The bachata imaginary had been fantasizing about a moment like this for more than a decade. Two of the most influential figures of the genre, Romeo Santos and Prince Roycejoin their paths for the first time in Better Late Than Nevera joint album that marks a before and after in current tropical music. And the project comes as an unexpected gesture that has revolutionized the public.
Unlike other releases, Santos and Royce They chose to build this project from absolute silence. No one advanced singles or tracks that revealed the magnitude of the meeting. It was a secret kept with pinpoint precision. The result: thirteen unreleased songs conceived as a closed work, in which Romeo signs all the compositions and Prince Royce leaves his mark on four of them.
The album reflects Santos' unmistakable seal as a producer, but also a sonic ambition that goes beyond the classic bachata canon. The artist allows himself to stretch the limits of the genre with arrangements that sound like R&B, Afrobeat, urban rhythms and other contemporary sounds. This hybrid approach becomes one of the keys to the project and offers a fresh listen to a sound deeply rooted in Caribbean culture.
WECB Urban
WECB Urban
Among the most striking cuts is Dartsa piece that moves between the sensuality of R&B and the cadence of the Dominican tradition. The proposal combines violins, guitars of different colors and a rhythmic base that draws on afrobeat, while the lyrics delves into a relationship marked by reproaches, open wounds and emotional toxicity. Santos and Royce incorporate astrological references and expressions typical of the Dominican Republic to enrich the narrative, which adds texture and contemporaneity to the story.
In Jezebelartists build a more intense journey, where passion is the main driving force. Here, the elements of R&B coexist with pulses of reggaeton, generating a nocturnal atmosphere that enhances the drama of the story. On the other hand, Oh, Saint Michael! It is presented as a direct tribute to the Caribbean. The song introduces nods to the Puerto Rican bomb and vindicates the influence of folkloric roots in the evolution of modern bachata.
The closing of the album comes with The Last Bachatawhich moves away from experimentation to embrace a more classic aesthetic. Inspired by the bolero and the vintage sound of past decadesthe song works as a tribute to great voices that marked global musical culture. Among them, figures such as Selena Quintanilla, Michael Jackson, Jenni Rivera, Prince and Dominican references such as Yoskar Sarante or Ruby Pérez. It is an ending loaded with symbolism, in which nostalgia becomes homage.
As for the lyrics, the project moves naturally between Spanish and Englishreflecting the double cultural identity of both artists and the direct influence of New York on their careers. The city, the epicenter of the Dominican community in the United States, appears as a recurring setting and point of emotional connection. Even so, they maintain their narrative seal: stories that revolve around love, heartbreak, desire and vulnerability, with a poetic sensitivity that continues to be one of its most recognizable features.
The only guest artist in this work is Dalvin The Melodyone of the emerging voices of the new Dominican generation. Your participation in Minor It establishes a union between different stages of the genre and adds freshness to the proposal.
Better Late Than Never not only unites two of the most emblematic names of the genre: It also opens a new door for bachata, demonstrating that tradition and innovation can coexist without losing essence.
