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\n\tBruno Mars<\/a> is tapping into his Latin<\/a> roots like never before on The Romantic<\/em>, his fourth album and first solo LP<\/a> in a decade. Born Peter Gene Hernandez in Hawaii to a Filipino mother and Puerto Rican father, Mars has infused soul, funk, and old-school R&B into shimmery, love-laden<\/a> pop songs in the past. But on this project, Mars is leaning into his Latin side in his music.<\/p>\n \n\tAcross the album, he taps into Mexican and Cuban-inspired sounds like boleros, mariachi, and salsa. Here\u2019s a few highlights off the album and a breakdown of its Latin music inspirations.<\/p>\n \n\tMars kicks off The Romantic<\/em> with a cinematic roar of trumpets and delicate strings. Immediately, it evokes a Mexican bolero, which is a romantic ballad that originated in Cuba and became popularized by Mexican musicians like Agust\u00edn Lara and, later, Javier Sol\u00eds. The track credits a bevy of session musicians, including a saxophonist, a whopping six violinists, two viola players, a couple of trumpet players, a cello player, and conga player Daniel Rodriguez, who played alongside Mars<\/a> at his 2025 New Year\u2019s Eve show in Las Vegas. In the music video for \u201cRisk It All,\u201d Mars incorporates a ton of visual nods to Mexican culture, including a full-on mariachi band and a Virgen de Guadalupe gold chain.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\u201cRisk It All\u201d \t<\/h3>\n