When Prince Royce released his self-titled debut two years ago, he had a very specific dream about the album's potential success.

"I was hoping it would sell 5,000 copies," the 22 year-old singer says with a smile. "And I would call my cousins and ask them: do you think perhaps I'll be able to sell a little bit over 5,000? Because that would be just awesome."

As it turns out, Prince Royce did much, much more than sell 5,000 copies. Certified Triple Platinum by the RIAA, it collected an endless list of honors and awards: two Latin GRAMMY nominations, seven Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, four Premios Juventud Awards and four Latin Billboards (currently nominated for 12 more). Prince Royce was the artist with the most #1s on Billboard's 2011 Year End Charts. He collaborated with Mexican supergroup Maná and reggaeton icon Daddy Yankee, toured with Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull. Two sold-out tours of Europe and the U.S. later, the singer became one of the biggest stars in contemporary Latin music.

There was nothing coincidental about this success. Prince Royce arrived on the music scene armed with a powerful weapon: a sweet, genre-defining bachata version of the pop classic "Stand By Me." The authentic bachata stylings - echoing Royce's Dominican background - and the soulful qualities of the young man's voice catapulted him into stardom.

The single became the first bachata song ever to be played on mainstream radio in the United States, bringing Latin rhythms even closer to American culture. The remaining tracks on the album spoke volumes about Royce's songwriting talent and his ability to feel right at home both representing his Latin roots and as part of the American mainstream.

Now, the singer is ready to further cement his reputation with Phase II, a second album of shimmering bachata soundscapes, heartfelt Latin ballads - and a hint of mariachi, too.

Getting started was easier said than done, though.

"It was the hardest challenge of my career so far," he admits. "When I wrote the first album, I was just a kid with a dream. Music was a hobby, and I wrote those songs not knowing the power that they would eventually have, touching so many different people. So how do you do it all over again? I wasn't that kid in the Bronx with all the time in the world anymore. And everybody was expecting so much from my second album."

Royce responded to the challenge by going back to his roots. He spent some time in New York, returning to see his family as much as he could. He started writing one day at a time, like in his early days.

"Soon enough, I got the creative vibe back," he enthuses. "I felt like myself again. I was confident with the new material."

Writing and recording Phase II took a full year - allowing the new sounds to mature on their own, perfecting every chorus, every bit of lyric.

"Beautiful songs don't materialize on the first try," he offers. "I wrote many tunes that later decided not to use. We also ended up recording the album all over the place: New York, Miami, the Dominican Republic."

The epic qualities of the project become apparent right away. Lead single "Las Cosas Pequeñas" is a gorgeous pop song with bachata stylings - boasting the authentic bongó beats that define the quintessential Dominican genre, as well as the spiraling guitars that give bachata such a romantic vibe.

"It's a song about the little things that matter," explains Royce. "Not from the material world, but rather the ones that cost nothing, like a walk in the park or a phone call from someone you love."

The majestic "Incondicional" accomplishes a daring fusion: mariachi with bachata. "It wasn't easy, but I really think we made it work," he laughs. "This is a song about unconditional love - not only between a man and a woman, but also between brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, parents and their kids. The kind of love that is always there for you."

Royce's own personal favorite is probably "Dulce," a song included in two different versions: bachata, and a pared-down recording with solo piano and voice.

"It's about teen pregnancy," says the singer. "There are so many girls who get pregnant while still in high school. Their parents get upset at them and eventually they give up hope. With this song, I wanted to tell those girls to wipe those tears away and continue going to school. Things are gonna be OK."

Undoubtedly, Phase II will continue expanding Prince Royce's reputation as one of the most talented young voices in new millennium Latin pop. Interestingly, the singer has achieved this level of success remaining true to his cultural roots and the seductive strains of bachata.

"Growing up, every summer I would take a plane and visit my grandparents in the Dominican Republic," says Royce with a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "And that's all I would hear during those summers: old-school bachata. When I started dreaming about becoming a singer, I felt that I wanted to contribute to the growth of bachata in this country. It's my culture, and I'm just happy to keep it alive through music."