Bruno Mars - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help

Mars signed a contract with the record company Motown in 2004. Although no recordings resulted, he met songwriter Philip Lawrence. Mars, Lawrence, and sound engineer Ari Levine subsequently began writing and producing songs for other artists under the name the Smeezingtons. They produced such popular songs as “Long Distance” (2008) for contemporary R&B singer Brandy, “Right Round” (2009) for hip-hop MC Flo Rida, and “Wavin’ Flag” (2009) for Somalian Canadian rapper K’Naan. “Wavin’ Flag” later became the theme song for the FIFA World Cup 2010 in soccer (association football). Mars contributed his soulful tenor vocals to the Smeezingtons-penned singles “Nothin’ on You,” together with hip-hop artist B.o.B, and to “Billionaire,” along with rapper Travie McCoy. In 2009 Mars signed with the label Elektra.

In 2010 Mars released the four-song recording It’s Better If You Don’t Understand. A few months later he released the album Doo-Wops & Hooligans, which introduced the hit singles “Just the Way You Are,” “Grenade,” and “The Lazy Song.” The album made him a star and earned him his first Grammy Award, for best male pop vocal performance (for “Just the Way You Are”). The album Unorthodox Jukebox appeared in 2012, two months after he had debuted its breakout single, “Locked Out of Heaven.” The album, which also includes the hit songs “When I Was Your Man” and “Treasure,” won a Grammy for best pop vocal album. Mars subsequently was a featured singer on the 2014 single “Uptown Funk,” a collaboration with British producer Mark Ronson that recalled 1980s funk and R&B. The song, which appeared on Ronson’s album Uptown Special (2015), won the Grammy for record of the year.

In 2016 Mars released the album 24K Magic. It drew inspiration from 1990s R&B and featured the song “That’s What I Like.” The album was highly successful, earning Mars several Grammy Awards, including best album, record, and song. Mars later joined with rapper Anderson .Paak to form the duo Silk Sonic. In 2021 they released the album An Evening with Silk Sonic. It features a number of popular singles, including “Leave the Door Open,” which received Grammys for best record and song.

In 2024 Mars worked on singles with South Korean singer Rosé and American singer Lady Gaga. The following year his duet with Gaga, “Die with a Smile,” won the Grammy for best pop duo performance.