweat , Jodeci , and R. Kelly . As a child he also took notice of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis , New Edition , Bobby Brown , Boyz II Men , Teddy Riley , and Babyface . At the same time, he also listened to 1950s rock 'n' roll , doo-wop music, and Motown . In high school, he listened to classic rock groups such as Led Zeppelin , and The Beatles , whose influences can be heard in his work, as well as singers with high voices, like Stevie Wonder and Freddie Mercury . Bob Marley , and local bands in Hawaii, were
12740-581: The same time recording for his debut album. Posner's third mixtape One Foot Out the Door was released in October 2009. The mixtape was accompanied by a web series of the same name which aired bi-weekly from September to December. His debut album, 31 Minutes to Takeoff was released in August 2010. The first single, " Cooler Than Me " peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 . He performed at Bonnaroo ,
12880-467: The same year, he was also featured on American pastor and hip hop artist Jaeson Ma 's debut single "Love" and on American rapper Travie McCoy 's "One at a Time", a charity single for MTV 's Staying Alive foundation. He reached prominence as a solo artist after being featured on, and composing (as part of the production group the Smeezingtons ) American rapper B.o.B 's " Nothin' on You " (2009) and McCoy's " Billionaire " (2010); both songs peaked within
13020-649: The secret ingredient to what me and Phil were doing", and "I'm used to live stuff. So you give me a studio with a bunch of live instruments, I can do it. But radio's not playing that stuff." The three songwriters also share a love for producers The Neptunes and Timbaland , and the hip-hop musicians of their youths who influenced them in their throwback sounds. The three said their musical influences also come from The Beatles, Police, Motown, Earth Wind & Fire, Michael Jackson, and disco music . In their usual production style, The Smeezingtons start writing their songs as cathartic, freestyle jams. Lawrence said, "We'll go into
13160-714: The showmanship of Mars to Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. Kevin Johnson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch called Mars a "consummate performer." The Boston Globe 's Sarah Rodman said that Mars shows an "indefatigable ecstatic approach to performing" and "classic showmanship." In the same vein, Jim Farber of the Daily News commented about the halftime show at Super Bowl XLVIII that Mars "brings old-school showmanship to dynamic performance." The singer took its inspiration by playing videotapes of Elvis, James Brown and Michael Jackson when he
13300-497: The shutdown, Posner (and all other artists previously signed to the three labels) will release his future material on the RCA Records brand. After the release of his debut album, Posner began working on his second studio album under the title Sky High and released the single "Looks Like Sex" to digital outlets on December 2, 2011. As a prelude to the release of the album, he released a third mixtape, The Layover . However, with
13440-680: The singer embarked on his first headlined concert tour, The Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour , which ran from November 2010 to January 2012. Nevertheless, in February 2011, a joint co-headlining tour between Mars and Janelle Monáe was announced, dubbed Hooligans in Wondaland Tour (2011). The concert tour was performed in North America in May and June 2011. Mars turned down offers to open for notable artists on arena tours, opting instead to play at smaller venues such as theaters and ballrooms. This made
13580-503: The singer wrote music every day for his upcoming album. In the same year, Mars sold part of his song catalog to Warner Chappell Music , keeping a small share. In exchange for its payment, Warner Chappell Music will collect future income from the songs. Mars's co-publishing contract with BMG was also a part of the deal. In 2021, Mars was reportedly paid $ 3.2 million to perform at a private show in Cape Cod , Massachusetts . The performance
13720-414: The singer's experience with Motown proved to be beneficial to his career. American songwriter and record producer Philip Lawrence was also signed to the label. After Mars was dropped by the label less than a year after being signed, he stayed in Los Angeles and landed a music publishing deal in 2005 with American record producers Steve Lindsey and Cameron Strang at Westside Independent. "Bruno came to
13860-584: The song " Gorilla " caused a controversy in Australia. Mars's third album, 24K Magic , was significantly influenced by R&B, funk , pop and new jack swing . Lyrically, the album involves themes of money and sex. An Evening with Silk Sonic is the debut studio album by American musical superduo Silk Sonic , composed of Mars and Anderson .Paak . The album is rooted in R&;B , soul , funk , hip hop and pop music. It explores themes of "seduction, romance", reconciliation and materialism. Mars possesses
14000-488: The start. According to Lawrence: I got a call from [ Keith Harris ], a producer we were both working within late 2006, and he said, "I got this kid who's phenomenally talented ... but he needs a writer to help get his ideas out." At the time I was flat broke with ... no car, and it was going to cost me everything I had to get to that studio session. Plus, I was leery ... because everyone in LA says they have
14140-421: The studio, "Yo, this is going to be a smash!" And then it turned into, "This is a smeeze!" Then, "This is a Smeezington." We were just like, "We should just base our whole situation upon this word. How great would it be if record labels were like, 'We have to get The Smeezingtons involved?' —Mars, explaining how they came up with the team's name. In 2007, Mars was a struggling singer-songwriter and Ari Levine
14280-445: The studio, and [Mars will] start playing the piano and I'll start freestyling or vice versa. We're heavily influenced by the '80s [sound]." Lawrence sees himself and Mars as "melody guys", and stated, "That's kind of our main focus, to have really good, memorable melodies". They can also start their songs' production with a "Levine beat, a Mars guitar melody, or a lyric snippet from Lawrence. They reject each other's bad ideas and encourage
14420-461: The success of his first album, he began to feel uncomfortable with being in the spotlight and struggled with depression. He took a break from making music to write and produce songs for other artists. He later announced via Twitter that his next upcoming album would be titled Pages and would be released in early June or late in the summer of 2013. His single "The Way It Used To Be" premiered on digital outlets on June 11, 2013. In September 2013, it
14560-448: The successful singles " 24K Magic " and a remix of " Finesse " featuring Cardi B . Silk Sonic 's soul and 1970s R&B-inspired album, An Evening with Silk Sonic (2021), contained the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single " Leave the Door Open " which received four Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. His 2024 duets " Die with a Smile " with Lady Gaga and " Apt. " with Rosé both peaked at number one on
14700-408: The table. I didn't know how to DJ. I lost that job pretty quick." —Mars speaking about his experiences of moving to Los Angeles to pursue a musical career. Shortly after moving to Los Angeles, Mars signed a record contract with Motown Records in 2004, but the deal "went nowhere", leading him to have a conversation with will.i.am 's management, which also turned out to be fruitless. However,
14840-441: The team a nomination for Record of the Year and Song of the Year . Doo-Wops & Hooligans was nominated for Album of the Year . In the same year, The Smeezingtons also co-produced and co-wrote Mars's second studio album, Unorthodox Jukebox . They were also responsible for the Billboard Hot 100 number-one songs " Locked Out of Heaven " and " When I Was Your Man ", which also entered top ten of charts in other countries. At
14980-513: The team purchased a Korg keyboard. While recording, they used a Yamaha 02R , Pro Tools HD , a Manley Langevin Dual Vocal Combo as pre/compressor/EQ, a Neumann U 87 , and Event SP8 speakers with an 18-inch (46 cm) Mackie. Levine said the acoustics and vocals are all recorded with the 87 and the Manley, and the basses and electric guitars via DI unit , adding; "the acoustic guitar that we use
15120-659: The team's contributions, Levine received a Songwriters' award at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards for "Billionaire," "Just the Way You Are", and "Nothin' On You". The team also earned the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards for Top Rap Song for "Nothin' on You". At the 2012 Grammy Awards , The Smeezingtons were nominated in five categories, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical for their involvement on Mars's Doo-Wops & Hooligans , "Lighters", and " Mirror " by Lil Wayne featuring Mars. Their work on "Grenade" earned
15260-443: The team. They worked over 10 hours every day for two years. The Smeezingtons ventured into the U.S. market, mostly writing songs for R&B-pop performers. They were given the chance of working with less-successful acts such as Mike Posner , Cobra Starship , Chad Hugo , and Lupe Fiasco . They also wrote songs for better-known acts Flo Rida , Lil Wayne , Wiz Khalifa and Cee-Lo Green . One of their first successful productions
15400-574: The theme for television coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup . " Wavin' Flag " topped the Ö3 Austria Top 40 , the Official German Charts and the Scottish Singles charts. It brought the Smeezingtons attention from the music industry with their production and writing services increasing in demand. Levine joined them, forming a trio. In late 2009, The Smeezingtons landed " Nothin' on You " by American rapper B.o.B 's featuring Mars; it topped
15540-474: The top ten of the charts in Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. On December 18, 2015, a remix EP of The Truth was released. It featured SeeB's remix of "I Took a Pill in Ibiza", as well as a remix by JordanXL of the single "Be As You Are". On March 17, 2016, Posner announced his second album, At Night, Alone , which was released on May 6, 2016, and featured both originals and remixes of "I Took
15680-568: The top ten of various countries, and " Count On Me ", which served as the final single in Australia. Mars released " It Will Rain " for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 film soundtrack (2011). The single reached number three in the U.S. and number two in New Zealand. During this period, Mars featured on " Lighters " with American hip hop duo Bad Meets Evil , " Mirror " with American rapper Lil Wayne , and " Young, Wild & Free " with American rappers Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg . The songs peaked at number four, sixteen, and seven in
15820-597: The top ten of various music charts, with the former charting at number one on both the United States Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart . Mars said of these successful singles: "I think those songs weren't meant to be full-sung songs. If I'd sung all of 'Nothin' on You', it might've sounded like some '90s R&B ." On May 11, 2010, Mars released his debut extended play (EP), It's Better If You Don't Understand . It peaked at number 99 on
15960-577: The top-three. Both singles reached number three in Canada, number four and two in New Zealand, respectively. All appeared on Billboard ' s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs , with "That's What I Like" and "Finesse" reaching number one. In late 2016, the singer started his second concert residency titled Bruno Mars at Park MGM . He also announced his third headlining concert tour, 24K Magic World Tour (2017-18), which grossed more than $ 300 million worldwide. On November 29, 2017, CBS aired Mars's first TV concert special, Bruno Mars: 24K Magic Live at
16100-430: The tour less lucrative, but helped him build his fan base. At the 2011 Grammy Awards , Mars won his first Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Just the Way You Are" and received other six nominations for his work: Best Rap Song , Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Record of the Year for "Nothin' on You"; the latter category along with Song of the Year for "Fuck You" by CeeLo Green, and Producer of
16240-467: The tour spawned shows in Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore and concluded with a 14-show tour in Brazil, Bruno Mars: Live in Brazil . In February 2023, Brody Brown revealed that Mars was working on his fourth solo studio album, and called him to help produce it. During that year, Mars also worked with Philip Lawrence , American singer-songwriter James Fauntleroy and D'Mile . In May 2023, a music insider revealed
16380-521: The ways in which it can still be stretched and molded". Before Mars played at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2014 , Idolator critic Kathy Iandoli praised The Smeezingtons' work on the Sugababes single " Get Sexy ", calling them "a crew of talented fellas". Erik Adams, music critic, of The A.V. Club , criticized the production team by saying; "If The Smeezingtons want to keep synthesizing yesterday's favorites into today's hits ... I could find it within myself to stomach Mars on more than one night of
16520-474: The world hear his recordings from Sky High and Pages . On April 15, 2015, Posner released a stripped-down single, " I Took a Pill in Ibiza ", on his Vevo account. The song was shared in an exclusive EP titled The Truth that Posner made available to fans through his email sign up list. He later confirmed that the EP would be made available to purchase from online retailers on June 22. In addition, Posner said that his second studio album would be released after
16660-404: The year", referring to "their work on Cee-Lo Green's song "Fuck You". Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars , is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for singing in a wide range of musical styles, including pop , R&B , funk , soul , reggae , disco , and rock . Mars
16800-481: Was Reflections of a Lost Teen ) started attracting industry attention in 2009. Working with Don Cannon and DJ Benzi, the mixtape was recorded at Duke University in March 2009 under the name, "Mike Posner & the Brain Trust", the Brain Trust referring to Posner's supporters. The release was unusual for being distributed for free through iTunes U , a channel designed for educational audio content. Although Posner
16940-463: Was " Get Sexy ", performed by Sugababes , released in August 2009. It peaked at number two in the United Kingdom . It was followed by Matisyahu 's " One Day ", chosen as NBC 's 2010 Winter Olympics theme. The Smeezingtons also collaborated with artist K'naan on his fourth studio album Troubadour . Coca-Cola used the album's track "Wavin' Flag" with a composition re-arranged by themselves as
17080-453: Was "holding down these random telemarketing jobs to keep the lights on". After Mars graduated in Hawaii , he moved to L.A. and found he could only pay rent by DJing. Before they met each other, "a lot of time was wasted working with random producers bouncing around from studio to studio but never getting anything done". Lawrence was initially reluctant to meet Mars but their collaboration worked from
17220-437: Was a child he had a small version of a drum set, guitar, piano, and some percussion and learned to play the instruments. When Mars was 12, his parents divorced, ending The Love Notes act. His father's various businesses which ranged from temporary-tattoo parlors to memorabilia shops, failed. As a result, there was no longer a steady source of income. He moved out of his parents' house along with his brother and father. They lived in
17360-530: Was a major commercial success, reaching number one in several countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. "Uptown Funk" spent a total of fourteen and seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, respectively. The song became a worldwide phenomenon with a major impact on pop culture . In September 2014, Mars began working on his third studio album, affirming, "Now it's time to start writing chapter 3". He had not come up with
17500-478: Was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He graduated with a B.A. degree in sociology with a 3.6 GPA. Posner's father, Jon, died on January 11, 2017; his mother is Roberta Henrion; and his sister, Emily Henrion Posner, is a civil rights attorney. Posner started out as a record producer , working on some tracks with his hometown friend Big Sean . Posner's second mixtape, A Matter of Time (his first mixtape
17640-614: Was a producer looking to work with new songwriters. Lawrence was the first guest at Levine's studio Levcon Studios; they had previously worked together after being introduced by a mutual friend. Lawrence was responsible for connecting Mars and Levine. One day, Mars and Lawrence were sitting in a car with no money; they decided to try producing for themselves and enlisted the help of Levine, who contributed his equipment and expertise in drum programming, sampling and other electronic sounds. In 2009, The Smeezingtons settled in Hollywood and Levine joined
17780-497: Was announced that he had filmed a music video for his new single "Top of the World" which would appear on his upcoming Page 1 EP, set for release in October. The song was originally used for a Reebok campaign, and made available as a free download under the title "Tapada World" as a special remix. The song was released on December 17, 2013, featuring Big Sean ; the music video came out on December 19. On March 4, 2014, Posner announced
17920-423: Was composed of Mars, Lawrence, and Christopher Brody Brown . Eventually, Lawrence left the team and they disbanded. The Smeezingtons said they hoped to eventually move from for-hire work to development of new artists. Their recording suite Levcon Studios was open to musicians of all genres. "I don't think you can name an artist that we don't want to work with," Mars said. The Smeezingtons composed songs and played
18060-466: Was delivered to Motorola CEO son's wedding. On February 26, 2021, Mars and American rapper Anderson .Paak announced they have recorded an album together under the band name Silk Sonic . Their debut album, An Evening with Silk Sonic , released on November 12, 2021, features American musician Bootsy Collins as a special guest host. It was mainly produced by Mars and American record producer and songwriter D'Mile . The album debuted at number two on
18200-468: Was featured on Mark Ronson 's " Uptown Funk ", which spent a total of seven weeks atop the UK Singles Chart and fourteen weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. Mars's third album, the R&;B-focused 24K Magic (2016), received seven Grammy Awards, winning the major categories of Album of the Year , Record of the Year, and Song of the Year . The album produced the U.S. number one single " That's What I Like " and
18340-480: Was included on the soundtrack . The single peaked at number seven in the US, number two in New Zealand, and number six on the French charts . At the 2013 Grammy Awards , "Young, Wild & Free" was nominated for Best Rap Song . In 2014, Mars said he was not interested in composing songs for other artists because he had to pay rent. Nevertheless, they produced " All I Ask " for Adele's third studio album 25 (2015). At
18480-586: Was lost to English producer Paul Epworth . During that time, Mars also won his first American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist , International Male Solo Artist at the Brit Awards and the Echo Award for Best International Male. In March 2012, Mars signed a worldwide publishing deal with BMG Chrysalis US. In September 2012, when interviewed by Billboard magazine, Mars stated that his next album would be more musically varied, adding: "I want to have
18620-455: Was not the only artist to take advantage of this loophole, his release was the most organized and high profile, and attracted the largest response, immediately reaching the number one position on the iTunes U chart. Posner signed a record deal with J Records (RCA/Sony) in July 2009, after his junior year at Duke University. He chose to return to Duke after signing and toured on the weekends while at
18760-462: Was released in October 2010. The Smeezingtons produced and co-wrote the album, funneling lessons learned through label meetings and early hits into Mars's solo work. The album's singles " Just the Way You Are " and " Grenade " topped the Billboard Hot 100, the Australian charts , the UK Singles Chart, and singles charts in other countries. In 2011, " The Lazy Song ", another success for the team, topped
18900-421: Was released on March 24, 2017, and featured appearances from Soren Bryce , G-Eazy , Cyhi The Prynce , Snooze God, Spark Master Tape, and Rodman. Mike Posner was featured on Nick Jonas ' 2017 single " Remember I Told You ", the second collaboration between Posner and Jonas. The track also featured English singer Anne-Marie . On January 22, 2018, Posner announced a poetry album entitled I was born in detroit on
19040-454: Was the first Super Bowl halftime headlined by a performer under 30 in a decade. It was the most watched halftime show in the history of the Super Bowl at that time, drawing a rating of 115.3 million viewers. The viewership for the halftime show was higher than that for the game. At the 2014 Grammy Awards , Mars won the award for Best Pop Vocal Album for Unorthodox Jukebox . "Locked Out of Heaven" earned nominations for Record and Song of
19180-629: Was their first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, and the first of numerous successful productions for Mars's career—which resulted in two consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles in 2010 and 2013. In August 2010, they produced and co-wrote the single " Fuck You " for American singer CeeLo Green , which topped the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Before meeting Bruno Mars , Philip Lawrence worked in theater and at Walt Disney World in Florida for seven years after finishing college. He moved to Los Angeles and
19320-686: Was thinking about purchasing a Minimoog . Levine said he does not use any hardware and rarely uses plugins . He said: ... my favourites are the McDSP FilterBank for my EQ, the Waves Rvox and Renaissance Compressor as my compressors, the [Waves limiter] L2, and my favourite reverb is [Avid's venerable plug‑in] D‑Verb. I also use [Line 6] Echo Farm, Sound Toys Echoboy, and, well that's pretty much it. I have many plug-ins, but I don't really use them." He said "I've tried convolution reverbs , but they don't really work. They sound cheap. He also stated
19460-537: Was written for Mars. The duo did not want to give the song away, but when they were offered $ 20,000 for it, they agreed. The sale of this song allowed them to continue working, and Mars and Lawrence decided that they would write and produce songs together for other artists. Eventually Creed became the former's manager for nine years. Before becoming a successful solo artist, Mars was an acknowledged music producer, writing songs for Alexandra Burke , Adam Levine , Brandy , Sean Kingston , and K'naan . Mars stated that
19600-436: Was younger. Now before shows he watches Brown's T.A.M.I. Show , James Hendrix's Live at Woodstock or Prince performing " Purple Rain " (1984). Mike Posner Michael Robert Henrion Posner ( / ˈ p oʊ z n ər / POHZ -nər ; born February 12, 1988) is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit . He signed with J Records in 2009 to release his debut single " Cooler Than Me "
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