New Music: Bruno Mars - 'Locked Out of Heaven'

Expect the unexpected when it comes to Bruno Mars. The Hawaiian heartthrob debuts his brand new single, “Locked Out of Heaven,” which may just be the lovelorn song of the fall. Marked by a harder-edged sound than fans might expect from the crooner, the uptempo number was produced by Mark Ronson, Jeff Bhasker, Emile Haynie, and the songwriting/production team the Smeezingtons (Mars, Philip Lawrence, and Ari Levine).

“You could make a sinner change his ways,” he wails over the bright synths. “Open up your gates ’cause I can’t wait to see the light.”

The single is the first from Bruno’s sophomore album Unorthodox Jukebox, slated for a December 11 release.

“This is me going into the studio and recording and writing whatever I want,” he told Billboard. “This album represents my freedom.”

In the cover story, the platinum singer described his diverse sound, which oscillates from radio-friendly pop and R&B to modern soul. “I listen to a lot of music and I want to have the freedom and luxury to walk into a studio and say, ‘Today I want to do a hip-hop, R&B, soul or rock record,'” he said.

Unlock a piece of “Heaven” below.