Bruno Mars

USA, 2004–now

American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (b. 1985, Peter Hernandez). A retro-minded showman, he channels Michael Jackson, Prince and James Brown into slick, chart-topping pop-funk ('Uptown Funk', '24K Magic', 'Just the Way You Are').

MusicRoots documents 3 artists who influenced Bruno Mars and 0 artists Bruno Mars influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Bruno Mars?

• Michael Jackson — Bruno Mars's showmanship, dancing and pop-soul draw directly on Michael Jackson.
• Prince — Prince's funk and falsetto pop are a core influence on Mars's sound, from 'Treasure' to 24K Magic.
• James Brown — James Brown's funk and dynamic stagecraft are a foundation of Mars's retro-soul revue.