Bruno Mars' Super Bowl halftime show spiced by much-needed Chili Peppers

Singer delivered exactly what we thought he would – slick, unmemorable pop, ruffled only by his big, fratty brothers

He sings, he dances, he plays drums… Bruno Mars plays the Super Bowl. Photograph: Theo Wargo/FilmMagic

In a GQ interview last year, Bruno Mars’ most lucid moment came when he was asked what the secret to a good song was. He answered: “Hypnotize me in the very first three seconds, wake my ear plate up, give me something that I haven't felt before … and then punch me in the fucking face."

It was an uncharacteristically pithy and astute response. Mars, a former child Elvis impersonator, knows how to write a watertight hit but tends to evince a genial cluelessness about everything else – the world, his place in it, how not to get arrested, etc. His mugshot from last year, following his arrest for cocaine possession, is painfully telling. There’s the uncertain smile and vacant gaze of someone who doesn’t quite know how he found himself here, but suspects that they must, nonetheless, persist in attempts at ingratiation.

That might also describe the way he felt about playing the Super Bowl halftime show, the most illustrious gig in pop, so enormous that its organisers didn’t even pay Mars for that 12-minute performance – they know and he knows, that this is multi-million dollar exposure for him.

It’s a slot that demands an established star with epic wattage. Last year it was the truly peerless Beyoncé; in 2012 it was Madonna, and 10 years ago and most infamously it was Janet Jackson and her wilfully errant right nipple. Mars – diminutive, Fedoraed, a kind of Stepfordian pop-bot with all dials permanently set to “Inoffensively Entertain” – seemed a mystifying choice.

Many, in fact, were more than mystified – they were plain mean. The Puppy Bowl is an annual TV programme on the Animal Planet channel which features dogs messing around instead of men kicking footballs and this year’s halftime show was keyboard cat, the 2011 meme that functions as a coda to online failure. Dressed in a tiny Fedora, the cat bashed out Mars’ Locked Out of Heaven with his paws and from that moment, the sentiment “keyboard cat playing Bruno Mars was better than Bruno Mars playing Bruno Mars” became almost a tweet-cliché.

Mars may not be interesting, but he’s certainly a lot more talented than an animated cat. He began the 12 most important minutes of his career with a paean to a vagina: Locked Out of Heaven is his Police-indebted 2012 hit about “swimming in your water” being “something spiritual”. This didn’t feel like a spiritual experience but, sonically at least, the song seemed appropriately cavernous – a stadium belter that Mars and his fellow gold-suited Hooligans went for, accompanied by all the obligatory son et lumiere.

They followed with last year’s spry disco track, Treasure, in which Mars’ footwork was so fancy and so faultless that it was a little exhausting to watch. No dance move quite yells “I am trying as hard as I possibly can right now to entertain you” the way the splits does.

No need to look so scared, Bruno. Well – some need. Photograph: Rob Carr/Getty Images

And then, like a bullying big brother and his fratty friends crashing Mars’ recital, the reassuringly shirtless Red Hot Chili Peppers burst into proceedings to stomp and shout their way through Give It Away.

Throughout, Mars’ grin was tinged with bewilderment, as though he wasn’t quite expecting this, but was going to go along with it and be a good sport anyway. His 12 minutes ended, as everything decreed they must, with, Just The Way You Are, his Grammy-winning, non-biodegradable cornball of a hit about an insecure girl being pretty.

The lack of worldly nous so painfully obvious in that mugshot of his might just be the thing that makes Mars so good at what he does. He was exactly like you – and indeed the anxious, family-friendly organisers of America’s most watched television event – thought he would be: perfectly professional, slick as his pompidour and almost as dull as the football himself.

Bruno Mars to 'curate' Super Bowl half-time show: what are we in for?

It’s only been two years since the trilby-hatted crooner waggled his legs in America’s highest-profile performance, but with Uptown Funk in the bag, it’s no surprise he was invited back so soon

 

Golden touch: Bruno Mars gets his kit on at the 2013 Super Bowl half-time show. Photograph: Theo Wargo/FilmMagic

It isn’t all about nipple pasty slip-ups and flipping the bird. Though Janet Jackson’s 2004 “wardrobe malfunction” and MIA’s $16.6m stray middle finger in 2012 have come to define some of the more controversial recent Super Bowl half-time performances, we shouldn’t forget this sponsored spectacle’s humble roots. Long before Shania Twain bounced around in her rhinestone-studded push-up bra in 2003, marching bands provided the mid-game entertainment. Just marching bands. Without anyone famous lip-synching to a backing track. Those really were simpler times. Then New Kids on the Block ushered in a new pop- and rock-oriented era with their 1991 performance.

I’ve never felt more keenly aware of the half-time show’s tame, family-friendly past than when I read about the hopes for next year’s gig. The NFL has reportedly invited Bruno Mars, with his mind-boggling collection of trilby hats and shirts that don’t seem to button up to the top, to not only perform but also “curate” the show. With his track record as a songwriter, producer, Grammy winner and all-round music industry nice guy, it doesn’t get much more safe than that. Of course, there was also the huge chart success of Uptown Funk – shout out to all the wedding DJs who had to play it this summer – which no doubt cemented the NFL’s choice.

But wait. The idea of Mars dancing his little legs around the stadium may seem familiar because he last played the half-time show in February 2014. That’s strange enough, without considering what his “curation” would entail. Are we talking about a Brian Eno-style approach to building the lineups for festivals inthe UK, Australia and Norway? Or something more the lines of David Byrne’s Meltdown festival or Jay Z’s Made In America extravaganza, where Mars would help pick his friends and past collaborators as performers? Although this news all arises from an anonymous source speaking to Billboard, it’s interesting to think about how Mars would make his mark on a viewing audience that usually tips over the 100 million mark. And by interesting, I mean deeply depressing.
Bruno Mars’s 2013 Super Bowl half-time performance with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Mars no doubt has a deep knowledge of music, from pop and Motown to soul, R&B and classic rock’n’roll. His restless genre-shifting on 2012’s Unorthodox Jukebox shows that off to full effect. On the surface, a Mars-curated half-time show could pull in anyone from Jerry Lee Lewis and Damian Marley to Pharrell or the current incarnation of the Isley Brothers. But it could just as easily usher in appearances from the likes of Meghan Trainor and Charlie Puth in a sickly sweet doo-wop tribute, or Mumford & Sons – complete with their new amped-up sound. Now that Mars has ascended to another level of fame, he may opt for the populist choice and draft in the happy-clappy acts most likely to please casual music fans and their buffalo wing-eating families.

Mars’s first half-time show felt both celebratory – making him the only performer under 30 to headline the show in Super Bowl history – and weirdly incongruous, starting with a drum solo and ending with a cornball run-through of Just the Way You Are. Somewhere in the middle, the Red Hot Chili Peppers blasted through Give It Away with Mars, too. Like I said, weirdly incongruous.

That night Mars helped pull in 115 million viewers, the second-highest audience after Katy Perry’s 121 million last year. So maybe he’s being asked back because he nailed the numbers. Mars appeals to a broad demographic, from the aunties who dance to Grenade at family parties to the guys who sext Gorilla lyrics with the eggplant emoji. And cynically speaking, the Super Bowl half-time show mostly feels like an opportunity for advertisers and major labels to convince people to buy stuff, in between shots of bulked-up men throwing a ball around. As a commercial success, Mars makes sense.

Performers go all out on a spectacular, 13-minute set, but the half-time show is not designed as a place for avant-garde artistes and their muses. While I’m sure acts like the Flaming Lips, math rockers Battles or rapper Lil B (a Californian who is native to the area of Levi’s Stadium, which is hosting the Super Bowl) could pull in some fun left-field names if they were given the chance, the Super Bowl is still way out of their leagues. Mars, as polished and incessantly chirpy as he may be, could get people to tune in. And on a night like this, that’s what counts to theNFL.

Singer Bruno Mars' mother Bernadette Hernandez, 55, 'dies of brain aneurysm'

Bruno Mars' mother Bernadette Hernandez is said to have died of a brain aneurysm.

The mother-of-six, 55, died on Saturday, a publicist for the singer's label Atlantic Records told Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

Mrs Hernandez's death came after it was initially reported she had suffered a suspected heart attack in Hawaii on Friday and was being treated at the Queens Medical Center in Honolulu.

Devastating: Singer Bruno Mars flew into Los Angeles LAX airport on Friday - the same day his mother was said to have been hospitalised

The Philippines-born matriarch is survived by her Grammy-winning son, his brother Eric and their four sisters Presley, Tahiti, Tiara and Jamie.

She was divorced from Bruno's father Peter Hernandez, who was of Puerto Rican and Jewish descent.
All of the singer's siblings' usually active Twitter accounts have been noticeably quiet since Friday.

Bruno and his brother Eric, who is the drummer in his band, were spotted in Los Angeles on Friday after flying in from Berlin.



Close knit: Bernadette (centre) with her daughters Presley, Tahiti, Tiara and Jamie

Bernadette's condition was first reported by Star magazine, who said the 55-year-old was rushed to the hospital near her home in Honolulu and was in critical condition.

'Bernadette is in hospital and the grandkids are all here, I’m looking after them,' family friend Anita Sojot told the magazine.
'The family is on it’s way here right now and we are going to discuss what to do next.'



Support: Bruno in a family photo at Christmas 2012 with his brother Eric and three of his four sisters

The 28-year-old singer opened up about his childhood in the April issue of Rolling Stone, talking about his family's penchant for music and dressing as Elvis as a toddler.

'I wouldn't trade it for anything,' Bruno told the magazine of singing in a family band. 'Because I feel like I can enjoy this so much.'

When he was four he recorded a tune he penned titled I Love You Mom, an 80s style synth ballad in which he repeats the title and calls her 'my favourite girl'.

'My mommy helps me with my voice / cuz a superstar singer is my first choice,' he rhymes.

Close family: Bruno (bottom left) grew up as one of six children to mother Bernadette (centre)

The youngster, born Peter Gene Hernandez, also talks about chores and obeying his parents.

'My parents help me out cuz I know they love me / I just wish they buy me more toys and candy. 

'I always brush my teeth cuz my mommy said / I do it in the morning and right before bed.'

Bruno, who is set to launch his Moonshine Jungle Tour in June, also has her name tattooed on his shoulder.

Bruno Mars wraps up a year's worth of realty deals with home sale

The 1964 home has a striking facade

Grammy winner Bruno Mars has sold his Hollywood Regency-style contemporary along the border of Studio City and Hollywood Hills West for $3,347,500 (NZ$5,037,243) in an off-market deal.

Fronting a 10-vehicle motor court, the 1964 home has an imposing facade with stone columns flanking 11-foot-tall frosted glass entry doors.

The walled and gated house features a single-story open floor plan. Retractable walls of glass bring in expansive cityscape and mountain views.



Bruno Mars has sold his Hollywood home.
The home contains living and family rooms, three bedrooms, three full bathrooms and a powder room in 4,074 square feet of living space. The master bathroom features radiant heat flooring, a sauna, a two-person steam shower and a massage and gym area, according to details from 2012, when Mars bought the property for $3.254 million.
There's a swimming pool at the back of the house and a three-car garage.
Earlier this year, Mars bought an estate in Studio City for $6.5 million. The 9,033-square-foot Mediterranean-style house, built in 2000, sits on two acres with a covered lounge, an infinity swimming pool with a spa and a children's play area.

He also sold his place in Hawaii.

The singer-songwriter, 30, is working on his third album. He has released two studio albums, Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010) and Unorthodox Jukebox (2012). The latter won a Grammy Award for best pop vocal album. He was Billboard's artist of the year in 2014.

Mars performed with the Red Hot Chili Peppers during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2014

Bruno Mars Biography

                                            

Bruno Mars is an American singer-songwriter known for such hit songs as "Nothin' on You," "Just the Way You Are" and "Locked Out of Heaven."

“Everything's good right now. It's really paying off because now my songs are on the radio. It took me a while to finally get it, but when I got it, I think I got it right. And I'm very proud of how my songs are representing me as an artist.”
—Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars - Mini Biography (TV-14; 2:48) After several years as one of the pop music's premier songwriters, Bruno Mars broke out as a singer in his own right with the 2010 hit "Nothin' on You" and has since become a pop music icon.

Synopsis
Singer-songwriter Bruno Mars was born on October 8, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii. By the early 2000s, he had begun to find success by writing songs for popular artists, including K'Naan's "Wavin' Flag," the theme song for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. After several years as one of pop music's premier songwriters, Mars broke out as a singer in his own right with the 2010 hit "Nothin' on You." Other popular songs by Mars include "Just the Way You Are" (2010) and "Locked Out of Heaven" (2012).

Early Life
Born Peter Gene Hernandez on October 8, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii, popular singer-songwriter Bruno Mars grew up in a very musical family. His father, Pete, was a Latin percussionist from Brooklyn, and his mother, Bernadette ("Bernie"), was a singer. Mars received his nickname, "Bruno," while he was still a baby. "The name Bruno came from baby times," older sister Jamie explained. "Bruno was always so confident, independent, really strong-willed and kind of a brute—hence the name Bruno—and it kind of just stuck."

In Waikiki Beach, Mars's family performed a Las Vegas-style revue that included Motown hits, doo-wop melodies and celebrity impersonations. Growing up around entertainers, Mars began picking up musical instruments from early childhood. "I've always had a drum set, a piano, a guitar ... and never got trained to play. It was just always there," he later recalled. "That's just how I learned, just being surrounded by it my whole life." At the age of 4, he joined the family musical act as an Elvis impersonator and quickly become one of the stars of the show. He continued to perform with his family throughout his childhood, and as he approached adolescence he added Michael Jackson to his impersonation repertoire.

Move to Los Angeles
Mars attended Roosevelt High School, where he and several friends formed a band, the School Boys, performing classic oldies hits alongside his family's act at the Ilikai Hotel in Honolulu. Mars credits his fearless stage presence to his unusual childhood. "Performing from such a young age just got me so comfortable on stage," he said. "Growing up performing—that was normal for me. Everyone in my family sings, plays instruments. It's what we do."

After graduating from high school, Mars decided to leave Hawaii for Los Angeles, California. Over his first few years in L.A., he struggled to make a breakthrough in the music industry. And especially because he had performed so frequently while growing up in Honolulu, Mars grew frustrated with waiting for his career to move forward. It was during this period that Mars first turned to songwriting. "I only started writing songs when I moved up to L.A. because when I was in Hawaii, I never really needed to," he recalled. "But it stemmed from just learning that you have to do everything by yourself. It's not like what you see in movies, where you walk into a record company and you're given all these great songs to sing. You have to write the song the world is going to want to hear and play it over and over again. I learned that the hard way here in L.A."

Career Breakthrough
A friend introduced Mars to songwriter Phillip Lawrence, who agreed to help Mars compose material. They presented a song they had written and recorded to a record label, who liked it but wanted one of their own artists to perform it. Mars recalled, "We were so broke and struggling, we had to do what we had to do, so we ended up selling the song." Initially, Mars was disappointed, but it proved to be an awakening experience. "The light bulb went off," he explained. "I decided to push the artist thing aside and get into the business this way. We can write songs and produce songs, so we just really focused our energy into writing for other artists. That's how it all began."

By the early 2000s, Mars had begun to find success by writing songs for several popular artists, including Flo Rida's smash hit "Right 'Round," Brandy's "Long Distance" and Travie McCoy's "Billionaire." Mars also produced and co-wrote K'Naan's "Wavin' Flag," the theme song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

After several years as one of the pop music industry's premier songwriters, Mars finally broke out as a singer in his own right with the 2010 hit "Nothin' on You." The song was written for the Atlantic Records rapper B.o.B., but the record label decided to enlist Mars himself to croon the heartfelt chorus. The track proved an enormous hit, skyrocketing to No. 1 on the Billboard singles chart, and instantly transforming Bruno Mars from a behind-the-scenes composer into a pop performer.
'Doo-Wops & Hooligans'

Several months later, Mars released his first solo single, "Just the Way You Are," from his debut studio album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, released in October 2010. The song quickly proved to be another hit for the artist, putting him back at the top of the Billboard singles chart. Additionally, Doo-Wops & Hooligans reached No. 3 on the Billboard album charts, and its follow-up singles, "Grenade" and "The Lazy Song," cracked the Top 10 on the singles chart. Mars scored another hit with "It Will Rain," a song that he contributed toThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 soundtrack in late 2011.

Mars went on to pick up several 2012 Grammy Award nods for his debut effort, including for album of the year. While he went home empty-handed that year, Mars gave a career-building performance at the 2012 Grammy Awards. His energetic performance of his 1960s-influenced song "Runaway Baby" (2010) had even the most jaded music industry veterans moving in their seats. Mars showed himself to be a high-energy live performer, and he even did an homage to the late James Brown in his act.
Continued Success: 'Unorthodox Jukebox'

In December 2012, Mars released his second studio album, Unorthodox Jukebox, featuring yet another gamut of hit songs, and quickly meeting with both commercial and critical acclaim. The album's lead single, "Locked Out of Heaven," topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks, won an MTV Award for Best Music Video, and landed in the Top 10 in 20 countries. The project's second release, "When I Was Your Man," reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the song "Treasure" won an MTV Award for Best Choreography in 2013. In 2014 Mars also won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album.
The Super Bowl and Beyond

Mars continued to thrive in his career. In September 2013, news broke that he was selected to be a part of the half-time entertainment at the next Super Bowl. This honor put him in the same league as such past performers Madonna and Justin Timberlake.

With his formula of combining catchy pop melodies, hip-hop beats and feel-good lyrics, Bruno Mars has emerged as a popular artist. And after a lifetime of striving to reach the top of the music industry, Mars is now trying to enjoy the moment. "Everything's good right now," the singer-songwriter recently stated. "It's really paying off because now my songs are on the radio. It took me a while to finally get it, but when I got it, I think I got it right. And I'm very proud of how my songs are representing me as an artist."

Interesting Facts About Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars’ real name is Peter Gene Bayot Hernandez.

He was was born on October 8th 1985 in Wakiki, Hawaii.

Source: Pixabay

Mars said in a GQ interview that his father nicknamed him after professional wrestler, Bruno Sammartino.

Source: Wikipedia

He has also said that he bore a resemblance to the wrestler when he was chubby as a child.
Growing up, his nickname was “Little Elvis” and did shows around the island.

Source: YouTube Screenshot

He was interviewed by Pauly Shore for his Elvis impersonation and it was already clear what a star he was going to be.

Bruno Mars is of Puerto Rican and Filipino descent.
He comes from a musical family. His mother is a hula dancer and his father is a percussionist.
At age 4, Bruno joined his family’s band “The Love Notes” and performed with them 5 days a week.

He also comes from a large family and is one of six children. He has a brother Eric, and four sisters: Jamie, Presley, Tahiti, and Tiara.
His sisters have their own musical group, The Lylas, and will star in their own reality television show about the recording of their debut album.

Source: Tumblr

Mars left Hawaii for Los Angeles with dreams of launching his career as a performer. after he graduated from high school. Those dreams got put on hold, however, when The Smeezingtons, the songwriting/production team he founded with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine, suddenly took off. The trio began crafting major hits for a diverse roster of talent, including Flo Rida's "Right Round", Travie McCoy's "Billionaire", and K'Naan's "Wavin' Flag", which was the theme song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

He has written hit singles for B.O.B., Flo Rida, Cee Lo Green, and Travie McCoy.
Since his career began, Mars introduced his all-male band, The Hooligans, a band that includes guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboardist, and horn players. They serve also as dancers and background singers.

Source: Tumblr

It took 3 years for his manager to convince Atlantic Records to sign him.
Not only is he a talented singer, but he also plays the drums, keyboard, bass, and guitar.

Source: Tumblr

Source: Tumblr

One of Mars sillier songs, “The Lazy Song” has over 450 million views on Youtube and is one of the most viewed Mars music videos.

While performing, he only requests two items for when he’s back stage: wet wipes and a bottle of wine.

He loves his tattoos. He currently has 4: His mother name (Bernadette) over a heart, the words "Pete's Boy" in homage to his father, a ship's anchor on his right forearm and an image of a gypsy on his left forearm for good luck.

Source: Tumblr

His mother died of a brain aneurysm in Hawaii in June 2013.

Source: Tumblr

Mars said he was heavily influenced by Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys, R.Kelly and James Brown.

Source: Tumblr

He co-wrote Cee Lo Green‘s popular song, “F*** You" which was promoted as "Forget You."

Mars and singer Adele are the only artists to ever have a number-one song that only featured piano and vocals.
He has been nominated for 14 Grammy Awards.
Mars won a Grammy Award in the category of Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Just the Way You Are" at the 53rd Grammy Awards.
He has also won awards such as Song of the Year and Best International Artist among others.

Bruno was arrested for cocaine possession in Las Vegas in September of 2010. He was carrying 2.6 grams and pleaded guilty but the charge has since been wiped from his record after completing some community service.

Source: Mugshot

His favorite color is maroon.
Bruno Mars said his favorite food is Chicken Adobo, which is the national dish of the Philippines.

Source: Wikipedia

He was named Billboard's Artist of the Year and has been nominated for four Grammys in 2014.

Source: Tumblr

Bruno Mars is performing at the half-time show at the Super Bowl in 2014.

Source: Super Bowl

20 Things You Didn’t Know About Bruno Mars

1. His real name is Peter Gene Bayot Hernandez.

2. Bruno’ s height does not affect his luck with the ladies, standing a whopping 5’5!

3. He was born in Waikiki, Hawaii!

4. Not only is he a talented singer, but he also plays the drums, keyboard, bass, and guitar.

5. Bruno is an amazing singer/songwriter and has written hit singles for B.O.B., Flo Rida, Cee Lo Green, and Travie McCoy!

6. His stage name, “Bruno Mars”, was inspired by the chubby wrestler Bruno Samartino, because Bruno was a chubby kid. And the Mars came along because he needed some pizzazz to add to his name and girls used to say he was “out of this world,” therefore the Mars.

7. Bruno Mars is of Puerto Rican and Filipino descent!

8. As a child his nickname was, “Little Elvis”!

9. Early in his music career, Mars began producing songs for other artists with his production team, The Smeezingtons.

10. Bruno Mars is 24 years old and was born on October 08, 1985! He’s an 80’s baby!

11. Growing up, Mars said he was heavily influenced by Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley!

12. His parents met at a show, where his Mom was a hula dancer and his dad a percussionist!

13. Bruno was nominated for seven Grammy Awards this year, and he won Best Pop Male Vocal performance for his hit single, “Just The Way You Are”!

14. At 4, he began performing 5 days a week with his family’s band, “The Love Notes.”

15. According to a recent interview, Bruno Mars said his favorite food is Chicken Adobo, which is the national dish of the Philippines!

16. His hit single, “Grenade” was his 3rd single to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts!

17. Bruno came from a large family and was one of six children!

18. Bruno was arrested for cocaine possession in Vegas in September of 2010.

19. Bruno likes ink! He has tattoos of a gypsy on his left forearm, an anchor on his right forearm, his mother’s name on his right shoulder, and “Pete’s boy” on his left bicep.

20. His favorite color is maroon and his favorite song in his collection is “Count on Me.”