Bono facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bono
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Bono performing on the Joshua Tree Tour 2017 in Indianapolis
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| Born |
Paul David Hewson
10 May 1960 Dublin, Ireland
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| Other names | Bono Vox |
| Education | Mount Temple Comprehensive School |
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| Organization | One Campaign |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 4, including Eve and Elijah Hewson |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
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| Years active | 1976–present |
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Paul David Hewson (born May 10, 1960), known as Bono, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and activist. He is famous as the lead singer and main songwriter for the rock band U2. Bono is known for his powerful singing and grand performance style. His songs often talk about social and political issues, and they include religious ideas inspired by his Christian faith.
Bono grew up in Dublin, Ireland. In 1976, he met his future wife, Alison Stewart, at Mount Temple Comprehensive School. He also formed a band with school friends that later became U2. In U2's early days, Bono's lyrics gave the band a rebellious and spiritual feel. As the band grew, his songs were inspired more by personal experiences. As a member of U2, Bono has won 22 Grammy Awards and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Besides music, Bono is an activist for social justice. He works to fight extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa. He helped start groups like DATA, EDUN, the ONE Campaign, and Product Red. He has performed at benefit concerts and talked to world leaders to help these causes. Bono has received many awards for his charity work. He was named one of the Time Persons of the Year in 2005. He received an honorary knighthood from Elizabeth II in 2007. In 2013, he was made a Commandeur of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the United States in 2025.
Outside of U2, Bono has recorded with many other artists. He has worked with U2 bandmate the Edge on several projects. These include songs for Roy Orbison and Tina Turner. They also wrote music for the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and a London play based on A Clockwork Orange. In business, he invested in the Clarence Hotel in Dublin. He was also a managing partner at Elevation Partners, a firm that invested in several companies.
Bono's Early Life and Family
Paul David Hewson was born in Dublin, Ireland, on May 10, 1960. He was the second child of Iris and Brendan Robert "Bob" Hewson. His older brother, Norman, is eight years older. Bono's family moved to Cedarwood Road when he was six weeks old, and he grew up there.
The Hewson brothers grew up in a Christian home with parents from different churches. Their mother was from the Church of Ireland, and their father was Roman Catholic. Bono went to Church of Ireland services with his mother and brother. His father sometimes took him to Mass at the nearby Catholic church. In 2000, Bono learned that a relative he thought was his cousin was actually his half-brother.
Bono went to a Protestant primary school. His favorite musicians as a teenager were Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, and Marc Bolan. After one year at St. Patrick's Cathedral Grammar School, Bono moved to Mount Temple Comprehensive School. This was a school for students of all faiths.
Bono's mother died on September 10, 1974. This happened three days after she had a sudden brain bleed at her father's funeral. Many U2 songs, like "I Will Follow" and "Mofo", are about losing his mother. He said that because his mother died when he was young, he spent a lot of time alone.
As a child, Bono and his friends were part of a street group called "Lypton Village". Two of his closest friends, Guggi and Gavin Friday, lived on the same street. The group had a tradition of giving nicknames. Bono had several names before settling on "Bono". "Bono Vox" came from a hearing aid shop in Dublin. The name means "good voice" in Latin. Bono first disliked the name but accepted it after learning its meaning. He has been known as "Bono" since he was 14 or 15.
After Bono finished school, his father told him he could live at home for one year. But he had to be able to support himself after that.
Bono's Musical Journey
Starting U2: The Early Years
On September 25, 1976, Bono, David Evans ("The Edge"), his brother Dik Evans, and Adam Clayton answered an ad. Their schoolmate Larry Mullen Jr. had posted it at Mount Temple. He was looking for people to form a rock band. The band first played covers of other songs. But they were not very good at covers, so they started writing their own music.
The band was called "Feedback" for a few months, then "The Hype". After Dik Evans left, the remaining four changed the name to "U2". At first, Bono sang, played guitar, and wrote songs. He said he was a "lousy guitar player" and was told he should just sing. He found his voice and realized he could sing. As The Edge's guitar playing got better, Bono focused mostly on singing. He still sometimes plays rhythm guitar and harmonica.
On July 13, 1985, U2 played at the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium. This was a huge charity event for the Ethiopian famine. During their song "Bad", Bono went into the crowd to dance with a fan. This showed how he could connect with the audience. Many journalists said U2's performance was a highlight of the show. It helped make U2 and Bono famous.
Bono writes almost all U2's lyrics. These songs often have social and political messages. His lyrics often hint at religious ideas, like in "Gloria" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". In the band's early years, Bono was known for his rebellious and angry tone. This was clear during their War and The Joshua Tree albums.
After a bombing in 1987, the IRA threatened Bono. This was because he spoke out against the bombing during a U2 concert. Bono was advised to remove his speech from the Rattle and Hum film, but it stayed in.
Changing Sounds and Stage Characters
U2's music changed a lot with their 1991 album, Achtung Baby. Bono's lyrics became more personal, inspired by the band members' lives. During the 1992–1993 Zoo TV Tour, Bono created different stage characters. He wanted to be more playful and move away from the band's serious image.
One main character was "the Fly". Bono wore oversized sunglasses and dressed in leather. He acted like an arrogant rock star. He even stayed in character off stage. Another character was "Mirror Ball Man". Bono wore a shiny silver suit and cowboy hat. This character made fun of greedy TV preachers and salesmen. He would make prank calls from the stage, sometimes to the White House.
Later, Bono created "MacPhisto". He wore a gold suit, platform shoes, pale makeup, and devil's horns. He spoke with an exaggerated English accent. As MacPhisto, Bono continued making prank calls, often to politicians. He said that dressing as the Devil made his conversations more interesting.
Bono often tries to connect with the audience during shows. He is known for bringing fans onto the stage or going into the crowd. In 2005, during U2's Vertigo Tour, he pulled a boy onto the stage during a song.
In 2007, U2 was criticized for moving some of their music business from Ireland to Amsterdam. This happened before Ireland changed a tax rule for musicians. The band's manager said this was legal and common for businesses to reduce taxes. Bono was also criticized by a charity in 2008 for his personal tax arrangements. The band said that most of their business was outside Ireland, so they were taxed globally.
Bono's Solo Work and Collaborations
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In November 2022, Bono went on a book tour called "Stories of Surrender". He promoted his memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. For these shows, he read from his book and sang U2 songs in simpler versions. He continued the tour in New York in 2023. These shows were filmed for a documentary, Bono: Stories of Surrender, released on Apple TV+ in May 2025. It was also the first full-length film released for the Apple Vision Pro headset. Bono also released an EP with live songs from the film.
Bono has worked with many artists outside of U2. These include Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Luciano Pavarotti, and Green Day. He has co-written or sung on 80 solo and collaborative songs.
Bono and The Edge have written songs together for other projects. They wrote music for a London play based on A Clockwork Orange in 1990. They also wrote the theme song for the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, sung by Tina Turner. They composed music and lyrics for the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. They also worked with Jay-Z and Rihanna on "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)" in 2010. This song helped raise money for the 2010 Haiti earthquake relief. In 2021, they were featured on "We Are the People" by Martin Garrix, the official song of the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament.
In March 2020, Bono performed a new song, "Let Your Love Be Known", online during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was later released as "#SING4LIFE" with will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson, and Yoshiki. Bono has also worked with hip-hop artists like DMX and Lil Wayne. In 2025, he voiced a character in Halsey's tour videos.
Bono's Singing Style
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Bono is known for his passionate singing. He often sings in a high voice with a powerful, open-throated style. He is considered a tenor and says he has a three-octave vocal range. He often uses "whoa-oh-oh" sounds in his songs. Musician Billie Joe Armstrong said Bono is a "physical singer" who gets lost in the music.
Early in U2's career, Bono's singing sounded a bit English because he copied artists like Siouxsie and the Banshees. He said he found his own voice after hearing Joey Ramone sing. His style changed as U2 explored roots music for The Joshua Tree. He learned to use a wider range of sounds, from whispers to shouts. For "Where the Streets Have No Name", Bono changed his voice a lot and varied the timing.
In the 1990s, Bono explored a lower vocal range. He used "breathy and subdued colors" for Achtung Baby. He also used a technique called octave doubling, where he sang in two different octaves. On songs like "Zoo Station" and "The Fly", his vocals were heavily processed. This gave them a different emotional feel. Bono said lowering his voice helped him find new ways to sing. On Zooropa, Bono used an operatic falsetto voice he called the "Fat Lady" voice. As he has gotten older, Bono has continued to change his singing style, often using a softer, "crooning" voice.
Bono's Equipment
In U2's early days, Bono used a black Fender Lead 2 guitar with a Roland Bolt 60 amplifier.
For live shows, he has used a Shure SM58 Premier S2 radio microphone. This was later replaced by the Shure UHF-R series with a B58 capsule. He is known to record in the studio with a standard Shure SM58 microphone.
Bono's Activism and Charity Work
Bono has been very involved in charity and human rights work. He said he was inspired to become an activist after seeing a benefit show for Amnesty International in 1979.
In 1984, musician Bob Geldof asked Bono to join the Band Aid charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?". Bono sang on later versions of the song in 2004 and 2014. In July 1985, U2 played at the Live Aid concert, organized by Geldof to help the Ethiopian famine. Bono and Geldof later worked together to organize the Live 8 concerts in 2005.
In 1985, Bono and his wife Ali Hewson visited Ethiopia. They spent a month working at a feeding center. They helped create an education program for children about health and hygiene. This trip made Bono very passionate about helping Africa.
In 1986, Bono and U2 performed on Amnesty International's A Conspiracy of Hope Tour. They played alongside musicians like Sting to raise awareness for human rights.
Since 1999, Bono has focused more on raising awareness about Africa's challenges. From 1999 to 2000, he worked with the Jubilee 2000 group to help poor countries reduce their debt. He met with U.S. politicians to get support for debt forgiveness. He has met with many important leaders, including former U.S. President George W. Bush. In 2002, Bono asked Bush to provide money to developing countries. The next year, Bush signed a law for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program. This program has saved millions of lives.
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In 2002, Bono and Bobby Shriver started the group DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa). In 2004, they co-founded the One Campaign. Its goal is to end extreme poverty and disease in Africa. In 2006, Bono and Shriver also started (Red). This group partners with companies to create Product Red products. A part of the money from these sales goes to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Many big companies like Apple and Starbucks are partners. DATA and One Campaign merged in 2007. As of December 2018, One had 10 million members. As of December 2020, Red had raised $650 million for HIV/AIDS grants. In 2023, Bono announced he would leave the board of directors of the One Campaign.
In 2005, Bono recorded "Don't Give Up" with Alicia Keys. The money raised went to Keep a Child Alive.
Bono has spoken at many events about his activism. He spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2006, asking for more help for poor people. He has also spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
In 2007, Bono was a special guest editor for Vanity Fair magazine's "Africa Issue". It showed celebrities and leaders who helped with humanitarian work in Africa.
In 2021, Bono lent his voice to One's animated series Pandemica. This series raised awareness about the importance of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, Bono supported Ukraine's fight against Russia. He and The Edge performed in a Kyiv metro station used as a bomb shelter. This was a show of support for Ukrainians.
Impact and Criticisms
Bono is known as one of the most effective celebrity activists. He has been called "the face of fusion philanthropy". This means he successfully brings together leaders from government, religion, charities, media, and business.
Some people have criticized Bono's activism. In 2005, Paul Theroux wrote that celebrities like Bono make Africa seem like it can only be saved by outside help. He said this idea is misleading. Bono responded in 2006, saying his critics were "cranks" who wouldn't know what to do if they were actually helping.
In 2007, Bono was criticized for U2's financial arrangements. Some said the band used companies in other countries to reduce taxes. U2's manager said this was legal. In 2007, Jobs Selasie of African Aid Action said Bono's charities might increase corruption in Africa. He felt they did not work enough with African businesses.
In 2017, Bono was named in the Paradise Papers. This showed he invested in a company that bought a shopping mall in Lithuania and moved its ownership to avoid taxes. Bono welcomed the investigation and said he supported transparency. The company later paid taxes and fines, and Bono ended his ties with it.
Other Creative Projects
Artistic Pursuits
Bono enjoys sketching and painting as a hobby. He learned to draw and paint on photos from his father. His father used to add color to black-and-white photos.
In 2003, Bono and his daughters provided paintings for a book version of Peter and the Wolf. This book came with music by Bono's friend Gavin Friday. Bono's paintings were inspired by his father's death in 2001. They were sold at auction to benefit the Irish Hospice Foundation.
In 2022, Bono's drawings of his musical heroes were in The Atlantic magazine. In 2023, he illustrated the cover of The Atlantic for a story about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His artwork was a line drawing of Zelenskyy in Ukrainian flag colors. U2 sold merchandise with this portrait, and all money went to help Ukraine buy ambulances.
Film Work
Bono was an executive producer for the 1995 documentary Miss Sarajevo. He also produced the 2000 film The Million Dollar Hotel, which was based on a story he wrote.
In the 2007 musical film Across the Universe, Bono had a small role. He played "Dr. Robert" and sang Beatles songs. Bono was also an executive producer for the 2018 film Waiting for the Miracle to Come. In the 2019 documentary Pavarotti, Bono spoke about his admiration for the Italian singer Luciano Pavarotti.
Bono voiced the character Clay Calloway, a lion rock legend, in the 2021 animated musical film Sing 2. In April 2023, a short animated film based on Bono's Peter & the Wolf illustrations was approved. It features narration and music by Gavin Friday.
Writing
Bono's memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, was released on November 1, 2022. He promoted it with a book tour. The book quickly became a best-seller. For narrating the audiobook version, Bono won the Audiobook of the Year award in 2024. A shorter version of the book was released in paperback in May 2025.
Business Ventures
In 1992, Bono and The Edge bought and renovated the Clarence Hotel in Dublin. They turned it into a five-star hotel. In 2019, they sold the hotel lease, and in 2023, they sold the property. Bono also co-owns a company that plans to redevelop a site in Dalkey.
In 2005, Bono, Ali Hewson, and designer Rogan Gregory started the EDUN fashion label. This brand aims to help Africa through fair trade instead of direct aid.
Bono was on the board of Elevation Partners, a private-equity firm. This firm invested in various entertainment businesses. Bono was an investor in Forbes Media through Elevation Partners. His firm also owned a small part of Facebook.
In 2016, Bono invested in and joined the board of the "Rise Fund". This $2 billion fund invests in companies that have a positive social or environmental impact. In 2019, Bono and TPG created Y Analytics. This company measures the social and environmental effects of investments.
In September 2019, Bono joined the board of directors of Zipline.
Awards and Recognition
Bono has won many awards with U2, including 22 Grammy Awards. He also won two Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song. In 2005, Bono was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of U2. Music critics have often ranked Bono among the greatest singers and frontmen.
In 2003, Bono received the Legion of Honour from the French government. He also received the MusiCares Person of the Year award. Time magazine included Bono on its list of the 100 most influential people in 2004 and 2006. In 2005, the magazine named him, Bill and Melinda Gates the Persons of the Year. That same year, he received the Portuguese Order of Liberty for his humanitarian work. Bono was also one of the first three winners of the TED Prize. He made wishes related to the One Campaign and connecting Ethiopian schools to the Internet.
In 2004, Bono received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
In 2007, Bono received several honors. He won the Chairman's Award at the 38th NAACP Image Awards. He was also made an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by the UK. On September 27, Bono and DATA received the Philadelphia Liberty Medal for their humanitarian work. Bono donated the $100,000 prize to DATA.
On December 11, 2008, Bono received the annual Man of Peace prize in Paris, France.
Time ranked Bono 8th on its list of "Most Influential Celebrities" in 2013. In July 2013, the French government honored him as a Commandeur de Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
In 2016, Glamour named him "Man of the Year". This was for starting the "Poverty is Sexist" campaign, which helps the world's poorest women. In 2018, he received the first George W. Bush Medal for Distinguished Leadership. This was for his humanitarian work against poverty and HIV/AIDS.
On April 1, 2022, Bono received the 2021 J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding. This was for his activist efforts.
In January 2025, Bono was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest civilian honor in the United States. The White House called Bono a "pioneering activist against AIDS and poverty".
Bono's Personal Life
Family and Home
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Bono met Alison "Ali" Stewart when he was thirteen. She was one year younger and went to the same school. After his mother died in 1974, Ali helped take care of him. They started dating in 1976. Their relationship grew stronger as he worked to succeed in music.
Ali and Bono married on August 31, 1982, in a Church of Ireland ceremony. U2 was in debt, so they could not afford a honeymoon. But their record label's founder, Chris Blackwell, let them use his estate in Jamaica. After returning to Ireland, they lived in a small house in Howth with the other U2 members.
The couple has four children: daughters Jordan (born 1989) and Eve (born 1991). Their sons are Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q (born 1999) and John Abraham (born 2001). Elijah is the lead singer of the band Inhaler. Eve is a well-known actress.
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Bono and Ali have a main home in Killiney, a wealthy suburb of Dublin. The house has views of Killiney Bay. Bono's childhood friend Gavin Friday lives next door. They also own homes in the south of France and New York. In the early 1990s, Bono bought an apartment in Manhattan from Steve Jobs.
Health Matters
Bono is almost always seen wearing sunglasses. This is because he has had glaucoma since the 1990s. This condition makes his eyes sensitive to bright light and camera flashes. He said it's partly for privacy and partly due to eye sensitivity.
In May 2010, Bono had a serious back injury while rehearsing for a U2 tour. He had emergency surgery. The North American tour was postponed and rescheduled for 2011.
On November 16, 2014, Bono had a "high energy bicycle accident" in New York's Central Park. He tried to avoid another rider. Bono was taken to the hospital and had five hours of surgery. He broke his shoulder blade, arm bone, eye socket, and pinky finger. He later wrote on U2's website that it was unclear if he would ever play guitar again.
In 2016, while recording U2's album Songs of Experience, Bono had a serious health scare. In his 2022 memoir, he shared that he had open-heart surgery. This was due to a problem with his aorta. He made a full recovery after the eight-hour operation.
Discography
| Year | Title | Album |
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| 1985 | "Silver and Gold" (with Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood) | Sun City |
| 1992 | "Can't Help Falling in Love" | Honeymoon in Vegas |
| 1995 | "Hallelujah" | Tower of Song: The Songs of Leonard Cohen |
| "Save the Children" | Inner City Blues: The Music of Marvin Gaye | |
| 1997 | "Dreaming with Tears in Your Eyes" | The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: A Tribute |
| 2000 |
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The Million Dollar Hotel |
| 2011 | "Rise Above 1" (Reeve Carney featuring Bono and The Edge) | Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark |
| 2012 | "Bulletproof Pride" (K'naan featuring Bono) | Country, God or the Girl |
| 2021 | "We Are the People" (Martin Garrix featuring Bono and The Edge) | non-album single |
| "Eden (To Find Love)" | Citizen Penn | |
| 2025 | "The Days" (Lil Wayne featuring Bono) | Tha Carter VI |
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
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| 1988 | Rattle and Hum | Himself | Rockumentary |
| 1998 | The Simpsons | Himself | TV series; one episode, "Trash of the Titans" |
| 1999 | Classic Albums | Himself | TV series; one episode, "The Joshua Tree" |
| Entropy | Himself | ||
| 2000 | The Million Dollar Hotel | Man in the hotel lobby | Uncredited cameo appearance, original storywriter, producer |
| Sightings of Bono | Himself | Short film | |
| 2005 | Entourage | Himself | TV series; one episode, "I Love You Too" |
| 2007 | Rewind | Himself | Rockumentary |
| Across the Universe | Dr. Robert | Sang the Beatles songs "I Am the Walrus" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" | |
| American Idol | Himself | TV series; "Idol Gives Back" | |
| 2008 | U2 3D | Himself | 3D concert film |
| 2009 | Entourage | Himself | TV series; one episode, "Give a Little Bit" |
| Brüno | Himself | Mockumentary comedy film | |
| 2011 | From the Sky Down | Himself | Rockumentary |
| Anton Corbijn Inside Out | Himself | ||
| 2012 | B.B. King – The Life of Riley | Himself | Documentary |
| The Resurrection of Victor Jara | Himself | Documentary | |
| 2013 | Arcade Fire in Here Comes The Night Time | Win Butler impersonator | NBC Special |
| Who Is Arthur Fogel | Himself | Documentary | |
| Muscle Shoals | Himself | Documentary | |
| 2017 | Lost in London | Himself | Voice cameo |
| 2019 | Pavarotti | Himself | Documentary |
| 2021 | Sing 2 | Clay Calloway | Voice role |
| 2023 | Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman | Himself | Documentary |
| 2024 | Kiss the Future | Himself | Documentary |
| Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple'' | Himself | Documentary | |
| 2025 | Bono: Stories of Surrender | Himself | Documentary |
In addition to his acting credits, Bono has contributed music to films, as part of U2 and other collaborations.
Honours
(Chev. L.H.) (Knight): Chevalier dans l'Ordre de la Légion d'honneur (Knight in the Order of the Legion of Honour), France (February 28, 2003)
(OL): Oficial da Ordem da Liberdade (Officer of the Order of Liberty), Portugal (April 21, 2005)
(KBE) Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, United Kingdom (January 20, 2007)
Commandeur dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters), France (July 16, 2013)
Presidential Medal of Freedom, United States (January 4, 2025)
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See also
In Spanish: Bono (músico) para niños
- Timeline of U2
- List of peace activists
- A. bonoi, a species of spider in the genus Aptostichus named after Bono
