Bruno Mars is poised to return with a fresh sound on his first solo album in seven years.
The 'Marry You' hitmaker has been busy working on his follow-up to 2016's '24K Magic', and is said to be in "early talks" for a huge tour next year and beyond.
A music insider told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column: “Bruno has taken some time away to develop a new look and sound following the success of his last few projects.
“He is close to completing the new record and is in early talks with Live Nation to map out a deal which will see him tour the album next year and into 2025.
“Bruno wants it to include the biggest concerts he has ever done and is keen to mount a large-scale multi-dimensional live show.”
While on a break from his solo career, Bruno teamed up with Anderson .Paak to form the R'n'B superduo Silk Sonic, whose 2021 debut studio album, 'An Evening With Silk Sonic', won four Grammys.
Anderson previously dubbed Bruno "one of the greatest vocalists I’ve ever worked with."
Speaking on R'n'B Now Radio on Apple Music 1, he said: "It was big for me. Like I was just trying to take it all in, live in the moment, like being in the studio with them. I’ve done collabs with everybody. I don’t know not one person old, young, everyone on my checklist I’ve already checked and I’ve done all kinds of stuff, I’ve had records that have gotten Grammys but there’s stuff – but like there’s always a place that an artist wants to go and I wanted to go straight to the top.
“And there’s a cheat code, you know what I’m saying? Everybody told me the cheat code is linking up with this dude. Get Bruno on your side, and yeah, it’s dope.”
He also revealed that the pair have a great working relationship, explaining: "It couldn’t have happened unless it was organic and natural and everyday we would get to the studio and it was a blast. It was just jokes. Some days we didn’t even make no music, we just laugh all day and talk shit and ramble. We was having too much fun, man.
“I tell him all the time I have a lot of trust in him and that felt good too. I felt like a large part of my career I’ve done collabs and everything but it felt good to be able to trust a dude to try it like this – great vocal producer, one of the greatest vocalists I’ve ever worked with and just pushing me to a different level.”