The Legacy of African Music within African American Music: Group Project
September 10, 2022
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Bruno Mars is a singer/songwriter who is well-known for his soothing voice and charisma on stage. His real name is Peter gene Hernandez. Bruno Mars is one of this generation’s most versatile artists. Pop, R&B, funk, soul, reggae, hip hop, disco, and rock are just a few of the musical styles he’s known for. He is also a performer, in addition to being able to produce in all of these genres. Due to his versatility, he has been able to stay relevant after all these years of popping in and out of the music scene, producing hit after hit.
Bruno Mars began his musical journey at a young age. Not just in his teenage years, but since he was four years old, he was known to have a talent for the arts. He wrote his first song at four years old for his mom. And, according to his mother, when she gave him a piano when he was two years old, he didn’t just bang it like many other kids, but he actually played tunes. Additionally, he was also the youngest Elvis impersonator at the time, performing in his family’s band, movies, the 1990 Aloha Bowl, documentaries, and television shows. Bruno Mars has been performing since he was a child, which explains why he is such a talented performer. Furthermore, Bruno Mars grew up in poverty in Hawaii. He remarked that despite his adversity, he had a great time during those years because he was so close to his family. Yes, they struggled, he admitted, but they were in it together. He has four sisters and one brother. His mother is and has always been his favorite and most important person.
Furthermore, he chose the stage name Bruno Mars as his father referred to him as “Little Bruno” after professional wrestler Bruno Sammartin. He also picked the surname Mars because he is a ladies’ man, claiming that women describe him as “out of this world.” His stage name also helped him advance in his singing career. Mars was subjected to stereotypes because he is of Puerto Rican and Filipino descent. Critics felt he should limit himself to Latin music. Because of the racist milieu in America, he was more accepted under his stage name than he would have been otherwise.
Mars music is influenced by the classics. Some of his main influences are James Brown, Elvis, Bob Marley, Prince, Little Richard, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Michael Jackson, and etc. Because Bruno is such a versatile artist, several of these influential musicians can be seen in his work. The soulfulness and purity show through his music. His dance, for example, is influenced by James Brown, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson, while his funk music comes from groups like Earth, Wind, and Fire. His influences contribute to him becoming such a timeless artist because he combines their artistry and transforms it into his own.
Early
Bruno Mars became increasingly active in the music industry after moving to Los Angeles after high school. In the late 2000s, Mars began to make a name for himself as a writer behind the scenes. He produced a lot of hits with other writers under the name Smeezingtons. He began releasing his own music shortly after, around 2010. This started with an EP, followed by his first album Doo-Wops & Hooligans a few months later. His debut propelled him to stardom and earned him his first Grammy. The album has now been certified seven times platinum.
Middle
Bruno Mars’ second studio album, Unorthodox Jukebox, was released at the end of 2012. This album was certified six times platinum and went on to win Grammys and other prestigious honors. A few years later, he released his third album, 24k magic, which catapulted his career to new heights. He won seven Grammys for this album, which had hit after hit. The album’s songs were influenced by R&B from the 1990s. And had beats that made you want to dance to practically every song.
Current
Mars is currently a member of the Silk Sonic R&B duo, which also features Anderson. Paak. With their debut single Leave The Door Open, they became well-known. Their music is a blend of R&B, soul, funk, and pop with an old-school vibe. They just released their debut studio album, An Evening with Silk Sonic, in November of 2021. Despite the fact that the album has only been out for a short time, it is already performing exceptionally well.
2010
His debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans is a 7x platinum album.
2012
Mars second studio album Unothodox Jukebox is a 6x platinum album.
2016
His third studio album 24k magic went 3x platinum.
2021
Grenade(2010)
Just the Way You Are(2010)
Marry You(2010)
Talking To The Moon(2010)
When I Was Your Man (2012)
Treasure (2012)
Locked Out Of Heaven(2012)
24K Magic(2016)
That’s What I Like(2016)
Finesse(2016)
Versace On The Floor(2016)
Leave The Door Open(2021)
Smokin Out The Window(2021)
Grammy Wins
American Music Awards
Bruno Mars has won additional Billboard, BET, and other accolades in addition to these.
When it comes to giving back to his community, Bruno Mars is very involved. The media isn’t sure if it’s because of his upbringing in poverty, but it’s likely had an impact on his generosity. One of the substantial contributions was made to the Flint, Michigan water crisis. He gave a million dollars to the Community Foundation of Greater Flint in order to help families receive better quality access to water. Additionally, Mars donated 100,000 to help the children affected by Typhoon Yolanda. His goal was to help “bring back the esteem and morale of orphans who lost their homes and families”(Dixon). After the natural disaster, he was also a part of a fundraising album for the Philippians. He was particularly eager to help because, in the years leading up to the typhoon, he had developed a strong connection with the children at earlier concerts. Last but not least, he teamed up with the Hawaii Community Foundation to provide scholarships to students interested in learning about commercial music. Then proceed to make the scholarship available to everyone in the United States. Overall, Mars has continued to provide over the years; these are only a few examples.
Bruno Mars’ career has been so successful because he is true to himself and is not one-dimensional or categorical. He is pop, R&B, funk, soul, reggae, hip hop, disco, and rock. His versatility as an artist is evident in his music, which explains why he has won so many awards. Not only has he won awards for single records, but he has also won many Grammys for best album of the year. Furthermore, he has remained popular over the years since each song is catchy and successful. He never fails to keep us on our toes. He has a way of repurposing old-school vibes to create new-school records. I’m excited to watch where his career goes from here, especially since his band Silk Sonic is still fairly new yet quite popular.
Parade, 20 Nov. 2017, parade.com/621658/alison-abbey/bruno-mars-talks-giving-his-all-onstage-and-giving-back-to-those-in-need/.
“Bruno Mars Influenced by Soul Legend.” Capital, 18 Feb. 2011, www.capitalfm.com/artists/bruno-mars/news/bruno-mars-influenced-soul-legend/.
“Bruno Mars Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More.” AllMusic, www.allmusic.com/artist/bruno-mars-mn0001032082.
“Bruno Mars.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/biography/Bruno-Mars.
Dixon, Christine-Marie Liwag. “The Untold Truth of Bruno Mars.” TheList.com, The List, 15 Feb. 2021, www.thelist.com/83646/untold-truth-bruno-mars/.
Parade. “How Did Bruno Mars Come up with His Stage Name?” Parade, Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays, 27 Jan. 2018, parade.com/125331/parade/how-bruno-mars-came-up-with-his-stage-name/.
Sisavat, Monica. “It’s Official: Bruno Mars Has Now Hit the Double Digits in Grammy Wins.” POPSUGAR Entertainment, 30 Jan. 2018, www.popsugar.com/entertainment/How-Many-Grammys-Does-Bruno-Mars-Have-44536409.
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