Bruno Mars is back in the headlines not just for his music, but for a theory that has fans laughing and speculating in equal measure. On the latest episode of New Rory & Mal, the podcast crew dove into Mars’ latest chart-topping achievement and playfully floated the idea that the 14-time Grammy winner might just be… the first AI artist.
The conversation centered around Bruno Mars’ recent collaboration with Lady Gaga, “Die With a Smile,” which, according to the hosts, had become the biggest collaboration in Billboard Hot 100 history just 16 hours before their recording. The milestone sparked discussion about whether this moment signaled Bruno’s return to pop dominance, potentially reclaiming the throne from contemporaries like Justin Bieber and Chris Brown.
But the episode quickly took a humorous and imaginative turn. The crew proposed a tongue-in-cheek theory: Bruno Mars might be the world’s first AI-generated pop star.
Their reasoning? Mars’ uncanny ability to disappear from public view despite his massive fame. The hosts joked that he “blends into regular society” effortlessly, with no paparazzi shots of him grabbing coffee or running errands, behaviors typical of celebrities at his level. One host compared him to “Jason Bourne,” capable of executing a perfect industry takeover before vanishing into the crowd.
“Have you ever seen him at Starbucks?” one of them quipped. “He’s too perfect… like, actually too polished. That’s not human.”
The episode also revisited Mars’ well-documented roots in showbiz. Born into a family of performers, the hosts noted his early start on stage and his natural versatility. They likened him to a “carnival cruise entertainer” in the best way possible, a consummate performer who could have thrived in any musical era. Calling him a “walking jukebox,” they emphasized how seamlessly Mars blends genres, from funk to soul to pop.
While the “AI artist” label was clearly a metaphor, it underscored a broader point: Bruno Mars may be one of the few modern superstars who has mastered the art of fame without sacrificing mystery. Despite his global success and chart reign, he’s somehow maintained an old-school level of privacy, making his presence all the more intriguing in today’s hyper-visible industry.
