Bruno Mars’ rise to fame has been nothing short of phenomenal. The Versace on the Floor singer has proven his pedigree over the years, having made a reputation for himself with soaring vocals and a swagger that would set him apart from the current crop.
But that isn’t the only thing that sets him apart. Shockingly, the singer would discover early in his life that his ethnicity bewitched many around him, with no one able to decide whether he was black or white.
Bruno Mars’ heritage conundrum
Bruno Mars was a performer since he was a child, with videos of him impersonating Elvis Presley going viral. It wouldn’t be amiss to say that he was a born star. That was not the only striking thing about the 38-year-old’s childhood though. What intrigued many of his compatriots in Hawaii was his ethnicity.
The Die With a Smile singer’s mysterious heritage stems from his parentage – his mother is from the Philippines, while his father is half Puerto Rican, half Ashkenazi Jewish. The result? Not many could ascertain what his ethnicity was, leading to charges of cultural appropriation.
People were not sure whether Bruno Mars was “black or white” (or both)
The Just the Way You Are singer recalls that he always stuck out as a result of his ethnicity. He told Latina Magazine,
“Growing up in Hawaii, there are not too many Puerto Ricans there, so because of my hair, they thought I was Black and white. I hope people of color can look at me, and they know that everything they’re going through, I went through.”
That was something he regretted deeply. Many would even expose him of resorting to cultural appropriation to gain sympathy, an insinuation he has vehemently denied. While in conversation on The Breakfast Club, the singer said,
“You can’t find an interview where I am not talking about the entertainers that have come before me.”
He wants people of color to understand he is, after all, one of them. Mars would attribute all his success to stars of the ilk of James Brown, Prince, Bobby Brown, and Michael Jackson, that his music “comes from love.” And he isn’t really amiss, with his latest song with Lady Gaga, Die With a Smile, receiving a lot of love from the fans.
Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga have the perfect summer gift for fans
The A Star is Born star and Locked Out of Heaven singer have joined hands, giving fans the ultimate tie-up this Summer (arguably competing with the crossover in Deadpool & Wolverine) with their latest, Die With a Smile. The video of the song takes them both back to the 70s, donning light blue suits with red shirts.
The idea to create the song was a result of a Lady Gaga’s visit to Mars’ studio, and their strong conviction to work with each other. Whatever might be the inspiration, it has worked wonderfully well, with fans going gung-ho over a song that screams Bruno Mars’ name. It is not a fluke that even Lady Gaga would claim that the Runaway Baby singer’s skillset is out of this world.
And Mars was equally in awe of the Paparazzi singer. Class does recognize class.
