Bruno Mars, one of the best-selling music artists of all time, has left many fans puzzled about the origin of his stage name.
The artist, whose real name is Peter Gene Hernandez, has sold over 130 million records globally, with eight of his tracks topping the Billboard Hot 100.
Despite his fame, some of his devoted followers are still curious about how he adopted the name Bruno Mars, given that it’s a far cry from his birth name.
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A Quora user posed the question: “How did Bruno Mars get his name? ” According to IMBd, the singer, now aged 31, was dubbed Bruno by his father when he was a toddler due to his likeness to wrestler Bruno Sammartino.
A statement reads: “You may know Bruno Mars as a mutli-talented performer and a brilliant songwriter, but do you know his real name? It’s very common for celebrities to go by stage names that completely differ from the monikers they were given at birth, and Bruno is one of those stars,” reports the Mirror US.
(Image: Getty Images)
“Born Peter Gene Hernandez, the 31-year-old singer landed the nickname Bruno as a toddler because he resembled famous wrestler Bruno Sammartino.
“While seeking a recording contract at the age of 17 in La, Bruno acquired the last name Mars because of the responses he would receive: ‘Your last name’s Hernandez, maybe you should do this Latin music, this Spanish music . . . Enrique’s so hot right now.’ Maybe he wanted to sound like he was from another planet?”
Since catapulting to stardom, Bruno Mars has amassed an impressive array of accolades, including 15 Grammy Awards, with three Record of the Year wins under his belt, four Brit Awards, 11 American Music Awards, and 13 Soul Train Awards. Additionally, he holds three Guinness World Records.
His chart-topping hits include Grenade, The Lazy Song, Just the Way You Are, Locked Out of Heaven, That’s What I Like, Mirror, Nothin’ on You, and 24K Magic.
Reacting to the news, a Reddit user quipped: “Are you telling me he’s not a real member of the Mars clan? Mick is going to be devastated.”
Another user chimed in: “I never considered myself a Bruno Mars fan until I coincidentally watched his first Super Bowl performance years back. My jaw dropped; even if you don’t like his music there’s no denying that that man has talent in spades.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
