Prince Royce gives a *glow-up* to the classics that made us cry (or dance) in the 2000s
If you thought you had already overcome the emotional trauma of listening to *”I Want It That Way”* in karaoke mode after three mojitos, Prince Royce has just reactivated your memories with his new album *”Eterno”*. Yes, the king of urban bachata decided that it wasn’t enough to conquer the Latin genre, but he also wanted to colonize our playlists with Spanish and English versions of songs that your parents (and probably you) love. The result? A nostalgic trip that goes from Stevie Wonder to the Backstreet Boys, passing through Elvis Presley, as if someone had mixed a *throwback Thursday* with a party in the Bronx.
From bachata to boy band: the musical *reboot* that no one asked for (but we all need)
In an interview in Mexico City—where he probably also ordered tacos from the pastor—, Royce confessed that this album is his *”love letter”* to the songs that marked his life. From *”I Just Called to Say I Love You”* (which we all used to declare ourselves in high school) to *”How Deep Is Your Love”* (the unofficial anthem of uncles’ weddings), the artist gave them a *makeover* with tropical guitars and that flow that only he knows how to put into everything. *”I wanted to keep the original essence… but with my seasoning,”* he said, as if reinventing the Bee Gees were as easy as adding avocado to toast.
And speaking of essences, who would say that the song by the Backstreet Boys—yes, that band that made us believe that love was *”tell me why”* and not therapy—would be your favorite? *”It reminds me of when I dreamed of being an artist,”* Royce admitted, confirming that everyone, even bachata idols, had a *teen* phase full of posters and musical wet dreams. But the *plot twist* comes with *”Dancing in the Moonlight”*, the song that King Harvest popularized in the ’70s and which now sounds like it’s the soundtrack to a beach party with *rosé* included.
The *softest* detail? Dedicate *”How Deep Is Your Love”* to his mother, because apparently that was the first song she heard when she arrived in the US. A gesture so sweet that it almost makes us forget that Royce basically kidnapped the hits of half a century to turn them into bachatas. *”The challenge was to make them my own without losing their magic,”* he said, as if he hadn’t just given a *dem bow* to *”Yesterday”* by The Beatles. Would Paul McCartney approve? Maybe not, but your aunts at the family reunion sure did.
Is it worth listening to? If you like bachata, nostalgia or just want to know what Elvis sounds like with Caribbean percussion, this album is your next *guilty pleasure*. Of course, we are not responsible if you end up singing *”Can’t Help Falling in Love”* in the mirror with a shampoo bottle as a microphone.
Do you dare to compare the originals with Royce’s versions? Share your opinion on networks and discover more about how Latin artists are reinventing classical music. #BachataMeetsPop
