Wondering where Bruno Mars is from? The megastar is Hawaii’s golden child. He was born in Honolulu and grew up in a local musical family.
Each time Bruno is up for an award, Hawaii cheers him on. And when he brought his 24K Magic World Tour back home to Honolulu in 2018, he broke records by selling out three back-to-back shows.
Fun Facts Beyond Where is Bruno Mars From
But Bruno’s Hawaii roots are more than his hometown. So we wanted to learn more than just where Bruno Mars is from. So, I decided to do some digging.
Here are some of my favorite facts about Bruno Mars’ early life in Hawaii:
Growing Up
1. He was born on October 8, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
2. His real name is Peter Gene Hernandez.
3. His stage name, “Bruno Mars,” was inspired by the wrestler Bruno Sammartino, because as a child, Bruno was confident, independent, and strong-willed, like the wrestler. The ‘Mars’ came along because girls used to say he was “out of this world,” so he used the planet Mars as his last name.
4. He graduated from Roosevelt High School.
Making Music
5. In Waikiki, Mars’s family performed a Las Vegas-style revue that included Motown hits, doo-wop melodies, and celebrity impersonations. The family formed a music group named The Love Notes.
6. At the age of four, he joined the family musical act as an Elvis impersonator and quickly became one of the stars of the show
7. Mars said he was heavily influenced by Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley growing up. In fact, he even had the nickname “Little Elvis.”
Fun Facts
8. Bruno Mars is of Puerto Rican and Filipino descent.
9. When Bruno was 15 years old, he had a crush on his teacher (over twice his age). He stole a ring from his mother and gifted it to his teacher inside a love letter. But the teacher told his mother and gave her the ring back.
10. His favorite color is maroon, and his favorite song in his collection is “Count on Me.”
Bruno Mars’ Family
11. His father, Pete, was a Latin percussionist from Brooklyn, and his mother, Bernadette (“Bernie”), was a singer.
12. His parents met at a show, where his Mom was a hula dancer and his dad a percussionist.
13. Bruno’s favorite food is Chicken Adobo, which is typical Filipino food.
14. After graduating from high school, Mars decided to leave Hawaii for Los Angeles, California
15. Bruno is one of six children. His sisters, Jaime, Tahiti, Presley, and Tiara Hernandez, also moved to Los Angeles to star in a reality show called The Lylas, which stands for “Love You Like a Sister.”
Hawaii’s Treasure
Now you know where Bruno Mars is from, plus other fun facts about the musical star.
So, the next time you’re strolling or playing in Waikiki, just imagine a young, pint-sized Bruno Mars impersonating Elvis and singing with his family. It wasn’t that long ago. And, THIS local Hawaii boy has never forgotten where he came from!
