UPDATE: 01/26/07, 09:45 ET: After Bruno Mars announced that he has completed his new album, a source exclusively explains Us Weekly that the singer is in talks to perform his lead single at the 2026 Grammys on February 1, where he is nominated for three awards.
The long-awaited follow-up to 2016 24K magic is titled The romantic and will be released on February 27.
Us Weekly reps for Mars and the Grammys have been contacted for comment.
Original story:
Bruno Mars has finally confirmed that new music is coming, and his fans took the moment to joke about his alleged gambling debts.
“My album is done,” the 40-year-old Grammy winner he tweeted on Monday, January 5, without offering further details on a title or a potential release date.
The news was met with excitement by his fans, who have been waiting almost 10 years for a new solo album from Mart, as his last solo project, 24K magicdropped in November 2016.
“THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER,” wrote one happy listener via X, while Rolling StoneThe official account of simply tweeted: “I need it.”
Other fans, however, took the opportunity to joke that Mars only returned to the studio to pay off gambling debts that have allegedly followed him over the past few years.
“About to be debt free 🔥🔥🔥,” joked one X user while another joked, “Vegas will be happy to hear 🤣.” A third person added: “Congrats to the Bellagio for getting that much closer to paying off their debt!”
Rumors about Mars’ gambling debts began circulating in 2024 when a report claimed he owed $50 million to MGM, the company that owns his Las Vegas resort. According to the report, Mars continued to renew his residences with MGM in order to pay off the debt.
MGM Grand, however, vehemently denied the report, with a spokesperson saying: “MGM and Bruno’s partnership is long-standing and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he owes nothing to MGM. Together, we are excited to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our guests.”
Mart, for his part, continued to rely on the joke, referring to it in interviews and on stage.
“I love the tradition that I’m a Vegas lounge singer in debt to the mob,” he told al Las Vegas Review-Journal in June 2024. “I can work with that.”
Later that year, he joked about it during a concert in September 2024. “Since those articles came out about me owing the casino money, you stopped taking my calls,” he joked while speaking on a support phone. “It’s me baby, I got money.”
In January 2025, when he became the first artist in Spotify history to reach 150 million monthly listeners, he used the milestone as another opportunity to joke about his finances, writing via Instagram: “KEEP STREAMING! I’ll be out of debt in no time.”
Bruno Mars doesn’t need to use his “24K Magic” to pay off his gambling debts, because he doesn’t have any. After a report claimed Mars, 38, owed $50 million to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the hospitality company spoke out to reject those claims. “We are proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, (…)
Although Mars hasn’t released a solo album in nearly a decade, he’s kept busy collaborating with other artists. In 2021, he released a collaborative album with Anderson .Paak such as Silk Sonic, who supported with a residency at the Park MGM resort in Las Vegas.
Since then he has had numerous hits with other artists including “APT.” with pink and “Die With a Smile” with Lady Gaga in 2024 and “Fat Juicy & Wet” with sexxy red in 2025.
Meanwhile, his latest solo residency in Las Vegas continued through New Year’s Eve and grossed more than $124 million over nine years.