Bruno Mars Returns After Decade
Bruno Mars officially released *The Romantic*, his first solo album in nearly 10 years. Rolling Stone calls it a "retro-soul crowd-pleaser" while Vulture notes Mars is "trapped inside tropes" but still delivers radio-ready hits. The album features smooth melodies and lush arrangements as a throwback to classic soul and pop.
The nearly ten-year gap between solo albums follows the massive success of 2016's *24K Magic*. That album secured seven Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best R&B Album. The title track won Record of the Year, while "That's What I Like" took home Song of the Year. In the interim, Mars formed the super-duo Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak. Their 2021 collaborative album, *An Evening with Silk Sonic*, paid homage to 1970s funk and soul. The project was a critical and commercial success, earning four Grammy Awards for its lead single "Leave the Door Open". *The Romantic* sees Mars reuniting with previous collaborators like D'Mile, who also produced on *An Evening with Silk Sonic*, as well as Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, and Philip Lawrence. The album's sound is described as drawing from cha-cha, bossa nova, funk, and new jack swing. The album's lead single, "I Just Might," made a significant impact by debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, a first for Mars. To promote the new record, Mars launched a pop-up flower shop in Los Angeles and has announced "The Romantic Tour," a 71-show engagement across North America and Europe scheduled from April to October 2026.
