Prince Royce Serenades L.A. Fans With a Nostalgic Set: ‘My Songs Became Classics Thanks to You All’
Prince Royce is celebrating more than a decade in music sharing special moments with fans while on his Classic Tour, which made a stop at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater on Friday (Oct. 7).
A busy night in L.A. overall — with Christian Nodal, Rosalía and Royce in town for their respective tour stops — those who packed the Microsoft Theater for Royce’s show were in for a treat. During the show, he took a trip down memory lane, performing classic bachata hits such as “Stand By Me,” and serenading concert-goers who hoped they’d be the next one he invited onstage or to receive a red rose.
The tour, produced by Loud and Live, marked Royce’s return to touring since the pandemic shutdown, which halted his Alter Ego Tour in March 2020. “I am thrilled to be able to share the Classic Tour with all of my fans who have been there for me unconditionally since the very beginning of my career,” the 32-year-old artist said in a statement announcing the new tour. “I am still here thanks to you all and this tour is for you. I’m filled with gratefulness.”
After his L.A. show, Royce will conclude his Classic Tour with final stops in San Jose, Calif. on Oct. 8 and in Santa Barbara, Calif., the following night.
Here are five takeaways from Royce’s 90-minute show in Los Angeles.
A Night to Celebrate
Royce stepped out in crisp white slacks and a see-through white mesh shirt paired with a platinum blue metallic cropped blazer. With a huge smile, he thanked his fans for showing up, not just tonight but throughout his career. “It’s a pleasure to be here with you. This is a celebratory tour in honor of all my songs that became classics thanks to you all.”
A Lucky Crowd
Royce interacted with his fans every second of the show — and those in the front row were not disappointed. On multiple occasions, he came face-to-face with them and sang to that one lucky fan, or held their hand. Throughout the night, he also threw out roses (which he either licked or kissed) to the crowd and tossed out towels he used to wipe his own sweat, all while singing and dancing. Multitasker.
‘Who Here Knows How to Dance Bachata?‘
If you thought you were lucky that Royce touched your hand, the two women who joined him onstage hit the jackpot. “If it were up to me, I’d have all of you up here,” the singer said with a smirk. But only two were invited to join him. One of them was from Orange County and she nervously danced bachata with Royce. Then, a woman from El Salvador joined him in the middle. He asked, “In El Salvador they dance merengue, right?” And she proved to him that they did, showing off her best merengue dance moves. At the end, he gifted each a rose and the one from El Salvador even got a kiss on the lips.
The ‘Hat’ Moment
After dancing with fans, Royce’s distinctive flat cap-style hat appeared on the stage in a glass box. After taking a quick break to change outfits — this time he came out wearing a two-piece blue leather ensemble — he took the stage and put the hat on, which only meant one thing: he was performing “Stand By Me.” The career-changing track, released in 2010, peaked at No. 8 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart (dated May 7, 2010).
A Nostalgic Setlist
“When I sing this song, it takes me back to the early days in my career,” Royce explained before singing “Soy El Mismo.” “You all watched me grow up and this track helps me stay grounded.” “Soy El Mismo” was just one of the many classics he performed that night. The set opened with his latest hit, the María Becerra-assisted “Te Espero,” which peaked at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart (dated June 25). He then went on to perform bachata anthems such as “Carita Inocente,” “Te Robaré,” “Darte Un Beso,” “Las Cosas Pequeñas,” “Te Me Vas” and “Incondicional.”
Griselda Flores
Billboard