Whoosh, all of a sudden came a sensation of music that’s out of this world.

Amongst the thousands trying to make it big in LA, he came out of nowhere at the top of the Billboard charts featured with B.O.B.’s “Nothin’ on You” and Travie McCoy’s “Billionaire.”

His name, though innocent and childlike sounding, is of seemingly extraterrestrial origins and his rise to fame came so fast that in a blink it would’ve been missed.  For Bruno Mars, however, the lift off into global recognition was a long process of testing his original music. 

“I love his lesser known hit called ‘The Lazy Song,’” said sophomore Sarah Kerndt. “Its melody is so carefree that it becomes the perfect song to listen to with the windows open and the breeze blowing in.”

Originally from Honolulu, Mars began entertaining for anyone who would listen—a whiplash to the present where millions of teenagers are begging for him to keep singing.

Though not quite known as the music capital of the world, Honolulu is rich with diverse music from all over the globe. Uniquely, the city combines its music from rich traditional sounds, including reggae, rock, and folk music, as well as the latest pop hits. This reaction of music cultures created this soulful-pop powerhouse.

Jon Caramanica of The New York Times calls him “one of the most versatile and accessible singers in pop, with a light, soul-influenced voice that’s an easy fit in a range of styles, a universal donor.”

Right out of high school to pursue his musical career, Mars moved to LA. However, instead of being in the spotlight, he worked behind the scenes and created the Smeezingtons, a songwriting/production team he founded with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine. Together they crafted major hits for a diverse roster of talent, including Flo Rida’s “Right Round,” Travie McCoy’s “Billionaire,” Brandy’s “Long Distance,” and K’Naan’s “Waving Flags.”

He was still known though as only a “featuring artist” for these songs rather than the main performer. Yet, his time behind the scenes was very important to his development as an artist.

 “I realized that you have to go into this industry as an artist with a clear vision and understanding of who you are. Being so young when I was first signed; I never really had a sense of who I wanted to be,” said Mars on his official website. “Now things are really working out because everything that I’m singing, writing and composing is really me.”