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Bruno Mars / Instagram
Bruno Mars
Concerts
Bruno Mars Kicks Off Record-Breaking Vancouver Show Run with Pregnancy Gag Starring TikTok Star Leenda Dong
The Vancouver comedian and TikTok sensation appeared onstage with Anderson .Paak (DJ Pee Wee) at BC Place last night (Oct. 15) and was featured onscreen holding a baby doll bearing an uncanny resemblance to Mars.
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Bruno Mars has taken the stage in Vancouver.
The Hawaii-born star returned to the Canadian stage last night (Oct. 14) for the first of five record-setting nights in Vancouver, delivering a long list of solo and Silk Sonic hits for over 50,000 fans at BC Place. During the show, Bruno Mars called the Canadian city his home "for the next little while," referring to his next four shows that helped him break the record for the most shows played at the stadium by an artist on a single tour.
One familiar Vancouver face stole the show, as local TikTok sensation and comedian Leenda Dong made several cameos throughout the night. The actress danced onstage with Anderson .Paak (as DJ Pee Wee) during his opening DJ set while wearing a prosthetic pregnant belly, a skit that would unfold throughout the night. It's an ongoing stage gag in which Pee Wee seemingly runs into his ex, whose water quickly breaks, and he and Dong delivered their "Van City baby" onstage.
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She was later featured on the jumbotron during Mars' crowd camera segment, the "Angel Baby Cam," holding a baby doll that resembled the singer, complete with his signature curly hair, red bandana and moustache. She also posed with the other half of Silk Sonic for some photos backstage, one of which was even snuck into the onscreen "Romantic Dedications," which feature fan photos and messages that are submitted through a QR code. "You can't get rid of me, Pee.Wee!" said the message, which was signed "Your Fav' ex, Leenda."
Before touching down to deliver his hit singles, Mars already made his mark on Vancouver by lending his voice to the Vancouver SkyTrain for a pair of special announcements that are being played at the Stadium-Chinatown station. While the Romantic Tour made another record-breaking stop in Toronto in May, Vancouver is the sole Canadian city to host the limited-edition merch capsule between Bruno Mars and Hello Kitty, which will be sold at a pop-up on 820 Granville St. on the day of Mars' shows on Oct. 16-17. Adding more musical flair to the city, he even placed an illuminated "Marry You" sign in Yaletown and a "XXVI Magic" sign in front of the One Wall Centre, referencing his 2010 single and Canadian top 5 song and album from 2016, 24K Magic, respectively.
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The Romantic Tour is Mars' first full-length tour since 2024 and his biggest to date, with 162 shows in stadiums worldwide. His two-hour, career-spanning setlist includes most of his seven Canadian No. 1 songs, including "Locked Out of Heaven," "Die with a Smile" and "I Just Might," his most recent chart-topper which reached the summit in the same week that The Romantic debuted atop the Billboard Canadian Albums chart.
Mars is set to play four more shows at BC Place on Oct. 16, 17, 20 and 21.
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