Bruno Mars Wants to Give People "An Outlet of Joy After Quarantine"

With the weather heating up and the hope of brighter post-pandemic days ahead, there's plenty to cheers to this summer. And Bruno Mars, for one, will be doing just that. Coming off the massively successful debut of his new band Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak followed by a retro Miami-inspired collaboration with Lacoste (featuring the pure joy that is his over-the-top Ricky Regal alter ego) this spring, the singer is putting his 24K Magic touch on another project: the launch of a vacation-worthy spirit from the rum brand he co-owns, SelvaRey.

"I've been fortunate to have a few different creative projects over the last year," Mars tells InStyle. "But just like me, I think people need an outlet of joy after quarantine, and music and a good drink could do just that. I'm toasting to a better tomorrow!"

For Mars, staying busy professionally during lockdown was vital. So when developing a campaign for the brand's new Coconut Rum — which is distilled in Panama and aged two years — he turned to his usual music collaborators, who just so happen to double as co-owners of SelvaRey. "My whole crew — my band, Anderson .Paak, DMile, James Fauntleroy, my engineer Charles — we all have skin in the game and believe in this brand," Mars says of coming up with SelvaRey's latest creative content series, which is dubbed Tropical Luxury, Wherever You Are and includes a video directed by and starring Mars, alongside .Paak. "It's a family affair. So why not have the family that owns it also be the family that promotes it? Also, paying for models is expensive — and Anderson is a very inexpensive model."

While some celebrities put their name on a product without playing an active role in its development or marketing, Mars isn't one of them. The star — who says that if he could share a drink with one person, living or dead, it would be "Bruce Lee, no explanation needed!" — is creatively involved from start to finish, infusing his signature flair into each aspect of the product he puts out into the world. "I don't view myself as a celebrity; I view myself as a mogul," he jokes. "Can you hold on a second? I'm getting a phone call. 'Oh hey, Leo. Tonight? I'm tied up tonight, I'll catch you later.' I'm sorry, where were we?" All teasing aside, Mars is in it for the long haul. "Really, though, I've been involved with SelvaRey for seven years now," he says. "I was in after the first sip, and I wanted the world of the brand to match the way the rum made me feel."

As for how he hopes others feel when they take their first sip of his latest launch? "I want people to be transported to paradise," says Mars, who has some tropical dreams of his own this summer. "I'd love to go to Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Hawaii. Anywhere with a beach."

When he's not traveling, you can bet that Mars will have Silk Sonic's single "Leave the Door Open" blasting (he says it's "on repeat!") and a Piña Colada in hand. He'll also be busy prepping for his much-anticipated return to the stage. He's one of the first stars set to perform on the Las Vegas Strip in July, with a string of concert dates that sold out within hours of being announced. "It feels great to be getting back out there," he says. "I'm really looking forward to reuniting with my band and brushing the dust off." Never one for subtlety when it comes to his largely '70s-inspired fashion choices, you can bet Mars's performances will be visually showstopping, too. His summer style icon? "Whoever that man in the mirror is," he jokes. "No…it's Cher."