Prince Royce

If bachata had a recognizable face in Latin pop in recent years, it would probably be that of Prince Royce. His sound is built on melodies that blend Dominican tradition with modern arrangements, where acoustic guitars intertwine with electronic beats without losing the essence of the party. It's not just his voice that defines his style, but that ability to make a genre like bachata sound fresh even when repeating classic patterns. The opening chords of Corazón Sin Cara or Stand by Me are enough to understand why his music resonates with so many people: there's something in the way he sings —with that mix of tenderness and cheekiness— that invites you to move, no matter the language.

The leap to fame was no accident. At nineteen, after trying his luck with local projects in New York and a brief stint in the duo El Dúo Real alongside José Chusán, he met Andrés Hidalgo, who became his manager and guided him toward bachata. Hidalgo introduced him to Sergio George, a producer who signed him after hearing three demos. The pivotal moment came when he recorded his debut album in 2010, a record that not only topped two songs at number one on the Billboard Tropical Songs chart —Stand by Me and Corazón Sin Cara— but also earned him three awards at the following year's Billboard Latin Music Awards, including Tropical Album of the Year. He wasn’t trying to reinvent the genre, but he managed to make bachata sound as powerful on America’s radio stations as it does at parties in the Bronx.