Bruno Mars: Doo-Wops & Hooligans versie op CD in standaard editie. Deze specifieke uitgave werd uitgebracht in Europa bij uitgeverij Elektra op 8. februari 2011.

"It's better if you don't understand, just listen and have fun." That's the answer Bruno Mars would give you with a smile if you asked him to describe his sound. He'd much rather sing, play and write his songs than talk about them. But that's what's increasingly indispensable these days. It may seem like Mars came out of nowhere when he suddenly appeared as a producer and performer on B.o.B.'s number one hit "Nothin' On You," closely followed by Travie McCoy's hit "Billionaire." But one thing he says unequivocally is, "This is definitely not an overnight success." Although success is now rolling in seven league shoes: his first proper single, the sharp declaration of love "Just The Way You Are" (German release: 12 November), went straight to number one on the singles chart after its release in the US and England. A harbinger of things to come? Without a doubt. For Mars is a true multitalent: a singer, songwriter, producer and musician who feels best when he can perform. Born into a musical family in Honolulu, Hawaii, he practically grew up on stage. His father, a Latin percussionist from Brooklyn, created a Las Vegas-style revue that featured the entire family, including his mother, a talented singer. As four-year-old Mars watched his family perform old Motown hits, doo-wop medleys and cover versions to enthusiastic crowds on Waikiki Beach, "I got really jealous!" Mars says with a laugh. "So my dad put me on stage; I remember singing an Elvis song. And that was it: from that moment on, I was hooked." And from that moment on, he was discovered - at least in his homeland: from then on, Hawaiian newspapers talked about "Little Elvis" when they wanted to describe Bruno Mars' stage qualities. Honolulu, rich in a variety of musical styles from all over the world, was an exciting hometown for the budding singer-songwriter. On one side of the musical spectrum stood the classics of the 1950s - his father's great passion. "I like the way the old guys played," Mars recently explained. "There's so much style and elegance to them, and yet they're all about the music. That's what impressed me: that mix of coolness and passion" - something that could be said of him in the same way. At the same time, Honolulu was and still is rich in its own traditional sounds, including reggae, rock and folk, as well as the latest pop hits. "Hawaii is in the middle of the world, so to speak," Mars describes. "In that way, it's quite natural to encounter every form of music here." But as soon as he graduated from high school, he left Hawaii for Los Angeles - with the dream of a career as a singer and performer in tow. Those dreams had to take a back seat for a while, however, when he formed The Smeezingtons, a group he initiated with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine. The two had already written and produced a number of big hits for a variety of artists, including Travie McCoy's hit "Billionaire" and Brandy's hit "Long Distance". In these two, he found friends, mentors and collaborators with whom he could transfer his ideas in a calm and focused manner. He did just that: both Flo Rida's "Right Round" and K'Naan's "Waving Flag", one of the big hits around the World Cup in South Africa, were written and co-produced by Bruno Mars. Today, he describes this time behind the scenes as very significant in developing his qualities. "I realised that as an artist you can only enter this industry with a clear vision and a very clear idea of yourself. When I first signed the contract I was very young, so at that time I didn't have an idea of who I wanted to be. Now things work much better and more believable because everything I write, sing and compose is who I am as a person." In addition to the two hits that celebrate him, "Nothin' On You" and "Billionaire," a four-song EP was first released as a harbinger of all that's to come from Bruno Mars, aptly titled "It's Better If You Don't Understand." The title comes from a verse of "The Other Side", one of the tracks on the EP, which also features a guest appearance by Cee-Lo Green and a reunion with B.o.B. The song is about the artist's day-to-day life: "It's basically a story about the lifestyle you adopt when you embark on a career as an artist - and how I would explain that process to a girl I just met. With the result: it's better if you don't understand it..." All his songs are similarly natural and authentic: they convince in sound, style and content with a stylistic nonchalance in which every note comes from the heart - and therefore anchors itself just as immediately in the hearts of listeners. When asked how he would describe the music he will soon release, Mars replies: "It's hard for me to put myself in a category. I only write songs that I believe in intensely and that come from within me. There are no gimmicks, nothing pumped up. It's pure honesty coupled with great melodies. And I give those melodies my all with my vocals." His collection of songs are written from a variety of perspectives and draw on real life experiences, which are perfectly matched by his smooth voice and deliberately simple production. He almost always collaborates with his Smeezingtons bandmate Philip Lawrence on songwriting and production; the pair make an absolutely perfect team when it comes to vision, sound and a healthy mix of tradition and modernity. And not just in their own work: 'Fuck You' (German release: 22.10.), Cee-Lo Green's current, worldwide best-selling and even more talked-about top single with the most watched video of the year, once again comes from their joint pen. Although Mars is indescribably proud of his studio recordings, he knows that the best way to discover and experience his music is in concert with his band. "That's the part that excites me the most: wrapping up these songs and traveling the world with them." The only place he'd rather be than in a recording studio is on a stage surrounded by his band, where he grew up. "I think that automatically draws people to the shows," Mars says. "Because we'll give them a big party." Which is why there's only one thing left to do at the end: A reminder that Bruno Mars is touring Germany with Travie McCoy in October/November 2010. And although his album is not out yet, you shouldn't miss it: you will probably never see Bruno Mars in such an intimate setting again. In fact, the release of "DooWops & Hooligans" will add another to the many qualities of this true multitalent: that of a true mega-seller and somnambulantly confident hit-maker. Review "Though the album toys with a variety of styles, moving from pop to reggae and dabbling in timeless Motown grooves in between, Doo-Wops & Hooligans is a strong debut that could make Mars a Grammy nominee for Best New Artist." (soultracks. com) " It's all happening so fast - who's going to stop this Terminator? We ask because "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" suggests that Mars (proper name Peter Hernandez), though his songs are dreck, seems poised for a lasting career. It may be a short album with only ten songs, but it's effortlessly melodic - the songs often sound as if they were written on the spot, a quality that's both charming and damning at the same time." (blog. washingtonpost. com) "It's the best pop debut of the year: 10 near-perfect songs that range from power ballads to bedroom anthems to pop-reggae and deliver pleasure without pretense. Call it bubblegum that eats like food." (rollingstone. com) "Doo-Wops & Hooligans eloquently apply Mars' studio talents: instantly accessible melodies, creamy production, sly bits of dance swing. And in his own post-millennial way, he dances; beneath the digital skin of tracks like "Marry You" and "Talking to the Moon," his heart beats like a malt shop." (Entertainment Weekly) , "His debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans scores points not only with soulful lyrics, but also a big, exceptional voice and radio hits worthy of the name!" (Good Times, 04/05/2011)

Album valt binnen het genre Rock, Pop, Funk / Soul, Reggae, Hip Hop, Rhythm & Blues, Pop-Rap, Soul en Soft Rock.