Bruno Mars

Audiences have looked up to Bruno Mars as a king from his very first performances. At the age of 4 the future singer/songwriter/producer entertained crowds by impersonating Elvis Presley in his father’s Vegas-style revue in Waikiki.

Mars’ “Little Elvis” earned him a cameo in the 1992 flick “Honeymoon in Vegas.” As a teen he performed as a Michael Jackson impersonator then formed two covers bands.

Photo: AP Photo

Mars moved on from singing legends’ songs to writing and producing hit tunes for some of today’s brightest stars.

The 25-year-old and his writing/production team The Smeezingtons are behind Flo Rida’s “Right Round,” K’Naan’s “Wavin’ Flag” and Cee-Lo Green’s “Fuck You.“

Mars’ vocals are also featured on B.o.B‘s “Nothin’ On You” and Travie McCoy’s “Billionaire.” Demos of the tunes helped Mars snag a record deal with Elektra.

Mars’ debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, was released in October and features the No. 1 hit “Just the Way You Are.”

“His voice is amazing,” Paradigm’s Matt Galle told Pollstar. “The first time I heard him I thought he was a star. I was just blown away.”

After supporting McCoy in Europe and opening for Maroon 5 on a few dates this fall, Mars kicked off a U.S. headline tour in mid-November.

Galle noted that every show was sold out and venues were “bumped up in capacity as far as we [could] go.”

Mars plans on adding more U.S. dates in 2011 as well as touring Japan, Asia and Australia.

Photo: Joseph Dowling

Doo-Wops & Hooligans debuted at No. 3 on Soundscan’s current albums chart.

Bruno Mars is up for seven 2011 Grammy awards.