You know the name. You know the fedora, the 24K gold chains, and that high-voltage voice. But if you think Bruno Mars just popped out of a vacuum as a solo superstar, you’ve missed half the story. The truth is, the "Hooligans" frontman is just one piece of a massive, music-obsessed family puzzle.
Bruno Mars and sisters—Jaime, Tiara, Tahiti, and Presley—actually shared the spotlight long before the world knew what a "Uptown Funk" was.
Growing up in Honolulu wasn't exactly a beach vacation for the Hernandez siblings. It was work. Their father, Peter Hernandez, ran a 1950s-style variety show. Their mother, Bernadette, was a singer and hula dancer. The kids? They were the crew. While little Bruno was busy being the world’s youngest Elvis impersonator, his sisters were right there in the wings, or on stage, keeping the family business alive.
It’s easy to look at a global icon and assume they did it all alone. Bruno didn’t.
The Lylas: More Than Just "Bruno’s Sisters"
Around 2013, the sisters decided to step out from the long shadow cast by their brother's Grammy wins. They formed a pop group called The Lylas.
The name stands for "Love You Like a Sister."
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It wasn't just a hobby. They landed a reality show on WE tv that followed their move from the familiar comfort of Hawaii to the cutthroat streets of Los Angeles. People tuned in expecting to see Bruno Mars popping in every five minutes. Instead, they got a raw look at four women trying to harmonize while dealing with massive ego clashes and the logistical nightmare of living under one roof.
Jaime, the oldest, often acted as the anchor. Tiara, Tahiti, and Presley brought the fire. Honestly, the show was kind of chaotic. It showed the grind—the failed meetings with producers, the vocal coaches telling them they weren't ready, and the pressure of having a brother who is literally one of the most talented people on the planet.
Heartbreak in the Middle of the Hype
Life has a way of hitting you when you’re finally gaining momentum.
In June 2013, right as the sisters were filming and preparing to launch their music career, tragedy struck. Their mother, Bernadette San Pedro Bayot, died suddenly from a brain aneurysm. She was only 55.
It gutted them.
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The family is tight. Like, "we all live in each other's pockets" tight. Seeing the sisters grapple with that loss on camera was one of the few times a reality show felt genuinely human. They almost quit. They couldn't sing. The group's future felt pretty bleak because their mom was the one who taught them how to be performers in the first place.
They eventually pushed through, releasing the single "Come Back" as a tribute. If you listen to it, you can hear the influence of that classic 60s girl-group sound their dad loved, mixed with a very modern R&B heartbreak.
Meet the Hernandez Women
To understand the dynamic of Bruno Mars and sisters, you have to look at them as individuals, not just a collective unit.
- Jaime Kailani: She was the first to move to LA. She sort of paved the way for the rest of the siblings. She’s also the founder of 4MamaEarth, a non-profit. She’s always been the one with the "big picture" perspective.
- Tiara Hernandez: If you want to talk about the musical backbone, Tiara is often it. She’s a songwriter and a powerhouse vocalist in her own right. In the family dynamic, she’s frequently the one pushing for perfection.
- Tahiti Hernandez: She’s a mother and a fitness enthusiast. Tahiti often balanced the most "real world" responsibilities with the dream of being a pop star.
- Presley Hernandez: The youngest. She has that classic "youngest sibling" energy but holds her own with a voice that rivals her older sisters.
The band eventually drifted apart as a formal entity. You won't find them touring arenas today. But they didn't disappear.
Where Are They Now?
Nowadays, the sisters are largely focused on their own lives and families in Hawaii and California. They still show up at Bruno’s shows, usually in the front row or backstage, being his biggest fans.
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Their brother Eric is still his drummer. The family remains a unit.
What most people get wrong about them is thinking they were "trying to ride Bruno's coattails." If you actually watch the old footage of their variety show days, you’ll see they were all professionals before they were even teenagers. They were singing and dancing six nights a week for tourists long before Bruno moved to LA.
The Lylas might not have become the next Destiny’s Child, but they proved a point: the talent in that family isn't concentrated in just one person. It’s a literal bloodline.
Why This Matters for Fans
If you're a fan of Bruno's music, you should care about his sisters because they are the reason his music sounds the way it does. That "retro" vibe he’s famous for? That’s not a brand he picked up in a marketing meeting. That’s how he and his sisters were raised.
They grew up on the "Love Notes," their dad's doo-wop group. They learned harmony by listening to each other in the living room. When you hear the background vocals on a Bruno Mars track, you’re hearing a style that was forged in a house full of Hernandez women.
If you want to dive deeper into their journey, here is what you should do:
- Watch the old WE tv clips: They provide a fascinating look at the "pre-superstar" family dynamics and the reality of the music industry.
- Listen to "Come Back": It's their strongest track and really shows off their four-part harmonies.
- Follow their individual ventures: From Jaime’s charity work to Tiara’s independent music projects, they are all still active in various creative spaces.
The story of Bruno Mars and sisters isn't just about a famous brother. It's about a family that refused to stop making noise, even when the world was only listening to one of them.