Bruno Mars has sold part of his music catalog to Warner Chappell Music, the company confirmed to Billboard.

The sale reportedly happened quietly six months ago, and sources say Bruno retained a minority stake in the songs sold to WCM.

“I began my career at Atlantic and it made sense to keep my business in the family, with the team who have supported me and grown with me,” Bruno said in a statement provided to Billboard by Warner Chappell. “This is me doubling down with people I trust. We’re just at the beginning of the journey and there’s so much more to come.”

Warner Chappell Music is the global publishing company of Warner Music Group, which owns Atlantic Records.

Warner Chappell CEO Guy Moot added in a statement to Billboard, “Bruno is a creative genius and it’s a huge honor to deepen our relationship with him. At the heart of his immense talents is his incredible songwriting, which he honed for years before he became a recording superstar.”

The statement continues, “Like only a true great can, he’s mastered and transcended multiple musical genres with extraordinary originality and versatility. The world will continue to fall in love with his songs for generations to come.”

The details of the sale are not yet publicly known, but Bruno reportedly has over 200 songs in his catalog, including solo songs, collabs and songs he’s co-written for other artists.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.