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Bruno Mars extends Las Vegas Strip residency, sets Spotify record

Updated January 28, 2025 - 6:26 pm

Riding a duet with Lady Gaga (“Die With a Smile”), a new single with Sexyy Red (“Fat Juicy & Wet”), a record number of Spotify streams in a month (150 million-plus) AND a cult classic never recorded (“I Took Your Phones Away”), Bruno Mars is returning to Dolby Live.

The theater-packing headliner is returning for seven dates May 21-June 2 (tickets on sale 10 a.m. Friday; VIP presale on Tuesday; go to Ticketmaster.com for intel).

Since opening in December 2016, Mars has become the dean of Dolby Live. His residency is entering its 18th leg and will have reached 99 shows by the end of the just-announced series.

Those numbers don’t include his 34 with Anderson .Paak in Silk Sonic. But the 99 solo shows and 133 performances overall are the most of any headliner in the venue.

A 15-time Grammy Award-winner, Mars is a consistent sell-out, ordering the phones pouched as he sings the aching ballad “I Took Your Phones Away,” never heard outside the venue.

And there is no sign of the residency abating, as Mars is also in business with MGM Resorts International at his popping music club, The Pinky Ring. The retro-influenced showman referred to the club Monday morning, while he and Sexyy Red co-hosted an hourlong radio special on Apple Music.

“I’ve got a club out in Las Vegas,” Mars told the rap artist and singer. “At midnight, it is mandatory they play a Sexyy Red record.”

That’s when The Pinky Ring takes on a strip-club vibe, without actually violating hotel decency protocols.

Also reported alongside the residency extension, Mars has become the first artist to surpass 150 million monthly listeners on Spotify, the country’s leading music-streaming platform.

“Die With a Smile” has totaled 1.7 billion streams since its release in August. The song is the ninth No. 1 Billboard single for Mars, who hasn’t released a solo album since “24K Magic” in November 2016, just ahead of his premiere at Park MGM.

Mars’ collab with Rosé, “Apt.” in October has vaulted past 1 billion streams and has peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard charts. The 150 million mark was reported just as “Fat Juicy & Wet” was issued on Friday.

The song deserves every inch of its R-rating. Review before playing it for the kiddies, or those who don’t care for the raunch.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.

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