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Trevor Noah Hosting Grammys for the 6th Time—But There's a Catch
If what you like involves having a new Bruno Mars album to look forward to, you're finally in luck.
Ten years after the release of his smash-hit 24K Magic, the 16-time Grammy winner's fourth studio album, The Romantic, is due out Feb. 27. And if it doesn't seem as if it's been that long since his last solo effort, that's only because the 40-year-old has been so busy leaving the door open for collabs with other artists.
"We kept coming up with music," Bruno told Apple Music's Zane Lowe in 2021, explaining his "natural and organic" pairing with Anderson.Paak as super-duo Silk Sonic. "It felt like why you fall in love with music in the first place. And jamming with your buddy…There’s no plan, just working out the parts and trying to excite each other."
Silk Sonic won four Grammys in 2022, then Bruno performed and picked up another trophy with Lady Gaga last year. And the just-announced 2026 Grammys performer has three more shots at glory when the ceremony unfolds Feb. 1, sharing Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance nominations with Rosé for "APT.," their infectious track inspired by a Korean drinking game she and Bruno played in the studio.
Rosé was actually joking when she suggested writing a song about the game, which involves chanting "apateu" (translation: "apartment"), she told Capital FM in December 2024. "I remember going home freaking out, thinking, 'Is this ok? Writing a song about a drinking game. Is this too unserious?'"
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In any case, "APT." hit the spot, closing out 2025 atop the year-end Billboard Global 200 chart.
Meanwhile, heading into the Grammys, Bruno stands alone atop the Billboard 100 for the second straight week with his upcoming album's debut single, "I Just Might" (his first song to debut at No. 1, dethroning Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia"), and his upcoming "The Romantic Tour" is already sold out.
So, once again, Bruno has just been doing his thing, one of the most successful entertainers in the world maintaining his edge without saying a word.
Truly, for such a famous guy, Bruno—who was born Peter Gene Hernandez in Hawaii—is extremely private, his Instagram and TikTok accounts super-fun but solely existing in service of his brand. Which is all good vibes, all the time—give or take, like, one song about lost love.
But when we do talk about Bruno, his goal is to make sure the chatter is about his music.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for NARAS
"I just really care about what people see. I want them to know that I'm working hard for this," Mars told 60 Minutes in 2016 upon the release of 24K Magic, which went on to win the Grammy for Album of the Year, while the title track was named Record of the Year and "What I Like" scored Song of the Year. "The artists that I look up to like, you know, [Michael Jackson], Prince, James Brown. You watch them and you understand that they're paying attention to the details of their art. And they care so much about what they're wearing, about how they're moving, about how they're making the audience feel."
He explained, "They're not phoning it in. They're going up there to murder anybody that performs after them or performs before them. That's what I've watched my whole life and admired."
Unlike those three late legends, Mars has since taken pains to ensure that his personal life doesn't become the main event, leaving spectacle for the stage.
"Drama? I thought when we made it, that means we’re drama-free," he told Rolling Stone in 2016. "I don’t play that game. I don’t want to say something stupid and mess this all up."
While he had early-career bumps in the road, including a 2010 arrest for cocaine possession (he pleaded guilty and his record was wiped clean after he completed probation), the closest he's come to a scandal in the past decade is the 2024 report that he was $50 million in debt to MGM Resorts, a rumor he joked about after joining Rosé onstage during a July 2025 Blackpink show.
“Almost out of debt BehhhhhBehhhhh!!!” he wrote on Instagram afterward while posting video from the performance. “Preciate You ROSAAAAYYYYYY!!!!” (MGM Resorts, whose hotels the artist has had residencies at since 2016, denied the report at the time, saying in a statement, “MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM. Together, we are excited to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our guests.”)
But Mars has definitely emulated his idols as far as being admired goes, Lady Gaga raving about her experience recording "Die With a Smile" together, which resulted in a 2025 Grammy win for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
“He is the most wonderful artist," she told Rolling Stone in December 2024. "He is so kind and generous. One of my favorite things about working with him on this song was, he wanted me to be myself. You pray that if you work with someone as legendary and incredible as Bruno Mars that they’re going to be as amazing as you thought they were—and he totally is.”
And Rosé will also drink to that sentiment, noting during her November 2024 appearance on Hot Ones, "I was really lucky enough to have Bruno on ['APT.']. Craziest experience of my life."
But aside from all the other music he was putting out, count Bruno's perfectionism as a major reason why he didn't rush out a follow-up to 24K Magic, which came out four long years after Unorthodox Jukebox.
"Coming off the biggest song of my career, it was super-daunting to come in here," he told Rolling Stone about his return to the studio—where he was still tinkering with 24K Magic ahead of its November 2016 release—after "Uptown Funk" sold 12 million copies. "I don't know if people are going to love this s--t. I don't know if radio is going to play it. But what I don't want to have happen is I put it out and say, 'Damn it, if I'd just done this and this, maybe it would have had a shot.'"
Hence the gap between albums. He's either releasing magic in the air, or nothing.
And while it should be no surprise if Bruno collects another golden gramophone (or two, or three) on Feb. 1, check out these truly shocking moments in Grammys history:
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Jennifer Lopez, 2000
No one could ever have guessed the series of events that would follow the reveal of this dress. J. Lo quite literally shocked the world with this now iconic plunging Versace jungle-print gown. People searched it on the Internet so much that Google was inspired to create the Google Images search engine.
HECTOR MATA/AFP/Getty Images
Eminem & Elton John, 2001
Jaws literally dropped when the unlikely duo took the stage to perform together for the Grammy Awards. It's a bit more surprising when you realize that their performance spawned a friendship that has endured over the years. Both musicians have said that they bonded over their shared sobriety.
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images
50 Cent & Evanescence, 2004
After the rock band beat the rapper in the Best New Artist category, 50 Cent took to the stage during the band's speech, which confused the entire audience. He smoothly walked back down to his seat moments later to a round of applause, and was even given a shout-out from the band. It's safe to say he was a bit upset to go home empty-handed that night.
John Shearer/WireImage
M.I.A., 2009
While it isn't a big deal for a pregnant musician to perform, it's a pretty big deal to rap and sing onstage on your due date. This is exactly what the "Paper Planes" rapper did in 2009, when she took to the stage to perform "Swagga Like Us" with T.I., Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and Kanye West. Luckily, the baby waited a few days before finally arriving.
Steve Granitz/WireImage
Lady Gaga, 2011
The Star Is Born actress had a truly out-of-this-world experience when she arrived on the red carpet in an egg pod. Models in gold ensembles lifted the vessel through the hordes of people to the stage area, where she crawled to perform.
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Macklemore & Kendrick Lamar, 2014
When The Heist won for Album of the Year, even Macklemore was surprised. He was so surprised, in fact, that he texted Kendrick Lamar to apologize. "You got robbed. I wanted you to win," the star told his competitor. "You should have. It's weird and it sucks that I robbed you." While Macklemore have been a sincere apology, Drake called the public apology "wack as f--k."
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Beck & Kanye West, 2015
After the rapper interrupted Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2009, he got a lot of criticism. Perhaps this is why the star changed his mind when he went onstage to take the mic out of Album of the Year winner Beck. Beck welcomed Kanye to speak his mind, but the rapper simply returned to his seat as people looked on in shock.
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Beyoncé, 2017
It was a sight to behold when the Lemonade performer ascended the stage in a shimmering gold dress and crown. At the time, she was heavily pregnant with twins Sir and Rumi as she danced and sang to "Sandcastles" and "Love Drought." While all performances by Queen B are amazing, this one is definitely one of her most memorable.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Adele, 2017
It was a tough choice to vote between Adele and Beyoncé, but the votes were cast and Adele won. "I'm very humbled and I'm very grateful and gracious. But my artist of my life is Beyoncé. And this album to me, the Lemonade album, is just so monumental," the British singer tearfully revealed during her acceptance speech for Album of the Year, which was mostly devoted to praising Bey.
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Adele, 2017
George Michael's death hit close to home for the star, who got choked up during her tribute to the late singer. As she began to sing his song "Fastlove," she swore and asked to start over entirely even though the show was being broadcast live. "I'm sorry for swearing and I'm sorry for starting again," Adele said. "Can we please start it again? I'm sorry, I can't mess this up for him. I'm sorry. I can't. I'm sorry for swearing. I'm really sorry."
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Michelle Obama, 2019
When it came time to start the show, host Alicia Keys surprised the audience by bringing a few familiar female faces to the stage, including the former first lady.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Alicia Keys, 2019
Leave it to the modern queen of the keys to perform a medley of hits as the night's host using not one, but two pianos.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Demi Lovato, 2020
Nearly two years after surviving a near-fatal overdose, Demi Lovato took the stage at the 2020 Grammys for a powerful performance of "Anyone," marking her first time singing live since being hospitalized. The moment was so emotional that Lovato had to start the song over again.
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Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion, 2021
Stripper heel props, neon graphics and a whole lot of twerking made this NSWF performance of "WAP" a must-see event at the 2021 Grammys. "If you have small children in the room, just tell them it's a song about giving a cat a bath," host Trevor Noah jokingly warned before the duo took the stage.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Olivia Rodrigo and BTS' V, 2022
The K-pop group started off their 2022 Grammys performance of "Butter" with Jungkook descending from the MGM Grand Garden Arena ceiling. Then, the rest of the group—J-Hope, RM, Suga, Jin, V and Park Ji-min—slowly appeared throughout the audience, with V cozying up to pop star Olivia Rodrigo.
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Harry Styles and Taylor Swift, 2023
Haylors rejoice! At the 2023 Grammys, the "Cruel Summer" singer reunited with her ex. In fact, after the former One Direction member won Best Pop Vocal Album for Harry's House, Taylor quickly jumped up to give him a standing ovation.
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