Bono

Paul David Hewson, known professionally as Bono, was born on 10 May 1960 at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, the second child of Iris and Brendan Robert Hewson. He grew up on Cedarwood Road, between the Northside suburbs of Finglas and Ballymun, in an interdenominational Christian household — his mother was a member of the Church of Ireland and his father was Roman Catholic. Bono attended Glasnevin National School and later St. Patrick's Cathedral Grammar School before transferring to Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Clontarf, a multi-denominational institution. His mother died on 10 September 1974, three days after suffering a ruptured cerebral aneurysm at her father's funeral; her loss became a recurring subject in U2's songwriting, reflected in tracks including "I Will Follow," "Mofo," "Out of Control," "Lemon," and "Tomorrow."

The nickname Bono originated within a surrealist street gang called Lypton Village, of which he was a member during his childhood and adolescence. The name passed through several iterations — including "Bono Vox of O'Connell Street" — before settling on Bono, a shortened form derived from Bonavox, the name of a hearing aid shop near Dublin's O'Connell Street. The name traces to the Latin phrase for "good voice" and was given to him by his childhood friend Guggi. Hewson has gone by Bono since the age of 14 or 15, and the name is used by close family, friends, and bandmates alike.

On 25 September 1976, Bono responded to a bulletin board advertisement at Mount Temple posted by fellow student Larry Mullen Jr., joining David Evans (the Edge), his brother Dik Evans, and Adam Clayton to form what would eventually become U2. The band cycled through the names Feedback and The Hype before settling on U2 after Dik Evans departed to join the Virgin Prunes. Bono initially sang, played guitar, and wrote songs for the group, though he has acknowledged that his guitar playing was limited; as The Edge's guitar work developed, Bono shifted primarily to vocals, with occasional rhythm guitar and harmonica. As of 2006, he had also taken piano lessons to support his songwriting.

Bono is the lead vocalist, founding member, and primary lyricist of U2. His vocal style is widely characterized as impassioned, and his lyrics frequently engage with social, political, and religious themes rooted in his Christian faith. During U2's early years, his writing contributed to the band's rebellious and spiritual tone; as the band matured, his lyrics drew more directly from personal experiences shared with the other members. As a member of U2, Bono has received 22 Grammy Awards and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Among the band's landmark performances was their appearance at the Live Aid benefit concert on 13 July 1985 at Wembley Stadium, where they played before a crowd of 72,000 and a global television audience of 1.5 billion. During a 12-minute performance of "Bad," Bono descended from the stage to embrace a fan in the crowd, extending the song and causing the band to drop "Pride (In the Name of Love)" from their set. Though the group initially viewed the concert as a missed opportunity, journalists widely cited it as a defining moment for U2, with The Guardian naming it one of 50 key events in rock history.

Outside of U2, Bono has collaborated with his bandmate the Edge on several projects, including songs written for Roy Orbison, Tina Turner, and Martin Garrix, as well as the soundtrack to a London stage adaptation of A Clockwork Orange. His Broadway work includes serving as a book writer for Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, a production for which he and the Edge also contributed music. In business, Bono invested in the refurbishment of the Clarence Hotel in Dublin and served as managing director and managing partner of the private equity firm Elevation Partners.

Beyond music, Bono has been active in advocacy for social justice, with a particular focus on combating extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa. Toward those ends, he co-founded DATA, EDUN, the ONE Campaign, and Product Red, and has participated in benefit concerts while lobbying politicians and heads of state for relief. His philanthropic work brought him recognition as one of Time's Persons of the Year in 2005. In 2007, Queen Elizabeth II granted him an honorary knighthood. In 2013, he was made a Commandeur of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2025, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the United States. Bono has also drawn criticism for his activist approach, specifically for bypassing African businesses in his efforts, and for tax avoidance in his personal finances.

Bono began dating Alison Stewart at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in 1976, and she later became his wife.