Royce put a Spanglish twist on the 1961 classic, blending genres, cultures and generations for what would become his first big hit, and the lead single of his self-titled debut. In the years that followed, Royce would become one of the best-selling Latin pop acts. He touts successful cross-genre collaborations with Shakira, Bad Bunny and Selena Gomez, to name a few.
Now, over a decade later, Royce is revisiting the formula that launched his career in his new album “Eterno” — a collection of updated bachata versions of hits by the Beatles, the Bee Gees, the Backstreet Boys and many more.
“It was very nostalgic,” Prince Royce tells Variety of the recording process. “I named this album ‘Eterno’ because it’s a collection of songs that are eternal or that have lasted forever. They’re classic pop songs that I’m reintroducing to today’s young kids, or these could be songs that are new to people in Latin America that might not have heard them before.”
Before pushing bachata music into the mainstream, Prince Royce was born Geoffrey Royce Rojas in the Bronx in New York City. He has proudly represented the tropical rhythms of the Dominican Republic since the moment he got his first big break in 2009 after briefly signing with Sergio George’s Top Stop Music label. (Royce later parted ways with George and signed with Sony Music Latin in 2013.)
Following the salsa music legend’s advice to release a cover, he came up with the options of “Stand By Me” or “Yesterday” by the Beatles, and ultimately decided to go with to remake the former a year later. It was recently certified 24-time platinum by the RIAA.
“I feel like I’m 100% Latino and 100% New Yorker and American,” he says. “I love Dominican culture, but I also love English music, hip-hop and R&B. My version of ‘Stand By Me’ was basically that vibe. It was the perfect blend of English and Spanish under a bachata beat. It really did represent who I am.”
After becoming famous for a cover, Royce purposefully stuck to releasing his own original music. His romantic spin on bachata with elements of pop and R&B led to more multi-platinum hits, including the hypnotic “Corazón Sin Cara” and the breezy “Darte Un Beso.”
Other Latin acts were also tapping Prince Royce to get in on the bachata sound, including Mexican singer Thalia in 2013’s “Te Perdiste Mi Amor” and Colombian superstar Shakira for 2017’s sultry “Deja Vu.” Since then, Spanish pop star Rosalía has embraced the genre in “El Pañuelo” with Romeo Santos, and Manuel Turizo later scored a global smash in 2022 with “La Bachata.”
“It’s a blessing how I’ve been able to add my grain of sand through my work,” Royce says. “When I first released ‘Stand By Me,’ I wasn’t sure if it was really going to have that impact. I was able to help bachata grow and reach other countries. When people like Manuel Turizo or Rosalía record bachata songs, or when Shakira recorded her first bachata song with me, I think that’s everything I dreamed of and so much more.”
For his eighth album, Royce is back to infusing bachata into English-language classics like “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley, “I Just Called To Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder, “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac, and “Yesterday.” The newly-imagined songs are sung in both English and Spanish and Royce reshapes them with colorful tropical arrangements that mix bachata with elements of rock, country and folk music.
Though Prince Royce initially thought that it would be easy to cut a covers album, he found there was a lot more administrative work involved, including getting the clearance for all 13 tracks.
“I had to get the rights from every songwriter and artist of everything on the album and that took eight months,” he adds. “The process for me was like ‘friendo y comiendo,’ (a Spanish idiom for multi-tasking) we say. I wouldn’t even be finished with rewriting and recording a song, but I knew it was going to make the album, so we would start getting it cleared and that would take a couple of months. I hired a separate company to do that for me.”
As part of the creative process, Royce heavily researched the songs on “Eterno,” and any other recorded versions to incorporate their nuances into his own covers. He listened to King Harvest and Toploader’s versions of “Dancing in the Moonlight” to create his feel-good reimagining of the sunny 70s anthem.
Royce offers a soulful take on Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly,” inspired by the Fugees’ influential 1990s version that helped shape his musical roots, along with those of a generation. He also includes a country-infused rendition of Lionel Richie‘s “Stuck on You,” which has already received a seal of approval from Richie himself.
“It’s an honor,” Royce says. “I think it’s a beautiful thing to hear from the original artist. I remember singing ‘Stand By Me’ with King at the 2010 Latin Grammy Awards. That was a big deal because you don’t know if the artist actually likes it or supports it. That was like a passing of the torch. If I can sing or record or collaborate in any way with any of the artists that are alive from these songs on the album, I would love to.”
Several tracks on Eterno carry deep personal significance for Royce, including his rendition of the Bee Gees’ “How Deep Is Your Love” — a heartfelt tribute to his mother, who often listened to the song while working in a factory after immigrating to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic. He also holds a special connection to the Backstreet Boys’ 90s hit “I Want It That Way” — “That’s one of my favorites because I identify with that era,” he says.
“I remember vividly when ‘I Want it That Way’ came out and I was singing it to girls. Hearing it in bachata and Spanish… it sounds good. It feels good. I think my voice sounds great on that one, so I’m really proud of the way it ultimately came out.”
While calling the album a gift to his fans, Royce slyly admits that “Eterno” is also buying him some time to work on more original music. The Latin star isn’t slowing down anytime soon with plans to tour either towards the end of this year, or the beginning of 2026.
“I’m still here,” he says with a laugh. “I’m grateful that I’m making music and doing what I love.”
