Bruno Mars knows a thing or two about taking home the gold. The singer, rapper, and producer has won plenty of Grammy Awards thanks to his 24k Magic album, and he’s poised to add to his growing tally with the 64th Annual Grammy Awards on April 3. Taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada – a change from the Crypoto.com Arena (fka Staples Center) in Los Angeles – the 2022 Grammys might get a touch of silk, as Bruno is up for a handful of awards as part of his Silk Sonic group with Anderson .Paak.
If Silk Sonic wins any of the categories they’re nominated in, it won’t be the first time that either Anderson or Bruno have won a Grammy. Bruno has won eleven awards in his career so far. He’s also been nominated a staggering 31 times. What’s even more mind-boggling is that Bruno’s 31 nominations don’t even crack the Top 20 list of artists with the most Grammy nods. Still, nearly a dozen wins and 30-plus nominations are nothing to sneeze at. Here’s what you need to know:
His 15 Grammys
Song Of The Year — “Leave The Door Open” (2022)
At the 2022 Grammys, Silk Sonic – Bruno Mars’ band with Anderson .Paak – swept all their categories, including Song of the Year. In the acceptance speech, Bruno thanked the collaborators, while the song’s co-writer Dernst Emile dedicated the award to his recently deceased mother (per The Hollywood Reporter.)
Record Of The Year — “Leave The Door Open” (2022)
Congrats Record Of The Year Winner – “Leave The Door Open” @silksonic @BrunoMars @AndersonPaak ✨ #GRAMMYs https://t.co/0D6iC8OYJM pic.twitter.com/RTT1XLDX3J
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) April 4, 2022
Best R&B Performance – “Leave The Door Open” (2022)
Congratulations to @BrunoMars @AndersonPaak @silksonic on taking home the award for Best R&B Performance at the 64th Annual #GRAMMYs! @RecordingAcad pic.twitter.com/rLghP5XnAf
— Atlantic Records (@AtlanticRecords) April 3, 2022
Best R&B Song– “Leave The Door Open” (2022)
Congrats Best R&B Song winner – "Leave The Door Open" Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II & @BrunoMars, songwriters (@SilkSonic)
WATCH NOW 🎶 https://t.co/iZP2mSPJkJ #GRAMMYPremiere #GRAMMYs
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) April 3, 2022
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance – “Just The Way You Are” (2011)
Bruno claimed his first Grammy in 2011, with his debut single, “Just The Way You Are.” The success happened years after the Honolulu, Hawaii-native moved to Los Angeles to pursue his music career. Though Bruno’s first record deal with Motown didn’t produce any material, it allowed him to connect with songwriter Philip Lawrence and sound engineer Avi Levine. The trio began writing and producing as a group under the name The Smeezingtons. This partnership would lead to several Grammy nods for Bruno, and he would score his first win as an artist in 2011.
Best Pop Vocal Album – Unorthodox Jukebox (2014)
“So many people I need to thank,” Bruno said when his album, Unorthodox Jukebox, won the Best Pop Vocal Album at the 56th Grammy Awards. “I wanna dedicate this award to my mother,” Bruno said, having lost his mother, Bernadette San Pedro Bayot, the year prior. “I know you’re watching. I hope you’re smiling.”
Record Of The Year – “Uptown Funk” (2016)
Bruno didn’t get to say much when “Uptown Funk” won Record of the Year at the 58th Grammy Awards. His collaborator on the song, Mark Ronson, took a moment to thank all the funk pioneers that came before them. As the music played to usher the winners off, Bruno took the award and said a few words. “This is dedicated to the fans, right here. We wouldn’t be up here if it weren’t for the people dancin’ to this song,” he said.
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance – “Uptown Funk” (2016)
The Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy was awarded off-screen during the 58th Grammys. The Recording Academy announced the win on Twitter.
Congrats Best Pop Duo/Group Performance @MarkRonson ft. @BrunoMars – "Uptown Funk" #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/YmC3a6aIRd
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 15, 2016
Album Of The Year – Adele’s 25 (2017)
When Adele’s landmark album, 25, took top honors at the 59th Grammy Awards, Bruno collected another trophy for his collection. The Smeezingtons were one of the many producers on that album, which also featured work from Max Martin, Shellback, and Danger Mouse.
Record Of The Year – “24k Magic” (2018)
The 60th Grammy Awards was Bruno’s big night. He swept all six of his categories, including Record of the Year for the title track to his 24k Magic album. “Look at me, Pop. I’m at the Grammys right now!” Bruno said after winning what would be his fifth of six awards for that night.
Album Of The Year – 24k Magic (2018)
When Bruno’s 24k Magic won Album of the Year, he had to credit the other artists nominated in the category. “First off, to the other nominees in this category — Lorde, Kung Fu Kenny [Kendrick Lamar], Jay-Z, [Childish[ Gambino — you guys are the reason why I’m in the studio pulling my hair out, because I know you guys are gonna only come with the top-shelf artistry and music,” he said. “Thank you guys for blessing the world with your music, I mean that,” he said, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Song Of The Year – “That’s What I Like” (2018)
While “24k Magic” won Record of the Year, “That’s What I Like” took home the Grammy for Song of the Year. When Bruno collected the award, he thanked his co-writers — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus, and Jonathan Yip, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“I’ve known these guys for over a decade,” he said. “All the music business horror stories you see in the movies, we’ve been through all of it, and this is the first time on this album that we all came collectively as a group and put this song together and put the album together. So fellas, it’s an honor to share this with you tonight.”
Best R&B Performance – “That’s What I Like” (2018)
Best R&B Song – “That’s What I Like” (2018)
Best R&B Album – 24k Magic (2018)
The Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Album, and Best R&B Song Grammys were announced before the ceremony. Bruno was readying himself for the night’s performance and wasn’t available to accept them in person.
“It was a long journey to get to this album,” Bruno told Beats 1 about 24k Magic, per The Grammys. “With this album, I wanted to make a movie. A real movie. I told myself, ‘I am shooting a movie, and I need the opening to let everybody know what time it is, what’s that gonna sound like?’ And that was [the song] ’24K Magic.’ It was the opening to a movie.”
Nominations
Bruno Mars has 31 Grammy nominations under his belt as of 2022. In addition to the eleven wins listed above, here’s a quick rundown of the twenty Grammys he didn’t win:
53rd Grammy Awards (2011)
- Record OF The Year – CeeLo Green, “F-ck You” (as producer and songwriter)
- Record Of The Year – B.o. B’s “Nothin’ On You” ft. Bruno Mars
- Song Of The Year – CeeLo Green, “F-ck You (as producer and songwriter)
- Best Rap Song – B.o. B’s “Nothin’ On You” ft. Bruno Mars
- Best Rap/Sung Collaboration – “Nothin’ On You” ft. B.o.B
- Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical – as part of The Smeezingtons
54th Grammy Awards (2012)
- Record Of The Year – “Grenade”
- Song Of The Year – “Grenade”
- Album of the Year – Doo-Wops & Hooligans
- Best Pop Solo Performance – “Grenade”
- Best Pop Vocal Album – Doo-Wops & Hooligans
- Producer of the Year, Non Classical – as part of The Smeezingtons
55th Grammy Awards (2013)
- Best Rap Song – Wiz Khalifa & Snoop Dogg ft. Bruno Mars, “Young, Wild & Free”
56th Grammy Awards (2014)
- Record of the Year – “Locked Out of Heaven”
- Song of the Year – “Locked Out of Heaven”
- Best Male Pop Solo Performance – “When I Was Your Man”
64th Grammy Awards (2021)0
- Record of the Year – “Leave The Door Open”
- Song of the Year – “Leave The Door Open”
- Best R&B Song – “Leave The Door Open”
- Best R&B Performance – “Leave The Door Open”
Will He Perform?
It’s hard to tell if Silk Sonic will perform at the 2022 Grammys ceremony. On March 7, 2021, Bruno tweeted a note to the Recording Academy. “Dear Grammys,” he began. “If you can see it in your hearts to allow two out-of-work musicians to perform at your show, we would really appreciate it. We just released a song and could really use the promotion right now. We have a lot riding on this record (and the Pelicans game next week, but that’s another story).” We haven’t been able to perform for a while and we just want to sing.”
#LetSilkSonicThrive @RecordingAcad pic.twitter.com/Ze5nuZQnvi
— Bruno Mars (@BrunoMars) March 7, 2021
“We’ll send in an audition tape and take as many COVID tests as we need to,” he added. The note and the #LetSilkSonicThrive campaign seemed to work because not only did Silk Sonic perform “Leave The Door Open” on the show, they also took part in the In Memoriam segment.
Silk Sonic has since dropped an album – An Evening With Silk Sonic – which might be nominated for the 65th Grammy Awards. The group also has another hit, “Smokin’ Out The Window,” so it’s possible that Bruno, as part of Silk Sonic, will play the show.
What’s Next For Bruno Mars?
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Silk Sonic has spent the late winter/early spring at a Las Vegas residency. The band has played the Dolby Live theatre at the Park MGM hotel in Las Vegas. “Experience the music of the Multi-GRAMMY Award-nominated duo, Silk Sonic. In this exclusive live performance, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak are throwing the sexiest party of the year, and it’s only available in Vegas,” writes the official page for the residency. It lasts until the end of May (click here for dates.)