Prince Royce Exclusive Q&A: On English Debut Album, Lead Single "Stuck On A Feeling" & Bachata
Prince Royce is a popular name within the Latin music culture in the U.S and amongst the Latin American countries and even Spain. Born in The Bronx, New York in 1989, and raised by Dominican parents, the talented bi-lingual individual knew from a very young age music was meant to be his career of choice. He scored a record deal in 2010 and to date he's put out three Spanish albums - he's made 'bachata' his signature genre – and all have been #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Latin Chart and been certified platinum. In the case of his self-titled 2010 debut, it got that certification three times!
Prince’s biggest hits in Spanish are “Corazon sin Cara”, “Las Cosas Pequenas”, and "Darte Un Beso" (this last from his last year-released album "Soy El Mismo"). All three songs reached #1 on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs Chart. However, “Darte Un Beso” is Royce's best-performing single to date. Not only did it peak at the highest possible on the Latin Billboard in the US, it also reached the top spot in Mexico and entered the Top 10 in several Latin American countries.
Now in 2015, Sony Music has bigger plans for Prince Royce. He’s signed a new deal with RCA Records for the recording of what will be his English-language debut album. This should be arriving in stores later this year but the first single is already out. It’s titled “Stuck on a Feeling” and features rap star Snoop Dogg (and it's rising in airplay as we write this). RCA ain’t playing! They know of the potential inside Prince Royce and the fact that he has a large fanbase already established in the USA thanks to his Spanish music makes it somewhat easier to invest money in him. That's why RCA has made Prince linked up with the hottest producers in the industry. And rumour has it there will be a collaboration between Prince and one of RCA's biggest roster members. Care to venture a name?
Will Prince ditch bachata in his debut English album? (“Stuck on a Feeling” is super urban pop) when will it be out? what music is he currently loving right now? This and much more is answered by the Bronx singer himself in the quick Q&A we did with him recently. Check out the Directlyrics.com exclusive below!
The Interview
1. You are a superstar in Latin America and the Latin community in the US loves you as well. The easiest choice would've been to stick to the Spanish music. What inspired you to make the decision to attempt a crossover to the English market?
I am never about taking the easy way towards anything. . . it is about doing what feels right. For me, the most natural choice is to do exactly this – to have a career in my native language, as well as in Spanish.
I was born and raised in the US speaking English and feeling American as much as I have felt Dominican my whole life, so this was always part of the picture in my mind of what my career would be like. It actually never occurred to me to only sing in only one language. Why limit myself - I am bilingual.
2. You will be releasing your English-language music through RCA Records in the US. How does it feel to be part of a label that's home to many of music's biggest stars? And, have you asked if they can get you to collaborate with any of them? Have a favourite?
It feels great and I am honored to be part of the RCA Records family! Everyone will have to wait and see who is collaborating with me on the album
3. A press release sent out last year stated that you were working on an English-language full-length debut album. How far are you into it?
It is set to be released late spring or early summer. No firm date yet...Currently putting the finishing touches on it.
4. How would you describe the overall sound - so far - of the album? Will you possibly toss in an original Bachata track sung in English as bonus track?
The sound is a combination of many types of music...pop, urban r&b and of course, I incorporated some latin flavor. No bachata on this album, but I am working on my next Spanish album as well, so the bachata fans will have plenty of new music from me coming. They can count on that.
5. The first single from that upcoming English album is “Stuck On A Feeling” featuring Snoop Dogg and produced by Jason Evigan.
First, how does it feel to collaborate on your first English single with a rap star like Snoop? And second, Jason is responsible for a few of the hottest pop hits of the last times. How was your studio time with him like?
Working with Snoop has been great. He was my #1 choice for the track and he was available and happy to do it, so what can I say, I feel very lucky for this amazing artist I grew up admiring to be part of my debut English-language single.
From the moment I heard the song, I could hear Snoop's voice singing "Stuck On A Feeling" with that signature Snoop sound.
Jason has been great to work with. He is a perfectionist just like me, and we have had a great time working on the album together.
6. “Stuck On A Feeling” is a catchy sultry urban-pop song, and it samples 112’s “Dance With Me”. Was it easy picking this song as your first single (I mean that beat is HOT!), and were you a fan of the 112 song?
To be honest, there were a few other choices for the first single, but all of the planets ended up aligning for "Stuck On a Feeling" to come out first and I just went with it.
I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised with the album as there is a lot of other great tracks on it.
Of course I am a fan of 112. I liked that the sample brought some instant familiarity to the song.
7. In the “Stuck On A Feeling” music video you dance quite a lot. I didn’t know you had those moves in you! Were you totally comfortable doing a choreography for the video? And, you’re going to bring those dance moves into the live performances too, right?
The dancing I practiced a bit. I have always liked to dance but beyond some small things on award show performances, I had not really included choreography with any of my previous music. With my new music, it makes sense to have the moves, and choreograph parts of it.
8. What are Prince Royce’s Top 5 songs of the moment?
- The Weeknd-often
- Usher/Juicy J-I dont mind
- Uptown Funk-Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars
- Waves-Mr. Probz
- Four Five Seconds-Rihanna/Kanye