Watch Bruno Mars Pound, Snap, And Belt His Way Through Acoustic 'That's What I Like'
One of the most undeniable, inescapable singles of the past year is Bruno Mars' "That's What I Like," and this is partly because when you listen to it, every component seems flawless: dizzying hooks, seductive rhythms, that cool-as-hell opening stuttering riff, and more. Real power lies in Mars' voice as it climbs higher and higher on the chorus (and eventually the bridge), making it the kind of song that the right belter can absolutely demolish in an acoustic setting if given enough traction to set it up.
It turns out the right belter for the job is, unsurprisingly, Mars himself, as he proved on Charlie Rose's eponymous talk show Monday night (October 9).
Flanked by two backup singers, a bassist, an acoustic guitar player, and a pianist, Mars sounds absolutely flawless on the stripped-down version of the track, and he even uses the table in front of him for some light percussion. Who knew that a song with such heavy drums could sound just as incredible without them?
Oh, and the dude is sitting down the entire time, even as his voice lifts skyward and seems to leave the stratosphere for a moment. It looks like his 32nd year is already off to a great start. Watch the full performance above.