His parents were musicians, so it is little wonder that Peter Gene Hernandez would be inclined to pursue that career. He was born in 1985 and raised in Hawaii, where he performed in clubs during his young years. Adopting his stage name of Bruno Mars and moving to Los Angeles, he found work producing for other artists, writing lyrics, and eventually he signed with Atlantic Records.

His writing and background vocals brought notice for his solo career. He was featured on "Billionaire" with Travie McCoy and "Nothin' on You" with B.o.B. Other hit songs that include his lyrics are K'naan's "Wavin' Flag" and Flo Rida's "Right Round."

Bruno's first album was released in 2010. Two #1 singles came from "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," "Grenade" and "Just the Way You Are." The album went up to #3 on the Billboard 200. Due to the major success of his first efforts, Bruno received seven nominations for Grammys, taking the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 53rd Annual Awards for "Just the Way You Are."

Partially because of his parents' influence and his own varied musical tastes, Mars is influenced by Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and musical genres like Motown and reggae. He impersonated many of the older artists during his early years, positioning himself as a performer who appeals to many different audiences.