Photo: John V. Esparza
Bruno Mars is bringing back romance in the most iconic way.
Ahead of the release of his new album The Romantic on Friday (February 27), his first solo album in a decade since 2016's 24K Magic, Mars hosted a throwback radio show in "Romantic Radio with Bruno Mars: An iHeartRadio Album Preview," which streamed live on Mars', iHeartRadio and TikTok's official TikTok pages and aired on iHeartRadio station across the country as well as on iHeartRadio's Love Songs Radio and Hit Nation stations.
Posted up behind a desk in a retro radio station right out of the '70s, complete with lava lamps, a colorful disco ball and records lining the wall, Mars led his very own radio show to give fans their first listen to The Romantic in full, taking them on a journey through love, from the flirty, fun beginnings of a new romance to the deep feelings of love for your other half.
Photo: John V. Esparza
Mars played The Romantic front to back for fans tuning in, from the first track "Risk It All," which he described as one of his favorite songs he's ever been a part of and a track that "lit a fire" in everyone in the studio, to the final song "Dance With Me," a romantic number that is sure to be added to every wedding playlist going forward.
Songs like lead single "I Just Might" were already a familiar sound since its release in January, but new tracks "Cha Cha Cha," "God Was Showing Off" and "Something Serious" rounded out the romantic spectrum as a soundtrack for every stage of a relationship.
The "heavy" song "Nothing Left" is as relatable as it is painful because as Mars said, "Everyone experiences heartbreak and everyone experiences trying to make something work" and holding on "to what you've got." He also hopes "Why You Wanna Fight?" will help people find the right words to cool down fiery disagreements when they're going through their own relationship woes.
Photo: John V. Esparza
Just like the radio shows Romantic Radio paid homage to, the event also featured plenty of loving song dedications to other artists like his "APT." collaborator ROSÉ, and his The Romantic tour special guests Anderson .Paak and Victoria Monét.
"Mr. Romantic himself" also gave some advice to callers sharing their own highs and lows of love using iHeartRadio's Talkback feature, from fans sharing how they need a pick me up and a song to blast after getting "dumped" after Carnival, the "biggest party of the year" to a "single" .Paak wanting to find a new fun tune and Monét saying she wants to "be like Stella and get my groove back."
If you missed "Romantic radio with Bruno Mars: An iHeartRadio Album Preview," there's still a chance to feel the love. The hour-long special will re-air on Love Songs Radio on the iHeartRadio app every night at 9 p.m. ET through March 6.