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Royce Slams Latin Grammys Over Bachata Snub
17 Sep
Summary
- Singer Prince Royce criticized the Latin Grammys for zero nominations for his album.
- He argued the 'Best Merengue/Bachata Album' category lacked actual bachata representation.
- Royce emphasized representation over personal nominations in the music genre debate.
Singer Prince Royce expressed his disappointment following the Latin Grammy nominations announced on Wednesday, September 16th. His collaborative album with Romeo Santos, 'Better Late Than Never,' received no nominations across any of the 60 categories. Royce stated that while he understands awards are subjective, institutions have a responsibility to accurately represent the cultures and genres they include.
He specifically pointed to the 'Best Merengue/Bachata Album' category, noting that none of the nominated albums were primarily bachata. Royce clarified that his concern was not to detract from merengue but to question the representation of bachata in a category bearing its name. He emphasized that nationality (like being Dominican) does not equate to genre representation, stressing bachata's distinct cultural identity.
Royce further explained that his grievance was about representation rather than personal accolades. He suggested that industry popularity or relationships should not influence nominations over musical excellence, a principle he agrees with. The album 'Better Late Than Never,' released in November 2025, had previously topped Billboard's Tropical Albums chart and achieved significant success on other Billboard charts.
Prince Royce has previously received 15 Latin Grammy nominations without a win. Romeo Santos has four nominations and one win. As a former member of the bachata group Aventura, Santos also has additional nominations.
