Bruno Mars, whose legal name is Peter Hernandez, is one of the most popular musical artists today. The audio streaming and media service Spotify recently announced that Mars has become the first artist in the history of the platform to reach 150 million monthly listeners. This promoted the Grammy winner to take to social media and humorously remark about his “debt.”
Bruno Mars jokes about his debt on Instagram
Earlier this week, Spotify disclosed that Bruno Mars has achieved something unprecedented on the platform. For the first time since the platform became operational, no other singer or musician has succeeded in going across the 150 million monthly listeners threshold. The company revealed that Mars has accomplished just that. On Tuesday, January 28, Mars took to Instagram Story and shared Spotify’s post on his achievement with the following words, “Keep streaming! I’ll be out of debt in no time!” (via US Weekly)
Notably, rumors were going around that Mars had incurred a gambling debt of $50 million to MGM Resorts. He was allegedly repaying the money with what he made through his residency at Las Vegas’ Park MGM. Certain news outlets even reported on the subject. However, MGM has since released a statement dismissing the speculations.
“MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM,” part of the statement reads. “Together, we are excited to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our guests.” (via People)
Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Mars hails from a musical family. Both his parents were performers, and Mars grew up deeply influenced by the rich and diverse genres of music. He was two years old when his father gave him the nickname Bruno because he apparently looked like pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino.
Throughout his career, Mars has earned several accolades, including multiple Grammys, and has sold over 130 million copies globally. In June 2024, Mars rejected the idea of speaking on the gambling debt rumors in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He jokingly added, “I love the lore that I am a Las Vegas lounge singer in debt to the mob. I can work with that.”
