Prince Royce Speaks Out About Omission of Bachata in 2026 Latin Grammys Nominations: ‘It’s About Representation’

Prince Royce may be disappointed that his highly anticipated collaboration with Romeo Santos, Better Late Than Never, did not receive a nomination for the Latin Grammys on Wednesday (Sept. 16). But what seems to hurt him the most is that the best merengue/bachata album category did not include a single bachata production.

In an open letter posted to his Instagram Stories, the “Prince of Bachata” reflected on this lack of representation.

“I’ve always understood that awards are subjective and that no artist is guaranteed a nomination. But when an institution decides to include the name of a culture and a genre in a category, it also assumes the responsibility of knowing, respecting and representing them,” he wrote.

“This year, when looking at the projects nominated for best merengue/bachata album, I noticed that there isn’t a single bachata album and that approximately only 15% of the music in these albums is bachata. Let’s think about that,” he continued. “This isn’t about discrediting merengue, a genre that also deserves to be celebrated, respected and protected. It’s about asking a very simple question: if bachata is in the name of the category, where is the representation of bachata?”

The nominees for best merengue/bachata album this year are Fariana (Música Para Bailar), Manerra (Todo Llega), Gabriel Pagán (No Era El Plan), Covi Quintana (Oye Eta Vaina) and Techy (Chula).

Better Late Than Never, released as a surprise in November 2025, debuted at No. 1 and No. 2 on the Tropical Albums and Top Latin Albums charts, respectively, with nine of its songs debuting on the Hot Latin Songs chart — a career high for both artists. The album also marked a long-awaited collaboration between the two greats, featured on the cover of Billboard Español.

Its complete omission from the 2026 Latin Grammy nominations was one of the most notable snubs on Wednesday morning.

When asked about it by Billboard, Manuel Abud, CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, suggested that this matter was beyond his control. “At the end of the day, it is our membership that votes, and we manage the process,” Abud said. “If, for one reason or another, our membership has not recognized these works, I can’t tell you why. I’m neither qualified, nor is it my role.”

Santos, arguably the biggest bachata star since the 1990s when he rose to fame as the leader of Aventura, has only received four Latin Grammy nominations since launching his solo career in 2011. He has won just one: in 2023, for best merengue/bachata album with Fórmula, Vol. 3. Royce, on the other hand, has been nominated 15 times but has yet to win. Both artists boast multiple No. 1 hits on the Billboard charts.

Read Prince Royce’s full letter below:

I’ve always understood that awards are subjective and that no artist is guaranteed a nomination. But when an institution decides to include the name of a culture and a genre in a category, it also assumes the responsibility of knowing, respecting and representing them.

This year, when looking at the projects nominated for best merengue/bachata album, I noticed that there isn’t a single bachata album and that approximately only 15% of the music in these albums is bachata.

Let’s think about that.

This isn’t about discrediting merengue, a genre that also deserves to be celebrated, respected and protected. It’s about asking a very simple question: if bachata is in the name of the category, where is the representation of bachata?

And having Dominican artists nominated doesn’t automatically mean that bachata is being represented. Being Dominican is a nationality. Bachata is a genre, a culture and a history with its own identity.

For decades, bachata has fought to be respected and to occupy the place it deserves on the global stage. If including the word “bachata” in this category is intended as a way to recognize, preserve and include the genre, then that representation has to go far beyond simply putting its name in the title.

But when not a single bachata album is included in the only “bachata” category, this stops being about whether I receive a nomination or not.

It’s about representation.

We are always told that the Latin Recording Academy awards should not be based on streaming numbers, chart positions, or popularity, but on musical excellence. On that, we agree.

But they also shouldn’t become a popularity contest within the industry itself, where relationships, campaigns or who has more friends carry more weight. Bachata deserves more than just being included on paper. It deserves representation. It deserves to be understood. And it deserves respect.