After a string of behind-the-scene jobs -- everything from writing songs for
Brandy to impersonating
Elvis -- singer/songwriter/producer
Bruno Mars put his name on top of the charts in 2010 by collaborating with rapper
B.o.B. for the single “Nothin’ on You.” Born Peter Hernandez in Waikiki, Hawaii,
Mars’ kicked off his career at the age of four fronting his uncle’s band as the Island’s youngest
Elvis impersonator. Ten years later, he was impersonating the King of Pop,
Michael Jackson, with the
Legends in Concert show. After graduation, his uncle convinced him to move to the Mainland and follow of his dream of becoming a singer. Months of frustration and going nowhere followed before
Mars met songwriter Phillip Lawrence, the man who would convince him to try his hand at writing songs for other artists. The two would dub themselves the Smeezingtons and co-write “Long Distance” which would be recorded in 2008 by R&B; singer
Brandy. The gigs came in fast after that and in 2009, when the duo co-wrote “Right Round” for rapper
Flo Rida, they had their first number one hit on their hands. A year later,
Mars would co-write and sing on
B.o.B.’s number one hit “Nothin’ on You,” and would do the same for
Travie McCoy with his cut “Billionaire.” Also in 2010, he released his debut solo EP
It's Better If You Don't Understand which featured more pop material mixed with the R&B.; ~ David Jeffries, Rovi