Bruno Mars is experiencing some major career highs, but the pop star hasn't been able to fully enjoy the fruits of his labour since his mother's sudden death in June 2013.
It's one of the many topics the 31-year-old star opened up about in the February cover story for Latina.
In the issue, which hits newsstands in the U.S. on Feb. 14, Mars details how drastically his life changed after unexpectedly losing Bernadette Hernandez from a brain aneurysm.
"She's more than my music. If I could trade music to have her back, I would. I always hear her say, 'Keep going and keep doing it,'" he told the magazine.
Unfortunately, her death has also prompted the chart-topper to live life with a bit of regret. "You just gotta know that she's with me everywhere I go," he said. "It's something that you can't imagine – the pain and the things that you keep going back to: 'I wish I would’ve done this or said this."
Nonetheless, Mars emphasized that he sees "life differently" since his loss and the tragedy helped offer perspective of the world. "It shows you the real importance of life," he continued.
Click here to read Bruno Mars thoughts on the music business, being multi-racial and "black music" in the full interview with Latina.
Original article by James Dinh at iHeartRadio