The romantic Bruno Mars in Spanish

I went to Ticketmaster a few days ago thinking there might still be a ticket or two available for “The Romantic Tour” of Bruno Mars. Not that I can afford the P23,750 ticket, which is what a true-blue fan should get. I want to see him sing up close.

Besides, I checked out his set list, and it has all his big hits. From the recent Risk It All and I Just Might to the star-making early releases like 24K Magic, That’s What I Like, Versace on the Floor, Just the Way You Are, the Silk Sonic goodie Leave the Door Open and even Die with a Smile.

So, I thought that maybe there might be some seat that escaped purchase and could be waiting for me. The result was No Tickets Available. None on the original dates, May 15 and 16. Nothing too on the additional May 18. I guess I’ll just have to content myself with the usual, that is watching Bruno Mars videos.

Which I must say is not really bad at all. I love watching Bruno Mars videos and finding hints of his Filipino ancestry. That is how I got into a Spanish kick these days. Bruno Mars has released a Spanish version of his hit song Risk It All. It features Bruno singing with a Mexican band. The new rendition is not only romantic, it is by far more affecting than the English original.

Bruno’s singing is extraordinary. No matter what he does with the music, this is what holds the attention of the listener. He has a wide vocal range, three octaves and perfect pitch. His falsettos soar smoothly and his low growls are sweet and sexy. Add to this the passion inherent in Spanish poetry and you will see why Bruno is at ease with the language.

Bruno was born in Hawaii. He is half-American and half-Puerto Rican on his father’s side. His mother is part-Filipino and part-Spanish. With a mestizo and a mestiza for his parents, there is a lot of the Latino in him from the start. This has probably just been waiting to come out. And here it is, in Risk It All translated literally into Lo Arriesgo Todo. It is beautiful.

Risk It All is one of the cuts in Bruno’s album aptly titled “The Romantic.” The first single is the dance tune I Just Might. This is the usual Bruno sound that his fans have come to expect. Then, there is the slow jam On My Soul, sort of like a Versace on the Floor. Another outstanding number is the bouncy Cha Cha Cha, which is the most Latino of all the tracks and certainly also deserves a Spanish translation.

Come to think of it, why not an entire “The Romantic” album in Spanish? It will surely open a whole new Latin market for Bruno. Besides, he seems to be taking this Spanish phase seriously. A few weeks ago, he dropped another entry into his Latin song list. The song is titled Still. That is English, but it is a duet with the popular Columbian singer and songwriter Karol G.

Still is a power ballad, and Bruno’s vocals effortlessly soar with so much emotion. This guy can sing anything and this amazes not just his fans but also the people he works with.

I think I know the why. Bruno is part-Filipino. You know how Pinoys can sing anything. Check out the local variety shows and you will find balladeers doing rock or hip-hop and they manage to sound okay. Bruno’s Pinoy genes have made him able to sing anything.

Still is already being bruited about as a likely nominee at the upcoming Grammy Awards and that it would make a fitting follow-up to the Bruno and Lady Gaga duet Die With a Smile. That one bagged the Grammy for Best Performance by a Duo or Group. Maybe Bruno can do a repeat and also please the many Latin fans of Karol G.

As for “The Romantic” concert, I’ll just have to pass it up. He is not singing anything in Spanish anyway. And that is how I like him these days.