Segamat 昔加末 சிகாமட்
—  District of Malaysia  —
One of the most famous landmarks in Segamat
Country	Malaysia
State	Johor Darul Takzim
Seat	Segamat
Government
• District officer	Tuan Haji A. Rahim Bin Haji Nin
Area
• Total	2,825.4 km2 (1,090.9 sq mi)
Population (2005)
• Total	82,000
• Density	29/km2 (75/sq mi)

Segamat is a town and district located in the north of the state of Johor in Malaysia, bordering two other states of Malaysia (Negeri Sembilan on the west and Pahang on the north). It is located roughly 172 kilometres from Johor Bahru, the capital city of Johor State. It is 95 km travel distance via North-South Expressway from Johor Bahru to Yong Peng. It is another 77 km via Federal Route 1.

The tallest building in Segamat, Now a birdnest building

Strategically situated between Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Singapore, Segamat is a fast growing agricultural oil palm and rubber district, famous for its delicious durians, and the recent slogan used to attract tourists to Segamat is Selamat Datang ke Segamat - Tanah Raja Buah-buahan (Welcome to Segamat - The Land of King of Fruits). Segamat town is a typical medium size town with a blend of old and new cultures. A mere 45 minute drive from town offers a variety of hiking and swimming sites namely the famous Gunung Ledang, Air Panas Waterfall and Bekok Waterfall which make an enjoyable weekend getaway.

History[link]

According to a local historian, Hassan bin Muhammad, the area used to be known as Rantau Panjang. In around 1511, a Bendahara (Prime Minister) of Melaka (Malacca), Bendahara Tepok and his troops were retreating to Johor after the fall of Melaka to the invading Portuguese forces led by Afonso de Albuquerque. The Bendahara and his troops stopped and rested by a river in the area and drank water from the river. After the drink, the Bendahara exclaimed, "Segar amat!", or "Very refreshing!" in Malay, and named the river Segar Amat, which over time evolved into Segamat. However, initially the name Segamat only applied to the river. The settlement which later became Segamat was originally called Rantau Panjang. The town assumed the river's name only at the turn of the 20th century.

By the end of 19th century, the four original districts have several minor districts, for example the previous Muar District has 4 minor districts - Parit Jawa, Chohong, Lenga and Segamat. The first District Officer of Segamat Minor District was Encik Menthol bin Haji Ahmad. In 1933, the district of Segamat was formed after a major district boundary realignment was made by the government of Johor to split the original 4 districts (Muar, Batu Pahat, Johor Bahru and Sedili) into 8 districts (before the 2008 realignment which added the Kulaijaya and Ledang districts to form 10 districts in Johor).

After the formation of Segamat District, the government began to develop Segamat, mainly with agricultural activities to boost the economy of Segamat. This included the construction of the national railroad system passing the town of Segamat and also the construction of the main road known today as Federal Route 1.

In 1970s, Tun Razak Highway was constructed to boost the economy of Segamat as an agricultural hub, to shorten the traveling time to Kuantan and to speed up the development progress of the poorly-developed areas in southern Pahang.

The Johor branch campus of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) was constructed at Jementah in the end of 1980's and started its operation in 1991. The construction of UiTM campus in Segamat district turned Segamat into another important educational hub in Johor besides Skudai, which houses Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

In 1996, Segamat Land Port was constructed to make Segamat an important transportational hub, like Nilai in Negeri Sembilan. By constructing the land port, manufacturers may just transport their goods to Segamat Land Port and then the goods can be transported to the nearest sea ports such as Pasir Gudang by train and this will increase the transportation efficiency. However, the plan did not materialize as planned, the space is subsequently rendered largely vacant as of latest 03 February 2012.

In 1999, the second bridge of Segamat,funded mainly by private developers was constructed to reduce congestion at the main bridge. The second bridge was included as a part of Segamat Inner Ring Road package consisting the road upgrade to 4-lane road at Jalan Pemuda, Jalan Hassan, Jalan Pee Kang Hai and Jalan Chia Chin Koon, which was completed in August 2005. The inner ring road package is useful to divert the traffic flow when the main roads at the town center are closed for special occasions and events such as National Day.

Origin of name[link]

The name Segamat is believed to have been derived from the combination of these two Malay words - Segar-Amat which literally means Extremely (Amat) Fresh (Segar).

Segamat District Facts[link]

Area:

• 2,825.4 km²

Population:

• 178,000 (1991 census)
• 270,000 (2010 projected)

Residences in Segamat[link]

Segamat is divided into 11 residences, or mukim in Malay. Each mukim is administered by a headman or penghulu.

The residences of Segamat are as follows:-

• Mukim Sungai Segamat - houses about three-quarter of Segamat town.
• Mukim Gemereh - The smallest mukim in Segamat.
• Mukim Bekok - the largest mukim in Segamat.
• Mukim Jabi
• Mukim Sermin
• Mukim Buloh Kasap
• Mukim Jementah
• Mukim Pogoh
• Mukim Labis
• Mukim Chaah
• Mukim Gemas

Mukim Sungai Segamat is the most populous residence in Segamat District since it houses the majority of Segamat town. The highest population density is in Mukim Gemereh, followed by Mukim Sungai Segamat with over 200+ residents per square km. The lowest population density is in Mukim Bekok with about 50 residents per square km.

The Segamat district is divided by two municipal administratives namely Majlis Daerah Segamat or Segamat District Council based at the town of Segamat and Majlis Daerah Labis or Labis District Council seated at the town of Labis.

Economy of Segamat[link]

Agriculture is the main contributor of Segamat's economy, contributing about 61.8% of the total employment in 1991. The second economic contributor is manufacturing sector, with 13.1% of total work force in 1995. This is followed by the government service sector, with 12.2% of total work force in the same year.

Wisma Jakel is the most famous in Segamat

Transportation[link]

Segamat is well-linked by both federal and state road networks. The Federal Route 1 is the main north–south trunk road, which is connected to the main national expressway, the North-South Expressway (southern route), via exit 227 (Simpang Ampat Interchange) and exit 243 (Yong Peng South Interchange); both exits are located outside from the Segamat District.

The Federal Route 23 links Segamat with the southwestern towns and cities such as Tangkak, Malacca City, Muar and Batu Pahat. It is also linked to the North-South Expressway Southern Route via exit 235 (Tangkak Interchange). Meanwhile, the Tun Razak Highway route 12 links Segamat with Kuantan and the east-coastal states.

Besides, there are several main state roads in Segamat, namely:-

• J14 - Jalan Pogoh
• J32 - Jalan Muar-Labis
• J43 - Jalan Batu Enam
• J150 - Jalan Bekok
• J153 - Jalan Tasek Alai

Besides the road network system, Segamat District is also served by the national railway system at Segamat and Labis train stations.

There are three main intercity bus lines that serve the Segamat District:-

• Yow Hoe (Gemas-Ayer Hitam)
• North-West Johor (Segamat-Muar)
• Kenderaan Bas MARA DARA (Segamat-Muadzam Shah)

Segamat town center[link]

The town of Segamat is the fifth largest town in the state of Johor with about 80,000 residents. According to local residents of Segamat, the town center of Segamat can be divided into two, where both neighborhoods are separated by Segamat River:-

• Bandar Atas (Uptown) - The original town center of Segamat. The official site of Segamat town center today is Dataran Segamat, or Segamat Square.
• Bandar Seberang (Crosstown) - Located at the other side across Segamat river. This neighborhood is known as Bandar Seberang because of its location across Segamat river. This area houses most of the supermarkets and shopping centers in Segamat.

In addition to the town center, the urban area of Segamat also covers some villages and towns namely Pekan Jabi, Bukit Siput, Segamat Baru and Bandar Putra Segamat, which makes up the overall population of Segamat urban area to 100,000 residents.

Major attractions[link]

• Dataran Segamat - Dataran Segamat or Segamat Square was constructed in 1996 as the main venue for Johor's state level celebration of the Malaysian National Day. In 2005, when Segamat was once again chosen as the state-level host, Dataran Segamat was renovated beautifully. It also houses the clock tower and a durian replica that makes Dataran Segamat the landmark of Segamat. Location: 2°30'40"N ; 102°48'50"E.

Dataran Segamat

• Taman Bunga Batu Hampar (Rock Garden) - The Rock Garden is the main recreational park in Segamat. It also houses the official residence of the District Officer of Segamat and also the Istana Hinggap, Johor royal retreat. Location: 2°30'59"N ; 102°48'43"E.

• Bendahara Tepok Tomb - The tomb of the final Bendahara of Sultanate of Malacca is located at Kampung Lubok Batu, about 2 km from Segamat town center via Federal Route 23. Location: 2°30'03"N ; 102°48'30"E.

Education[link]

• Universiti Teknologi Mara Kampus Johor (UiTM Johor Campus) - Located about 8 kilometres or 10 minutes drive from Bandar Segamat, UiTM Kampus Johor are major in Business and Accounting learning in Diploma and Degree level. Surrounded by a green landscape and rubber trees, this campus is a suitable place to study and enjoy a life in "kampung style".

• Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman (TARC Johor Campus) - The Johor Branch Campus in Segamat began operations on 18 May 1998. Located at the south of Segamat, the College is approximately 10 to 15 minutes drive from the town. Centred on an impressive 50-acre (200,000 m²) campus space, and surrounded by lush greenery and landscaped gardens, the College is equipped with every facility and recreational amenity for the most conducive study environment around.

• Kolej Komuniti Segamat - Located about 7 kilometres drive from Bandar Segamat, [1] began operation on June 2001. Located at Bandar Putra IOI Segamat.

Schools[link]

Segamat Town has quite a number of schools, within its township. Below are the list of secondary schools in Segamat:

1. SMK Seri Kenangan Batu Anam
2. SMK Bekok
3. Sekolah Menengah Seg Hwa
4. Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bandar Putra
5. Segamat High School
6. Sekolah Menengah Teknik Segamat
7. Sekolah Menengah Cannosian Convent Segamat
8. Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Chaah
9. Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Gemereh
10. Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jementah
11. Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tenang Stesen
12. Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaa Bandar Putra
13. SMK Agama Segamat
14. SMK Batu Anam
15. SMK Buloh Kasap
16. SMK Chaah
17. SMK Dato Bentara Dalam
18. SMK Paduka Tuan
19. SMK Palong Timur

Below is a list of primary schools in Segamat (incomplete):

1. SK Batu Anam
2. SJK (C) Seg Hwa
3. SJK (C) Li Chi
4. SJK (C) Bukit Siput
5. SJK (C) Kg Tengah
6. SK Canossian Convent Segamat
7. SK Bukit Hampar
8. SK Dato' Wan Idris
9. SK Temenggong Abdul Rahman
10. SK Dato' Sri Maharajalela
11. SJK (C) Pekan Jabi
12. SJK (C) Buloh Kasap
13. SK Bandar Putra
14. SJK (C) Ai Chun
15. SJK (C) Jementah 1
16. SJK (C) Jementah 2
17. SK Melayu Raya

Cost of Living[link]

The cost of living in Segamat is relatively affordable. Accommodation is readily available at the housing areas in Segamat town. Shophouses, supermarkets, restaurants and hawker centres in the proximity offer various and inexpensive choices for shopping, chilling out and eating out.

Environment[link]

Floods[link]

Segamat had experienced floods during the 1950s, 1984 and recently in 18 December 2006. The one in 2006, which was caused by Typhoon Utor in the Philippines, was generally considered the worst flood to have happened in Segamat and Johor. There is a conspiracy theory that the 2006 flood was caused by improper release of water from the upstream Bekok Dam. The theory is based on the fact that the water level of the Segamat River overflowed at a rate which was believed impossible to have been caused by rain alone.^{[citation needed]}

Most recently in January 2011, severe flooding is occurring Segamat and other parts of upstate Johor and the neighbouring state of Melaka, with about 31,000 people evacuated and several deaths. ^[1]

Local legends[link]

Segamat has a collection of local legends and folk stories, where some of them describe the name origins of several places in Segamat. However, many of the residents of Segamat have forgotten most of them, even among older generations.

Some of the legends concern the region's tendency to flooding, for example:

• A myth tells of a dragon, whose length spans the distance between Kampung Berata and Kampung Gemereh (~ 5 km). The dragon sleeps underground, and Segamat may experience very bad floods when the dragon changes its sleeping position, said to be caused by gaps made when the dragon moves. The dragon is called Ruby Dragon.
• Legend of Malim Deman: Malim Deman was a king in Segamat who was in love with Princess 'Santan Bertapis'. The princess was kidnapped by a spirit and Malim Deman swore that as long as the princess is not returned, the Segamat area shall experience floods for all eternity. However, with modern town planning and irrigation, flooding is now a rare occurrence in Segamat.
• 'Babi' Lee Hong Tee. A very special creature with no brain. They call it as 'babi' (aka Pig in Malay). It always foresees the future. Now, it foresaw that it will die very soon. So, please pray for it.
• Legend of Durian Man. A very rare creature to be found in deep forest.It's main characteristic is the spiky body and ugly face.It was last seen at Jalan Durian near Tahang Rimau.
• Legend of "Lanjiao" Man. He is well renowned to have the sir name "Tey" in the Segamat district, and therefore became famous with the name "Lanjiao Tey". He can also foresee the future. In his dream, he always sees that he is growing a second dick. This could be a very important science discovery of mankind in the field of human anatomy and biology. Believe it or not, he can also perform an extremely amazing aerobic exercise which allows him to bend his waist, sucking his own dick.
• Legend of Lanceao Pang. He is well known as he has a cock face. His face looks like a dick and every-fucking-time he uses his head to penetrate into others' asshole. The recent victim was Vincent Kua King Kong.Witnesses describe the creature as a "baboon covered in huge amount of fur" and sometime he will arm spikes around his body to attack peoples nearby.
• Legend of 'King Kong'. As to be seen, he is a King. But recently he transformed into a Queen. Because it fed up with girls and now change its sexual orientation. The recent victim was Crystal Fur Law, who used to wank at night. But now they live happily together in MMU.

Other towns in Segamat District[link]

• Bandar Putra (IOI)
• Labis
• Jementah
• Buloh Kasap
• Chaah
• Bekok
• Batu Anam
• Pogoh
• Pekan Air Panas
• Gemas Baharu
• Sungai Karas
• Kampung Tengah

References[link]

• YM Ungku Mohd. Zaman bin Tahir (1996). Segamat: Sejarah dan Mitosnya. Al-Kafilah Enterprise.
• Segamat District Council official website

External links[link]

• Segamat - Link to Segamat on Bahasa Melayu site
• Segamat.com - community web sites of Segamat.
• Segamat.org - Chinese forum for Segamatians.
• Segamat Fotopages - Pics of Segamat from the webmaster of Segamat.fotopages.com

v t e Johor Darul Ta'zim Districts Johor Bahru Batu Pahat Muar Kluang Kota Tinggi Segamat Pontian Mersing Ledang Kulaijaya Small Districts Rengit Labis Pengerang Cities/Main Towns Johor Bahru (Capital) Batu Pahat (Bandar Penggaram) Muar (Bandar Maharani) (Royal town) Kluang Kota Tinggi Segamat Pontian Kechil Mersing Kulai Tangkak Rengit Yong Peng Labis Townships and Mukims Ayer Bemban Ayer Hitam Air Papan Bakri Bandar Dato' Onn Bandar Penawar Bandar Tenggara Batu Enam Bekok Benut Bukit Batu Bukit Gambir Bukit Kangkar Bukit Kepong Bukit Naning Bukit Pasir Buloh Kasap Chaah Desaru Endau Gelang Patah Gemas Baharu Genuang Jemaluang Jementah Johor Lama Kahang Kampung Tengah Kangkar Pulai Kelapa Sawit Kempas Kong Kong Kota Iskandar (state administrative centre) Kukup Layang-Layang Lenga Lima Kedai Lok Heng Lombong Machap Masai Mengkibol Nusajaya Pagoh Paloh Parit Bakar Parit Jawa Parit Raja Parit Sulong Parit Yaani Panchor Pasir Gudang Pasir Pelangi Pendas Pekan Air Panas Pekan Nanas Pengerang Permas Jaya Plentong Renggam Sagil Saleng Sedenak Sedili Seelong Segenting Semerah Senai Senggarang Simpang Renggam Skudai Sri Gading Sri Medan Stulang Sungai Balang Sungai Mati Sungai Rengit Tampoi Tanjung Balau Tanjung Kupang Tanjung Leman Tanjung Langsat Tanjung Pelepas Tanjung Pengelih Tebrau Teluk Mahkota Teluk Ramunia Teluk Sengat Tenang Tenggaroh Tongkang Pechah Ulu Choh Ulu Tiram Serom Villages FELDA Taib Andak Kampung Bakar Batu Kampung Bukit Treh Kampung Kayu Ara Pasong Kampung Melayu Majidee Pantai Minyak Beku Kampung Nong Chik Kampung Parit Selangor Kampung Tengah Sungai Karas Tanjung Piai Serom 5 Chamek Housing Estates and Commercial Parks Bandar Baru UDA Bandar Damansara Alif Desa Tebrau Bandar Putra Kulai Bandar Sri Alam Bukit Indah Horizon Hills Indahpura Kota Masai Mutiara Rini Setia Indah Setia Tropika Century Garden (Taman Century) Taman Daya Taman Johor Jaya Taman Melodies Taman Molek Taman Perling Taman Scientex Taman Sentosa Taman Sri Lambak Taman Suria Taman Ungku Tun Aminah Taman Universiti Taman Flora Utama Taman Bukit Pasir Pura Kencana Taman Setia Jaya 2 Islands Middle Rocks South Ledge Pulau Aur Pulau Besar Pulau Kukup Pulau Merambong Pulau Pisang Pulau Pemanggil Pulau Tengah Pulau Rawa Pulau Sibu Pulau Tinggi Mountains Gunung Ledang Rivers Muar River Kesang River Sungai Batu Pahat Local Authorities Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB) Majlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru Tengah (MPJBT) Majlis Perbandaran Pasir Gudang (MPPG) Majlis Perbandaran Kulai (MPKu) Majlis Perbandaran Batu Pahat (MPBP) Majlis Perbandaran Muar (MPM) Majlis Perbandaran Kluang (MPK) Majlis Daerah Kota Tinggi (MDKT) Majlis Daerah Pontian (MDP) Majlis Daerah Simpang Renggam (MDSR) Majlis Daerah Yong Peng (MDYP) Majlis Daerah Tangkak (MDT) Majlis Daerah Segamat (MDS) Majlis Daerah Labis (MDL) Majlis Daerah Mersing (MDM) Special Zones Iskandar Malaysia East Coast Economic Region

Coordinates: 2°30′N 102°49′E / 2.5°N 102.817°E / 2.5; 102.817

Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars performing in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 19, 2010
Background information
Birth name	Peter Gene Hernandez
Born	(1985-10-08) October 8, 1985 (age 26)[1] Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Genres	Reggae fusion, pop, soul, R&B
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, record producer, model, dancer
Instruments	Vocals, drums, guitar, keyboard, bass, piano, harmonica
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Atlantic, Elektra
Associated acts	The Smeezingtons
Website	www.brunomars.com

Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age. He performed in various musical venues in his hometown throughout his childhood. He graduated from high school and then moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue a musical career. Mars produced songs for other artists, joining production team The Smeezingtons.

Mars had an unsuccessful stint with Motown Records, but then signed with Atlantic Records in 2009. He became recognized as a solo artist after lending his vocals and co-writing the hooks for the songs "Nothin' on You" by B.o.B, and "Billionaire" by Travie McCoy. He also co-wrote the hits "Right Round" by Flo Rida featuring Ke$ha, and "Wavin' Flag" by K'naan. In October 2010, he released his debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Anchored by the worldwide number-one singles "Just the Way You Are" and "Grenade", the album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.^[2] Mars was nominated for seven Grammys at the 53rd Grammy Awards, winning Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Just the Way You Are".

Mars' music is noted for displaying a wide variety of styles and influences, and contains elements of many musical genres. He has worked with an assortment of artists from various genres. Mars acknowledges the influences that his collaborations have had on his own music. As a child, he was highly influenced by artists such as Little Richard,^[3] Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson and would often impersonate these artists from a young age. Mars also incorporates reggae and Motown inspired sounds into his work. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times referred to Mars as "one of the most versatile and accessible singers in pop."^[4] Worldwide, Mars became the best-selling digital artist in 2011. He had three singles in the top ten, including first place with "Just The Way You Are," which sold 12.5 million copies.^[5] Mars won Best International Male Solo Artist at the BRIT Awards in 2012.^[6] Bruno Mars has sold 5 million albums and 36 million singles worldwide.^[7]

Early life[link]

Bruno Mars was born Peter Gene Hernandez on October 8th, 1985, and raised in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawaii, by parents Pete Hernandez, of Puerto Rican descent, and Bernadette "Bernie," a Filipina.^{[8][9][10][11]} His mother emigrated to Hawaii from the Philippines as a child and his father moved to the island from Brooklyn, New York.^[12] Mars' parents met while performing in a show, where his mother was a hula dancer and his father played percussion.^[12] At the age of two, he was nicknamed "Bruno" by his father, because of his resemblance to legendary professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino.^[13]

Mars was one of six children and came from a musical family who exposed him to a diverse mix of reggae, rock, hip hop, and R&B.^[14][15] In addition to being a dancer, his mother was a singer and his father used his musical ability to perform Little Richard rock n roll music.^[3] Mars' uncle was an Elvis impersonator. By the age of three his uncle had Mars up on the stage performing. He also performed songs by artists such as Michael Jackson, The Isley Brothers, and The Temptations.^[10] At age four, Mars began performing five days a week with his family's band, The Love Notes, in which he became known on the island for his impersonation of Presley.^[16]

In 1990, Mars was featured in MidWeek as "Little Elvis", going on to have a cameo in the film Honeymoon in Vegas in 1992.^[10][17] He later reflected on the influence Presley had on his music: "I watch the best. I'm a big fan of Elvis. I'm a big fan of 1950s Elvis when he would go on stage and scare people because he was a force and girls would go nuts! You can say the same thing for Prince or The Police. It's just guys who know that people are here to see a show, so I watch those guys and I love studying them because I'm a fan."^[18] In 2010, he also acknowledged his Hawaiian roots and musical family as an influence, explaining, "Growing up in Hawaii made me the man I am. I used to do a lot of shows in Hawaii with my father's band. Everybody in my family sings, everyone plays instruments...I've just been surrounded by it."^[19] In 2003, shortly after graduating from President Theodore Roosevelt High School at the age of seventeen, Mars moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue a musical career.^[10][17] He adopted his stage name from the nickname his father gave him, adding "Mars" at the end because "I felt like I didn't have [any] pizzazz, and a lot of girls say I’m out of this world, so I was like I guess I'm from Mars."^[20]

Career[link]

[edit] 2004–10: Career beginnings and It's Better If You Don't Understand

Bruno Mars performing in Houston, Texas in November 2010.

Shortly after moving to Los Angeles, Mars signed to Motown Records in 2004, in a deal that "went nowhere".^[21] However, Mars' experience with Motown proved to be beneficial to his career when he met songwriter and producer Philip Lawrence, who was also signed to the label. Mars, Lawrence, and engineer Ari Levine began writing songs together, and formed the production team The Smeezingtons.^[21] In 2006, Lawrence introduced Mars to his future manager at Atlantic Records, Aaron Bay-Schuck.^[22] After hearing him play a couple of songs on the guitar, Bay-Schuck wanted to sign him immediately, but it took about three years for Atlantic records to finally sign Mars to the label.^[22] In the meantime, Bay-Schuck hired Mars and the Smeezingtons to write and produce songs for the label's artists.^[22] According to Bay-Schuck in an interview with HitQuarters, Mars had stated that although his ultimate goal was to be a solo artist, he was willing to write and produce for other artists, both to help improve his songwriting and help him discover the type of artist he ultimately wanted to be.^[22] Bay-Schuck credits this as a period of "self-discovery" that contributed significantly to Mars' later success.^[22]

Before becoming a successful solo artist, Hernandez was an acknowledged music producer, writing songs for Alexandra Burke, Travie McCoy, Adam Levine, Brandy, Sean Kingston, and Flo Rida.^[14][23] He also co-wrote the Sugababes' hit song "Get Sexy" and provided backing vocals on their album Sweet 7.^[24][25] His first musical appearance as a singer was in Far East Movement's second studio album Animal, featured on the track "3D".^[26] He was also featured on pastor and hip hop artist Jaeson Ma's debut single "Love" in August 2009.^[27][28] He reached prominence as a solo artist after being featured on and co-writing B.o.B's "Nothin' on You" and Travie McCoy's "Billionaire"; both songs peaked within the top ten of many charts worldwide.^{[29][30][31][32]} He said of them, "I think those songs weren't meant to be full-sung songs. If I'd sung all of "Nothin' on You", it might've sounded like some '90s R&B." Following this success, Mars released his debut extended play (EP), titled It's Better If You Don't Understand, on May 11, 2010.^[33] The EP peaked at the 99th position on the Billboard 200 and produced one single, "The Other Side", featuring singers Cee Lo Green and B.o.B.^[34][35] Mars collaborated with Green once more in August 2010 by co-writing his single "Fuck You!". He performed a medley of "Nothin' on You" and "Airplanes" with B.o.B and Hayley Williams at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, 2010.^[36]

[edit] 2010–present: Doo-Wops & Hooligans

Bruno Mars' debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, was released digitally on October 4, and saw its physical release on October 5, 2010.^[37][38] The lead single, "Just the Way You Are", was released on July 19, 2010,^[39] and has reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 as well as several other charts worldwide.^[40][41] The music video was released on September 8, 2010.^[42] The second single, "Grenade", was released September 28, 2010, and has also seen successful international chart performance.^[43][44] In the United States, Doo-Wops & Hooligans debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 for the week of October 13, 2010, selling 55,000 copies.^[2] The album also received generally positive reviews from critics. Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt praised Mars for his "instant-access melodies" and "sly snatches of dance-floor swagger", but noted weaknesses in songs deviant from his conventional pop and soul genres.^[45] He opened for Maroon 5 on the fall leg of the Hands All Over Tour starting October 6, 2010 and co-headlined with McCoy on a European tour starting October 18, 2010.^[38]

On September 19, 2010, Mars was arrested in Las Vegas for possession of cocaine.^[46] When talking to a police officer, Mars reportedly stated that what he did was "foolish" and that "he has never used drugs before".^[47][48] Mars pled guilty to felony drug possession, and in return for his plea, he was told that the charges would be erased from his criminal record as long as he stayed out of trouble for a year, paid a $2,000 fine, did 200 hours of community service and completed a drug counseling course.^[49]

On February 13, 2011, Mars won his first Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, having received six nominations; Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Nothin' on You", Record of the Year for "Nothin' on You" and "Fuck You", Song of the Year for "Fuck You", and Producer of the Year, Non-Classical at the 53rd Grammy Awards.

On September 16, 2011, Bad Meets Evil released their single, "Lighters", which featured Mars in the song. The song was met with mixed reviews from critics and many criticized Mars for doing this type of song.^[50] On September 22, 2011, it was announced on Mars' website that his new song "It Will Rain" will appear on The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack which was released on November 8.^[51] On October 30, 2011, Mars gave an exclusive performance of "Runaway Baby" on the results show of The X Factor UK, the same day that Mars received six nominations for a Grammy Award; Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Doo-Wops & Hooligans, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for "Grenade", and Producer of the Year, Non-Classical at the 54th Grammy Awards. During the ceremony, Mars performed "Runaway Baby" but he did not win any awards as Adele won in all the categories he was nominated in and also lost to Paul Epworth for Producer of the Year.

Mars has confirmed on Twitter that his work on his second album has begun.^[52] On March 22, 2012, it was announced that Mars had signed a worldwide publishing deal with BMG Chrysalis US.^[53]

Musical style[link]

Mars performing on November 24, 2010. Mars plays several instruments including piano, guitar, bass and congas.^[54]

Mars' music has been noted for displaying a wide variety of styles and influences, including pop,^[55] rock,^[55] reggae,^[55] R&B,^[56] soul,^[45] and hip hop.^[57] His co-producer Philip Lawrence says, "What people don't know is there's a darker underbelly to Bruno Mars." Mars himself says, "I blame that on me singing to girls back in high school."^[58] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times called him "one of the most versatile and accessible singers in pop, with a light, soul-influenced voice that’s an easy fit in a range of styles, a universal donor."^[4] Mars was initially influenced by R&B artists such as Keith Sweat, Jodeci and R. Kelly, as well as 1950s rock 'n' roll and Motown.^[59] In high school, he began listening to classic rock groups such as The Police, Led Zeppelin, and the Beatles.^[59] All of these genres of music have influenced Mars' musical style; he observed that "It’s not easy to [create] songs with that mixture of rock and soul and hip-hop, and there’s only a handful of them."^[59] Mars also stated that he is a fan of Alicia Keys, Jessie J, Jack White and The Saturdays.^[60]

In addition, Mars claims that his work with other artists influenced his musical style, saying that "'Nothin' on You' had a Motown vibe, 'Billionaire' was a reggae acoustic guitar-driven song, though one of my favorites is the Cee-Lo [Green] song ['Fuck You']. I don't think anyone else could've sung that song. And there's 'Just the Way You Are.' If you know my story, you know I love all different genres of music."^[61] He cites doo-wop as a major influence on his music, referring to the genre as "just straightforward love songs – so charming and simple and romantic."^[61] In addition, Mars states that growing up in Hawaii influenced his music, giving the songs a reggae sound. He explains that "In Hawaii some of the biggest radio stations are reggae. The local bands are heavily influenced by Bob Marley. That music brings people together. It's not urban music or pop music. It's just songs. That's what makes it cross over so well. The song comes first."^[12] Lyrically, many of Mars' songs have been described as "feel-good", carefree, and optimistic,^[62] however, darker subjects are addressed in songs such as "Grenade", "Liquor Store Blues", and "Talking to the Moon", which detail failed relationships and self-destructive behavior.^[45][63]

Discography[link]

• Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010)
• TBA (2012)

Tours[link]

• Doo-Wops & Hooligans tour (2010–2011)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bruno Mars

• Official website
• Bruno Mars on Twitter
• Bruno Mars at the Internet Movie Database