Born Peter Gene Hernandez in Honolulu, Bruno Mars first turned heads at age 4 by impersonating Elvis Presley in his family's local variety show. After graduating from high school, Mars moved to Los Angeles where he teamed with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine to form the Smeezingtons, a powerhouse songwriting and production crew. The trio has crafted hits for artists such as Alicia Keys, Brandy, Flo Rida, Lil Wayne, and Travie McCoy, as well as Cee Lo Green's 2010 Song Of The Year GRAMMY-nominated hit "F*** You." The trio's production on "F*** You" and B.o.B's "Nothing On You," the latter on which Mars lent vocals, helped garner them a 53rd GRAMMY nomination for Producer Of The Year.

Mars' solo career proved to be equally successful when he took home his first GRAMMY for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 53rd GRAMMY Awards for the soulful "Just The Way You Are." The No. 1 hit propelled Mars' debut album, 2010's Doo-Wops & Hooligans, to No. 3 on the Billboard 200. In 2011 Doo-Wops & Hooligans and the smash hit "Grenade" received Album Of The Year and Record and Song Of The Year nominations, respectively. In 2012 Mars scored his first No. 1 album with his sophomore set, Unorthodox Jukebox. The album features the hits "When I Was Your Man" and "Locked Out Of Heaven," the latter of which Mars performed on the 55th GRAMMY Awards.