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BTS

BTS

Courtesy: Big Hit Entertainment

News
BTS Talk New Album 'Map Of The Soul: 7' bts-talk-new-album-map-soul-7-genre-bts

BTS Talk New Album 'Map Of The Soul: 7': "The Genre Is BTS"

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The international pop stars discuss the creative process behind their latest release and shine a light on the growing creative community in South Korea
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Feb 22, 2020 - 12:27 pm

International pop stars BTS are used to shattering world records. They've done it time and time again.

In 2018, the septet became the first Korean group to receive gold status from the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA), for the Steve Aoki remix of their 2017 track, "Mic Drop," featuring rapper Desiigner. The song, now certified platinum, became the act's first hit in the U.S., setting off an ongoing streak of Stateside hits and world records for the South Korean boyband. That same year, they became the first Korean act to top the Billboard 200 chart with Love Yourself: Tear. 

BTS are now back to dominate the charts once again with Map Of The Soul: 7. Released just yesterday (Feb. 21), the new album is already the best-selling album of the year worldwide. Another day, another world record in the life of BTS.

Get To Know K-Pop Kings BTS | For The Record

Map Of The Soul: 7, BTS' fourth studio full-length to date, is the next installment in the band's ongoing Map Of The Soul series. It picks up from the 2019 chart-topping Map Of The Soul: Persona EP. In addition to featuring songs from the latter, Map Of The Soul: 7 expands on some of the themes and topics from the overall series, including the concepts of persona, shadow and ego. 

"[Map Of The Soul: 7 is a] continuation from the album before, called Persona," BTS member RM tells the Recording Academy. "And this time, we put the other two themes, shadow and ego, and we put it together into [this] album, called 7. The difference is [the] persona, which is like the social mask before the good things that we have, [like] the spotlight. This time [on 7] we talked about the real shades and shadows that we had inside, and also the big manifesto that we admitted: all the shadows as our destinies and we're gonna carry on." 

Sonically, Map Of The Soul: 7 touches on many genres and sounds. Album opener "Intro: Persona" sees RM rapping over a guitar-laced, bossy hip-hop beat, while "Interlude: Shadow," a solo track from BTS member Suga, is an atmospheric pop ballad that converts into an industrial rap monster. 

For the group, Map Of The Soul: 7 breaks free from genre confines once and for all.

"I think it's less and less meaningful to divide music into genres now," Suga says. 

"The genre is BTS. That's the genre we want to make and the music that we want. New genre," the group's Jungkook, V and J-Hope add. 

On the day of the album's release, the Recording Academy caught up with BTS—all seven members!—at the Park Hyatt New York in Midtown Manhattan to discuss the creative process behind and deeper meanings within Map Of The Soul: 7, the group's all-star collaborator wishlist and the growing creative footprint of their South Korean homeland.

This interview was edited for clarity and brevity. An interpreter translated all answers from BTS, except for RM.

Can you talk about the creative process behind Map Of The Soul: 7? How does it differ from the rest of your albums?

Suga: It took us a little longer, and this is our first full album in quite a while. But making an album isn't just making the music. We have the songs, there's the choreography and a lot of other elements that come with it, so it took some time. But once we got started, it really started rolling along and it was really fun. 

The album features individual tracks that highlight traits from each of the seven BTS members. How does the album reflect each individual member? And how does it reflect BTS as a whole? 

Jungkook: I think individually, it really contained what we wanted to put into the music and the ideas that we have, and this is what we put in.

RM: As a group, it's like a big statement or like a manifesto that we finally admitted our shadows and egos at the same time as part of our destiny. So it's like, you're going to carry on and you can bring the pain and we'll carry on.

Map Of The Soul: 7 reflects on the seven years since BTS debuted in 2013. What has been the biggest life and career lessons you've learned so far?

Jin: Thanks to these guys, I think I learned more about music. I didn't really know a lot about music when I started out, but now I've learned how to write music or make melodies. That's what I really got out of the past seven years, thanks to these guys. 

Jungkook: I think I really learned how precious music is, how important it is to me. Recording the music for this album, working on the music—through this whole process, [it was] really fun and meaningful because, again, I kind of learned and figured out how precious music is and how important it is to me.

The new album features collaborations with Halsey and Sia. Who are some other artists you want to collaborate with?

All (shouting out loud): Ariana [Grande], Travis [Scott], Taylor [Swift], Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Post Malone, "Big" Nas, Lil Nas X!

RM: Call our label, please.

BTS On Creativity, Breaking Records & More

Your music as BTS has touched on many genres, from rap to pop. Are there any other genres or sounds you're interested in exploring in the future?

Suga: I think it's less and less meaningful to divide music into genres now. 

Jungkook, V, J-Hope: The genre is BTS. That's the genre we want to make and the music that we want. New genre.

Map Of The Soul: 7 is a continuation of Map Of The Soul: Persona. How are the two projects related? And how are they different?

RM: Like you said, [Map Of The Soul: 7 is a] continuation from the album before, called Persona. And this time, we put the other two themes, shadow and ego, and we put it together into [this] album, called 7. The difference is [the] persona, which is like the social mask before the good things that we have, [like] the spotlight. This time [on 7] we talked about the real shades and shadows that we had inside, and also the big manifesto that we admitted: all the shadows as our destinies and we're gonna carry on. We put all the three things [together] and made a series.

Watch: Lil Nas X, BTS & Billy Ray Cyrus Enter The "Old Town Road" Multiverse At The 2020 GRAMMYs

The K-pop genre has exploded across the world over the past few years. Where does K-pop go from here? What would you like to see happen for your community?

Suga: As you said, the stature of K-pop has really grown all over the world. But rather than be recognized as the rise of a genre or the rise of K-pop as a genre, I would like more talented Korean artists to be better known around the world, because I think there are a lot of talented Korean artists, and it's really amazing to have this small country and so many talented people coming out of it. That's what I'd like to see.

Speaking of talented Korean artists, how did you feel when Parasite won so many awards at the Oscars this year?

RM: We felt like we won the GRAMMYs. Parasite is a great movie; I also watched it in the cinema. And like Suga said, we just know that there are a lot of talented people in Korea, also including outside K-pop or K-movie or anywhere else. Parasite's honor is our honor, too. We're happy.

Why is K-pop's popularity exploding in the United States?

BTS - "Black Swan" Music Video

BTS - "Black Swan" Music Video

News
BTS Release New Music Video For "Black Swan" bts-release-stunning-music-video-map-soul-7-single-black-swan

BTS Release Stunning Music Video For 'Map Of The Soul: 7' Single "Black Swan"

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The striking visual is the latest offering from the South Korean septet's chart-topping album
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Mar 4, 2020 - 10:19 am

BTS are back with another stunning music video off their newly released, chart-topping album Map Of The Soul: 7. Today (March 4), the global pop superstars released the official music video for "Black Swan," the first single off the album.

Simple yet striking, the "Black Swan" video shows the South Korean septet deliver a gorgeous dance performance inside an equally beautiful theater. Directed by YongSeok Choi and co-directed by Guzza, both from the Lumpens creative collective, the visual depicts the members of BTS transforming from swans into the song's eponymous black swans onstage. 

The "Black Swan" video follows the group's recent cinematic visual for Map Of The Soul: 7 single "ON," which last week (Feb. 28) broke YouTube's record for most views for a video premiere. Last month (Feb. 21), BTS released the Kinetic Manifesto Film: Come Prima, the first visual for "ON" that unfolds like a short film.

BTS On Creativity, Breaking Records & More

Released last month, Map Of The Soul: 7, BTS' fourth studio album, is breaking records around the world. Already the best-selling album of the year worldwide, the album topped the Billboard 200 chart, their fourth No. 1 album in the U.S., while lead single "ON" currently sits at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking their highest record on that chart to date.

Read: BTS Talk New Album 'Map Of The Soul: 7': "The Genre Is BTS"

In an interview with the Recording Academy last month, BTS explained their creative approach to Map Of The Soul: 7, which sees the group exploring everything from pop ballads to hip-hop jams.

"I think it's less and less meaningful to divide music into genres now," BTS member Suga said. 

"The genre is BTS. That's the genre we want to make and the music that we want. New genre," the group's Jungkook, V and J-Hope added. 

Map Of The Soul: 7 follows a dazzling performance from BTS at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards last month. They joined Lil Nas X in a star-studded performance of "Old Town Road" that also featured Billy Ray Cyrus, Diplo and Mason Ramsey. 

Map Of The Soul: 7 marks BTS' first full-length project since their 2018 album, Love Yourself: Tear, which topped the Billboard 200 chart and solidified the group as the first Korean act to accomplish that record-setting feat. It's also the second installment in BTS' ongoing Map Of The Soul series, which launched with the chart-topping Map of the Soul: Persona EP last April.

Why is K-pop's popularity exploding in the United States?

BTS - "On" Music Video

BTS - "On" Music Video

News
BTS Release Second Official Music Video For "On" bts-release-cinematic-music-video-second-official-visual-map-soul-7-lead-single

BTS Release Cinematic Music Video For "On," Second Official Visual For The 'Map Of The Soul: 7' Lead Single

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The music video, which takes place in a wartime medieval setting, unfolds like a cinematic mini-blockbuster fantasy film, complete with an epic choreographed dance performance
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Feb 27, 2020 - 8:55 am

Global pop superstars BTS are keeping their international ARMY fan base busy with new music. Following the release of their brand-new full-length, Map Of The Soul: 7, last week (Feb. 21), the South Korean septet today (Feb. 27) released the official music video for "ON," the album's lead single.

Directed by YongSeok Choi (Lumpens), the "On" video takes place in what looks like a wartime medieval setting. The visual unfolds like a cinematic mini-blockbuster fantasy film, complete with an equally epic synchronized choreographed dance performance in the middle of the song's breakdown. 

The video shows BTS taking "a cinematic approach in portraying the lyrics of 'ON,'" according to a press release announcing the visual. "The video symbolically depicts BTS' vow to accept their predestined path as fate and to keep going on, no matter the obstacles."

The new visual is the second official music video for "On." Last week (Feb. 21), BTS dropped Kinetic Manifesto Film: Come Prima, a short film of sorts featuring a jaw-dropping dramatic dance performance, in conjunction with the release of Map Of The Soul: 7.

BTS On Creativity, Breaking Records & More

Map Of The Soul: 7, the group's fourth studio album, sees BTS expanding their sonic palette and exploring everything from pop ballads to hip-hop cuts. 

"I think it's less and less meaningful to divide music into genres now," BTS member Suga told the Recording Academy. 

"The genre is BTS. That's the genre we want to make and the music that we want. New genre," the group's Jungkook, V and J-Hope added. 

Map Of The Soul: 7 is the latest development in a busy year for BTS. At the 62nd GRAMMY Awards last month, they joined Lil Nas X in a star-studded performance of "Old Town Road" that also featured Billy Ray Cyrus, Diplo and Mason Ramsey. 

Map Of The Soul: 7 marks BTS' first full-length project since their 2018 album, Love Yourself: Tear, which topped the Billboard 200 chart and solidified the group as the first Korean act to accomplish that record-setting feat. It's also the second installment in BTS' ongoing Map Of The Soul series, which launched with the chart-topping Map of the Soul: Persona EP last April.

Why is K-pop's popularity exploding in the United States?

Lil Nas X and BTS perform at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards in 2020

Lil Nas X and BTS perform at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards in 2020

Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

News
BTS: New Music Video + Album, 'Map Of The Soul: 7' bts-release-epic-music-video-drop-new-album-map-soul-7

BTS Release Epic Music Video For "On," Drop New Album 'Map Of The Soul: 7'

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The track is the lead single off the fourth studio album from the South Korean pop superstars
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Feb 21, 2020 - 10:20 am

It's a big day for BTS and the global ARMY. Today (Feb. 21), the South Korean boyband and pop superstars dropped their brand-new album, Map Of The Soul: 7. And as an added bonus, they've just released an epic music video for the lead single, "On."

Dubbed the Kinetic Manifesto Film: Come Prima, the visual for "On" is less of a music video and more of a short film. The clip shows all seven BTS members delivering powerful choreography in an empty bridge channel, as the group is surrounded by a cast of dozens of dancers and a post-apocalyptic marching band. In the middle of the song's breakdown, BTS bust into a dramatic dance performance that'll leave you jaw-dropped. 

"On" will receive an official music video next week (Feb. 28). The new album also features an alternate version of "On," featuring nine-time GRAMMY nominee Sia.

BTS On Creativity, Breaking Records & More

Map Of The Soul: 7, the group's fourth studio album, is the latest development in a busy year for BTS. At the 62nd GRAMMY Awards last month, they joined Lil Nas X in a star-studded performance of "Old Town Road" that also featured Billy Ray Cyrus, Diplo and Mason Ramsey. 

Map Of The Soul: 7 marks BTS' first full-length project since their 2018 album, Love Yourself: Tear, which topped the Billboard 200 chart and solidified the group as the first Korean act to accomplish that record-setting feat. It's also the second installment in BTS' ongoing Map Of The Soul series, which launched with the chart-topping Map Of The Soul: Persona EP last April.

Why is K-pop's popularity exploding in the United States?

BTS

BTS performs at New Year's Eve 2020 celebration in NYC

Photo: Michael Stewart/WireImage

News
BTS Announce New 2020 Album 'Map of the Soul: 7' bts-announce-new-album-map-soul-7-out-february-2020

BTS Announce New Album 'Map Of The Soul: 7,' Out February 2020

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The K-pop superstars return with a follow-up to their 2018 album, 'Love Yourself: Tear'
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Jan 7, 2020 - 3:48 pm

Coming off a major New Year's Eve performance at "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2020" in NYC last month, BTS are back in a big way in 2020. The K-pop megastars today (Jan. 7) announced, via Twitter, they are dropping a new album this year: Map Of The Soul: 7, out Feb. 21 via Big Hit Entertainment.

https://twitter.com/bts_bighit/status/1214562779648028672

[공지] #BTS MAP OF THE SOUL : 7 발매 안내 (+ENG/JPN/CHN)https://t.co/gvynYozghW

— BTS_official (@bts_bighit) January 7, 2020

The forthcoming release marks the group's first full-length project since their 2018 album, Love Yourself: Tear, which topped the Billboard 200 chart and solidified BTS as the first K-pop act to accomplish that record-setting feat. It's also the second installment in the South Korean boy band's ongoing Map of the Soul series, which launched with the chart-topping Map of the Soul: Persona EP last April.

BTS On Creativity, Breaking Records & More

According to Billboard, a spokesperson for the group said, via an official statement announcing the new album, "Global fans are eager to discover how the story will continue on from the previous installment [of the Map Of The Soul series], which explored the message of finding joy in love and reaching out to the world."

The new album comes on the heels of a massive, recording-breaking 2019 for BTS, which saw the group collaborating with Juice WRLD, who passed away last month; visiting GRAMMY U Chicago students; performing on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," "Good Morning America" and "Saturday Night Live"; and presenting at the GRAMMYs.

Read: BTS' 2019 GRAMMY Suits On Display At GRAMMY Museum

After being named one of Time magazine's "most influential people" for 2019, BTS took a break last August, which saw the group "going on an official and extended period of rest and relaxation," according to their management team. Their new album now marks their return to the scene and (hopefully) the stage.

Pre-orders for BTS' new album, Map Of The Soul: 7, begin Thursday, Jan. 9. 

Why is K-pop's popularity exploding in the United States?

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.