Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), better known by his stage name
Bruno Mars, is an American
singer-songwriter and
record producer. Raised in
Honolulu,
Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age. He performed in various musical venues in his hometown throughout his childhood. He graduated from high school and then moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue a musical career. Mars produced songs for other artists, joining production team
The Smeezingtons.

Mars' music is noted for displaying a wide variety of styles and influences, and contains elements of many musical genres. He has worked with an assortment of artists from various genres. Mars acknowledges the influences that his collaborations have had on his own music. As a child, he was highly influenced by artists such as
Little Richard,
[3] Elvis Presley and
Michael Jackson and would often impersonate these artists from a young age. Mars also incorporates
reggae and
Motown inspired sounds into his work. Jon Caramanica of
The New York Times referred to Mars as "one of the most versatile and accessible singers in pop."
[4] Worldwide, Mars became the best-digital selling artist for 2011. With three singles in the top ten including first place with 12.5 million sales the single "Just The Way You Are"