NEW YORK — Bruno Mars was jealous of Amy Winehouse because he wanted to do what she did: release genre-bending songs that connected with audiences around the world. “I felt like everything I've been saying, everything I wanted to do, she did it,” the singer-songwriter-producer said in a recent interview. Winehouse, who died last year, won five Grammy Awards for 2007's “Back to Black,” including album of the year. “You couldn't put it in a box ‘cause it could be played on rock stations, it could be played on rhythmic stations, it could be played on pop radio, and I've always wanted to make music like that — that could be spread out, and can't be pigeonholed into one thing,” he said. “And they did it. Her and Mark Ronson.” Mars, 27, was signed to Universal Motown when he grew envious of Winehouse, who released “Back to Black” on Motown's sister label, Universal Republic. Though his record deal fell through, the crooner had a breakthrough in 2010 on Atlantic Records with his multi-sounding, near-double platinum debut, “Doo-Wop & Hooligans.” This week he's releasing an album full of even more sounds with “Unorthodox Jukebox.” It features Ronson, who has produced for Lily Allen, Adele, Nas and Q-Tip. “(I was) not thinking about business or radio or politics, just doing what I love to do and that's creating music,” Mars said. “Whether it be a reggae song, rock song, a love song, the main thing was just to, whatever I was feeling, to try to capture that emotion.” — AP
