New York City-born Geoffrey Royce Rojas aka Prince Royce has established himself as one of the biggest stars in Latin music. Emerging on the scene in 2008 and releasing his self-titled debut album in 2010, Royce has made a career out of combining bachata, Latin pop and R&B to craft his own sound. 2015’s ‘Double Vision’ saw him release his first full-length English-language release, which featured collaborations with Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull and Tyga to name a few, and 2020’s ambitious ‘Double Vision’, saw Royce straddle both of the musical worlds he’s made his own across a double album.
2024’s ‘Llamada Perdida’ (‘Missed Call’ in English) saw him return to his roots, adding another 3 number ones to his tally. Now just over a year later, Royce has new album ‘Eterno’ ready and he’s celebrating the music he grew up on and loved. Of course, Royce puts his own stamp on the 13 tracks here, which are covers of classic pop songs that most people will be familiar with. Rather than doing straightforward covers, Royce has recorded bilingual versions that incorporate his trademark bachata sound. The album is a full circle moment for Royce, whose first hit was his fresh take on the Ben E. King classic ‘Stand By Me’.
Covers albums are notoriously difficult to get right. Many artists record straight covers, which serves only to highlight how the originals are better, and others try to put their own stamp on the songs and end up ruining them. Landing in the sweet spot is difficult but Royce pitches ‘Eterno’ exactly right. He’s not trying to better these songs, nor is he trying hard to completely revamp them. Instead, he’s honouring the original melodies, and opening them up to new audiences by choosing to sing parts in Spanish. The bachata rhythm on each track works surprisingly well and the end result is an album that is summer ready, and packed with nostalgia.
‘Eterno’ opens with ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’, originally recorded by King Harvest although known by many as a hit in 2000 by UK band Toploader. In Royce’s hands, the song taps into its soul elements with the bachata time signature giving the song a new flavour. Second song, ‘How Deep Is Your Love’, originally recorded by Bee Gees, is one of the highlights on the record and it’s no surprise it was chosen as a single. I know this song so well but Royce’s version makes me feel like I’m hearing it for the first time. The bilingual lyrics draw out the sensuality of the song and it sounds gorgeously romantic.
Royce doesn’t go for the most obvious songs on this collection. A cover of Richard Marx’s ‘Right Here Waiting’ manages to retain the emotional impact of the original version, while adding a bit of Latin spice, while Royce’s take on Air Supply’s ‘All Out of Love’ is simply stunning. One song that Royce covers, which I never expected anyone to go near, is Backstreet Boys’ classic ‘I Want It That Way’. The song suits Royce down to the ground and honestly, I might prefer this one to the original. I said it. I’m not sorry (love you Backstreet Boys).
A cover of The Temptations’ ‘My Girl’ is a chance for Royce to show off just how soulful his vocals can be while his daring take on Roberta Flack’s ‘Killing Me Softly’ works surprisingly well, as Royce launches into Spanish on the first verse and immediately wins you over. The album comes to a close with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Go Your Own Way’ and I can honestly say it’s the first time I’ve heard one of the band’s legendary songs sung in a language other than English. There’s a little rock edge throughout but the bachata rhythm drives the song, making you think this has always been a Latin classic.
‘Eterno’ is a refreshing approach to a covers album and it manages to celebrate the classics, while positioning Royce as a future icon. It takes a real talent to be able to cover the likes of Elvis, The Beatles and Luther Vandross and do them justice, and that’s exactly what Royce does here. ‘Eterno’ is a strong entry in Royce’s catalogue and it’s a way to expand his reach to audiences that may not have heard his music yet. Royce makes all of these songs sound fresh and reinvigorated, and ‘Eterno’ is sure to be the soundtrack to your summer.
Track list: 1. Dancing in the Moonlight 2. How Deep Is Your Love 3. Stuck On You 4. Right Here Waiting 5. Can’t Help Falling in Love 6. If Only For One Night 7. I Want It That Way 8. All Out of Love 9. Yesterday 10. My Girl 11. Killing Me Softly 12. I Just Called To Say I Love You 13. Go Your Own Way Record label: Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC / Smiling Prince Music Release date: 16th May 2025 Buy ‘Eterno’ now
This article contains an affiliate link. Purchases through this link may result in us earning a commission.
