Bruno Mars - "Just the Way You Are"

Listening to "Just the Way You Are," the debut single as a lead artist from Bruno Mars sounds like hearing the arrival of a new star who aims to be around for the long haul. His fingerprints have been all over the pop charts in recent months singing the hooks for B.o.B.'s "Nothin' On You" and Travie McCoy's "Billionaire." Bruno Mars is one of the primary creative talents behind K'Naan's world pop breakthrough "Wavin' Flag." "Just the Way You Are" is a simple, straightforward, beautiful pop song and likely only the first of many pop hits to come from Bruno Mars.

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With the title of his debut EP It's Better If You Don't Understand, 24 year old Bruno Mars put the world on notice that the key to enjoying his music is not to try and find the proper genre title, niche, or box to pack it into. Instead, the key is simply listening to the honey smooth melodies and his sweet, romantic vocals. "Just the Way You Are" is an ode to appreciating the uniqueness in one's love interest and not expecting or wanting to see any changes. The sentiments are delivered on top of a basic pop arrangement that serves to focus attention on the singer and the words.

Bruno Mars is a true romantic among current pop performers. There is a sweetness to his words and sounds that seems to hearken back to at least the mainstream pop of the 1970s. If it weren't for the up to date, clean, elegant instrumental arrangements, the sentiments he delivers are almost pure bubblegum. That is a good thing. Bruno Mars takes us away and gives us an escape from pain and heartbreak.

"Just the Way You Are" is already a top 20 pop hit in the US so it seems to have set Bruno Mars well on his way to success as a solo artist beyond his impressive feature performance efforts and production and songwriting for others. He is making his way with a sweet, smooth style that quietly resists categorization or any insistence on being the coolest act in the room.