Bruno Mars: 15 Things You Didn’t Know (Part 1)

Bruno Mars has quickly risen to an unheard-of level of stardom over the course of the past few years. The 30-year-old singer has churned out hit after catchy hit, and a lot of his career has been made available to the greater public. Despite his continued public presence, there are still some things that many people don’t know about him. With that in mind, here we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Bruno Mars. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!

Number Fifteen: He Grew Up in Hawaii. Mars was both born and raised in the Hawaiian city of Honolulu. Mars’ father is actually from Brooklyn, New York, and his mother, who has Filipino roots, moved to Hawaii when she was just a child.

Number Fourteen: He Got His Stage Name From a Wrestler. Bruno Mars’ birth name is Peter Gene Hernandez, but he got the nickname “Bruno” from his dad, who called him that because his bigger physique as a child reminded him of the wrestler named Bruno Sammartino. Bruno added the “Mars” to add some flair to his name.

Number Thirteen: Music Is in His Blood. Both Mars’ mother and his father are involved in music. His father is a drummer, and his mom was a very talented hula dancer. Even Mars’ sisters and brother are involved in music!

Number Twelve: He Can Do a Mean Elvis Impersonation. Mars has been performing since he was just four years old, and he got his start by being part of a variety shows that his dad and uncle ran. In the show, he would impersonate Elvis.

Number Eleven: He Is Also a Talented Songwriter. Is there anything this guy can’t do? In addition to being an insanely talented singer, Mars has written songs for other artists as well. He has written songs for Sean Kingston, CeeLo Green and Flo Rida.

Number Ten: He Was Not Instantly Famous. Though Mars is wildly famous now, it was not always that way. He signed a contract in 2004 that did not end up going anywhere, and he did not really break out until he was featured on a B.o.B. single.

Number Nine: He Has Been Arrested. Mars was arrested for possession of cocaine in 2010 while he was in Las Vegas.