Jazz Musician + Writer React: BTS - Black Swan (MV + Art Film) | Down the BTS Rabbit Hole
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- čas přidán 15. 09. 2021
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Jazz Musician + Writer React: BTS - Black Swan (MV + Art Film) | Down the BTS Rabbit Hole
#BTS #BlackSwan #OT7
FINALLY, someone reacts to the art film. It was released first and it's one of the best things I've seen from them to this day. It's a shame many people only react to the MV. Many don't even know the art film exists, and that it came first.
my utter shock when the studio version was finally released and it was NOT the version in the art film 😂 I love them both very much though ❤️
Yeah, the Art Film is honestly superior IMO. Obviously I'm biased towards that style of music, but I love how unique it is!
I saw the art film first and was really confused because it was labeled as BTS, but they weren’t. I was awed by the performance, but confused. Then they released the BTS video which made me understand that the art release had been deliberate! 🤣 I highly recommend that you watch their award show performance of Black Swan. Jaw dropping! You two make a terrific team and I so appreciate your partnership and your sharing of insights. Please, please continue!
"Black swan" is connected with SUGA's song "Interlude: Shadow", which is part of trilogy based on Carl Jung's psychological concept ("Intro: Persona" by RM; "Interlude: Shadow" by SUGA; "Outro: Ego" by J-Hope"). Recommend to check it out
yeah , I recommend that too because I think it will help to create a better understanding to this song
Came to the comments to recommend exactly this! It would be fun to do them in order, possibly in one recording. They're also quite different in both the style of the song and the rappers' personal styles so it doesn't get repetitive.
Yes, those are definitely on my list and I'm glad they'll give more context as well 😀
@meaganb67 👀
@@safakhaled7389
As well as all the other songs of MOTS:7. Those three are pivotal to the entire album. 💜
This song like perfectly embodies the existential fear/dread of creators, especially ones trying to do art as a career. Your passion dying really is like death for an artist.
Absolutely!! It would mean starting over in something completely new, that you would love less than what you did before
This song broke me, y'all!!!
Imagine the first of any "Black Swan" by BTS that you ever experienced was this art film. Now imagine being a former dancer. 🙃 Yes, that was me - waking up at 6:30am and watching this art film for the first time in the dark on my bed. Having developed a chronic pain condition and no longer dancing, I felt this art film in my soul, and it wrenched my gut. I cried.
What Caitlin said about BTS being shut in a box and wanting to go beyond it with their art is so true (obviously, right... I mean, who does this???).
"Do your thang" comes off as fun, but I believe the art film having been released first, puts "do your thang" in its proper context. I interpret it as: 1. the demand of an industry to the artist ("do the thing we need you to do" like a caged animal), 2. the demand of an audience to the artist (similar), 3. the defeated mantra of an artist to its audience ("do your thing with me, how you use me, how you view me")... ergo "film it now" and the tragic confusion of a disillusioned artist, "what's my thang?"
😩 I could literally write an essay on this piece!
Thank you both for this awesome reaction! 💜 It means a lot to me.
CFA 🥕
Wow!! I can't imagine listening to the Art Film first. I would never be able to go back, and especially with you as a dancer...
Yeah we definitely didn't pick up enough on the meaning of the "do your thang" type lyrics and all the different implications it can have. Honestly after a video posts is my favorite time because I get to learn things like this and then watch the videos again on repeat 😂
So happy you reacted to this one together!! 😊 A couple of notes to add to what you discussed: The white/black suits and feathers/wings Jimin has on are "fashion" (LOL) but represented the white swan/black swan transformation as in the Swan Lake ballet, which the song was inspired by along with the Martha Graham quote. They begin as white swans and end as black swans. You might also notice that their shadows in the MV move independently of them, representing the Jungian idea of the Shadow self. This song also came out of a period of struggle BTS had in early 2018 where they considered disbanding and were overwhelmed by their unexpected success and questioning their ultimate reason for being musicians and artists and performers. They finally came to a decision to continue on, recognizing that they still loved the music and their fans, but this song represents their mental process as they worked through all of that.
Excellent explanation. 🙏🏻💜
Well said. 🤜🤛
Outro:Tear was a product of this struggle as well. It's a rap masterpiece. Especially the live Wembley "Dior performance" - it nearly broke my purple heart. 💜
Oh I definitely didn't notice the shadows moving independently! That's really cool 😀 And yeah, I wish we had started making the connections to Swan Lake sooner, but to be honest we don't know the story all that well 😅
@@AndrewBergSax Suga's shadow was Jimin and RM's shadow was Hobi. There is behind the scenes videos.
@@AndrewBergSax When BTS reacted to the MV all the members were praising Jimin for his dancing and all he was excited about was that he was the shadow in Suga and JK's scenes (and the wings, which he didn't know about). And J-Hope did the shadow in RM's scene.
You know you're becoming an ARMY when you automatically assume every MV is in the BU 😂
Love this reaction! 💜
Hahaha it just seemed so fitting!! Although to be fair, I don't actually know anything about the BU, except that there are references everywhere. That's a separate rabbit hole to worry about later 😂
@@AndrewBergSax Just in case you want to react to the BTS storyline, the next MV after I Need You is Prologue. You will need to watch this version, as it has English subtitles and the cut-out ending scene.
czcams.com/video/cOj4HhJfaXY/video.html
Here are all the MV's for the storyline:
I Need You (Original version)
On stage: Prologue
Run
Young Forever
Wings short films (7 films)
Blood Sweat and Tears
Highlight Reel (13-minute version)
Euphoria
Fake Love teaser 1
Fake Love (extend version)
Epiphany
BTS Universe Story official trailer
Also, I suggest you check out xCeleste's storyline explanations after you finish the storyline. That is so helpful. I don't want to spoil if I say more. Fighting! stay safe. -baby ARMY NY USA 💜
P.S. Film Out could be part of BU but we never got a confirmation. You can rewatch it after you finish these vids.
@@marinal. Film out rly connects to fake love 🤔.
Or is it my delusion!
What’s crazy is that art film was the first release of that song. That video dropped with that orchestral production and at the same time you could hear the trap/traditional instrument version on line. Then BTS performed it on television and they danced barefoot to it and it was the first time we saw their actual choreo. Then much later they released thier actual music video, the one you saw first which no one even really expected to exist. It was really unique in how they released it and has always get very special to fans I think.
Jin legit had imposter syndrome when he wrote Abyss, and that was following the success of Dynamite. If you ever check that out, also read the note he released with it, to explain where he was coming from.
I think the instrument you're talking about was Gayageyum. The gayageum is a like a plucked zither with 12 strings, though some more recent variants have 18, 21 or 25 strings. It's a well known Korean traditional instrument. Chinese also have one similar to named guzeng. Its a music instrument that creates beautiful melody by plucking the strings. You need a lot of practice and finger technique to accomplish to play it. I was happy since BTS used an Korean traditional instrument in their music not only black swan they used Korean instruments in some of their other songs too, such as idol. To me gayageum was the perfect instrument that could go with a song like black swan. I also heard an cover of black swan using that instrument it almost sounded identical.
Up!
Oh yeah gayageum I completely forgot about it. And yep it sounds so good with black swan 🦢
Early gang hello! And yes Black Swan is an underrated queen that did not get the hits it deserved! It's a beautiful bop and soon it has become one of my favourites. Also the reason Jimin gets his solo shots and the feathers (and wings) is because he is the representation of the Black Swan.
Hahaha "early gang" 😂 but I actually was surprised this MV doesn't have many views as others!
@@AndrewBergSax Bts dropped Black Swan music video unannounced as a surprise to Army so that's why army couldn't drive up the views when it dropped as it was out of the blue 😂. They like keeping us on our toes
@@FarhanaK ahh so that's what happened. Well we will get her the views. It's a great song and MV
@@AndrewBergSax as Farhana says, this one is a surprise. It wasn't on the album release schedule. It's not official, but some ARMY think they decided to shoot it after BTS made a reaction video to the art film and other members said Jimin could dance like that. There is a Bangtan Bomb showing his solo part!
I love when you and Caitlin are together in a video!! There are several CZcams who connected both versions, and it is insanely good. The two versions fit together like a puzzle. This album really expresses their vulnerabilities. That's a constant theme through BTS' discography. It is filled with emotions from every member. When Hitman Bang started BigHit, it was because he said the industry had become so shallow and he wanted to construct a group that would put true, deep meaning into the lyrics, composition, and production of all their music. It is why all 7 of them have credits in their discography. They are true artists. They truly have transcended the Kpop and Boyband box. Love the reactions! 💜💜
That's amazing, and I think they have absolutely transcended that box!!
Black Swan is also about accepting the dark side of yourself and learning to move forward knowing that. Accepting all parts of yourself. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 Great reaction! 👍
Oh, very cool! Thank you!
I personally feel like that is a concept that is expanded upon much more in ON, while black swan is more about the fear of completely losing their passion, at one point feeling like it might happen (back in 2018 when they almost disbanded) and deciding that it's not something they are going to let happen again (partly cuz of the lyrics, "nothing will devour me, I shout out with ferocity").
It’s actually the first time I’ve seen/heard the performance film and full orchestral production. Wow! The composer/arranger created an amazing piece of music. It’s given me a new appreciation for this song.
That was my thought too! It's so well written 😮
I love, love, love that you spoiled us with two videos. I love how you delve deep… here are some of my thoughts…
Both Jimin and the lead dancer represent the swan.
When the dancers were in the light ‘box’ the lyrics were talking about being in a rut.
the dancers in black and BTS in black plus the actual shadows in the BTS version relate to the theme of the Map of the Soul albums, Carl Jung’s philosophy around persona, shadow and ego. We all have shadow sides, the parts we don’t want others to see or to acknowledge in ourselves. In the dance the dancer fought against his shadows but at the end integrated them into his ‘self’. Did you notice in the BTS version that the shadows on the walls danced independently to the movements of the person e.g. Suga’s opening verses.
Connect BTS was/is a global art project connecting 5 cities and 22 artists with the aim of bringing a new communication between art, music and people. The art film was one of those projects. You can check all the projects out online and there are videos of BTS talking to the artists also.
You and your videos make my day…thank you!!!!
Thank you so much! And I didn't notice all of those things unfortunately 😅 but they're all really cool!
Why is she’s so pretty.. I love her personality.. She exudes positivity everytime she gets excited...
The instrument you're unsure about in the OG version is a gayageum, which is a traditional Korean string instrument. BTS have a handful of tracks that utilize traditional Korean instrumentation, such as "Dead Leaves" and "Idol."
Thank you. I had thought harp like Andrew. I shall look up the instrument.
It's interesting that you mention Dionysius. On the album they are actually pretty closely together, connected by sugas 'interlude:shadow'. So when you listen to the album you'll hear Dionysius - > Shadow - > Black Swan
Interistingly this is followed by filter which also confronts certain dualities in personality but in a completly different manner (both in feeling and sound!!)
MOTS7 is a complete masterpiece of storytelling.
For the release of Map of the Soul: 7 (the album where this song is included) they created a whole art project called "Connect, BTS". They were art performances, exhibitions, a giant sculpture and film projections in five cities of the world, with the participation of more than 20 artists. I think the art film version of Black Swan was an unofficial part of that project!
SUGA's second self-produced mixtape D-2 surpasseed 400 MILLION streams on Spotify today🔥 It is the first and only album by a K-soloist to surpass this milestone and it remains as the most streamed album by a Korean solo artist! So proud
That’s fantastic news. Go ARMY…it’s such a deserving piece of art. The video, concept and sound are perfect…his flow changes give me shivers, especially the blindfold scene. 💜
@@sarahteter6310 🤔you can always check out information by yourself since it is official. Also not sure which members you talk about. Hobi's Hope World is around 346 MILLIONS and Namjoon's Mono recently became the third Korean album (after Yoongi and Hobi) to surpass 300 MILLIONS (now it's around 335 MILLIONS). Other members doesn't have mixtapes yet (but we are waiting!). Yoongi's D-2 has been the most streamed album by a Korean soloist for a long time. Strange that you didn't know about it...
@@sarahteter6310
You're absolutely right, some of them hold other kinds of/similar records with solo songs, though mostly solos within the group. V's Sweet Night is an outside the group exception. But only the rappers have released mixtapes so far.
So happy to hear :-) D-2 is a masterpiece.
the "do your thing, do your thing with me now, what's my thing, what's my thing now" i actually interpret not just as a casual lyric, but more as a - repeating that i'm going to keep doing this "thang" i enjoy (like music in the case of the song) over and over and over again, to make myself keep believing in enjoying it even while i'm struggling with it - which is the main message and the point of the song - until i repeat it so many times that i start asking myself "what's my thing, actually? someone please tell me because i do not know anymore"... but that's just me, maybe. i just always feel like in songs like this one and their ones that have one specific message in mind that they very clearly set out to us, bts rarely has any casual lyrics hah
This is how I interpret it as well! But you explained it way better than I could 😅
You're right. There are rarely any casual lyrics in their music. And this song has no casual lyrics, everything is meaningful. I see it the same way, saying you do you, but what do I do? What's my thing if my passion has died? What do I do now?
I love how you interpret that, I could definitely see it as that too.
Black Swan is one of my favorites- the song, cinematography and the dance! I took dancing for ten years as a child/teen and performed locally. That was a lifetime ago. However, it gave me a huge appreciation for the art of dance. The guys moves are also very strong and sharp which is in deep contrast to Jimin’s incredibly graceful breathtaking dance. As a new “rabbit hole” member, the group totally shocked me. Which is why I like them. There is nothing generic about BTS.
I can’t get over how Caitlin nails the story and theme of each song on its head within about five seconds - I love love it!! I feel like so much of BTS’ music and my appreciating it to its fullest is with the knowledge that they don’t do anything thoughtlessly. Both with regards to lyrics and the actual music, you two are the perfect combination for it for me! I could happily listen to you theorising all day.
Black Swan is truly one of my favourites, audibly and visually. It’s just a masterpiece (in my opinion!) and all the performances I’ve seen carry the same energy and feel. I think it remains one of my favourites just because I didn’t expect something like it musically when I first heard it and every time I listen to the song it flies past in what feels like about 30 seconds because I’m engrossed every step of the way. Which is high praise because for me it’s not good to get bored haha.
And then there’s the Orchestral version. Because it wasn’t good enough already, they had to take us over the edge with that combination 🤣 like you say, they didn’t take the easy route by just adding a few strings and calling it a day. I adore how they aren’t afraid to mix different styles that aren’t within their box, shall we say, and they really went ‘if we’re going to do this, we’re doing it properly’. If nothing else, you can truly see through their discography that they like to keep exploring and constantly developing as artists.
Hahaha yes! Caitlin has been ON POINT with her interpretations of the songs. Haha
And I wish the orchestral version was on Spotify 😭
Black Swan came out right before ON which discussed the theme of “willingly entering a beautiful cage”
BS is all about the fear of losing the one thing you’ve been passionate about, while ON acknowledges this fear but, instead of running from it, resolves to fight through the pain such fears and experiences can/will bring
Hey!! I'm so glad you both decided to react to black swan! It's one of those songs for me that I'm really emotionally attached to. The whole idea of losing passion for the thing that you love the most in the world is such a scary feeling. Really heartbreaking to be honest. This was based on their own personal thoughts and fear so that makes it even more genuine. I'm so happy you guys could feel the emotions they were trying to convey! It's so much fun watching you guys appreciate their artistry! 💜
P. S. I totally agree with Andrew! The whole orchestral version of this song is a literal MASTERPIECE!
Absolutely! I don't think we touched enough on the emotional side of it, but is absolutely an emotional topic. And yes, the orchestral version is just amazing
Also, I just noticed that the last frame of the art film is the same as the last movement in BTS’ choreography for black swan. And it’s achieved by moving the camera because the arm film dancers are doing something different. So cool!
Also, you should check out the 2020 MMA or MAMA black swan performance (can’t remember which one). BTS performed to this orchestral arrangement!! It’s incredibly beautiful
It's MMA 2020. 💜😉👍💜 That's also the show with the recreation of the N.O staircase scene and the MJ dance break in Dynamite.
(But to me their Life Goes On performance in MAMA 2020 with the hologram of Suga and that whole scenography is definitely the best version of that song, more than the MMA version.😍)
Thank you so much for reacting to this!! I’m not sure if I was the only person who asked for this but I’m so happy you took the time to watch it!
It’s not often people react to the art film, and despite bts not being in it I still consider it to be one of the best and emotive pieces of art they have helped create. The MN dancers truly reflect the lyrics on such an emotional level.
My interpretation of the art film is that it deals with burn out, loss of passion, the price of fame, artistic crisis and depicts the struggle of every creator when they get to a point when they realise they may not be happy doing what they love the most. The main dancer represents the Black Swan (the Artist). The other dancers dressed in black represent the Swans wings/shadows/dark thoughts/ dark self and fame. You can see at the start of the video that the shadows form wings and allow the Swan to fly but only on the terms of the shadows. The shadows control the Swans movement, drag him down and even step on him. The Swan is then caged but he fights back, struggling to free himself from the cage. Eventually the Swan fights the shadows and frees himself, going off alone and into descent as he no longer has wings to fly “Though I try struggling, I’m at the bottom of the sea”. Eventually the shadows come back and this time the Swan flights them and wins, he is now the one controlling the shadows movement. Which leads us to the last scene which seems as if the Swan is finally free, the shadows are lifting him up and allowing him to spread his own wings and not the ones they created. But is this just an illusion? The wings seem to still be holding him down.
Now in relation to bts, they wrote this song after going through the most difficult time in their careers when they were experiencing burnt out and struggling to come to terms with their sky rocketing fame. At the core of the lyrics is the fear that music and performing, their greatest passion in life, may not be making them happy like it once did, and in fact may be making them unhappy and if that was true then what comes next. How do you accept this fact knowing that you have put every ounce of your blood sweat as tears into something that brings you so much freedom and joy, only to realise that that same thing is destroying you, controlling you and burning you out to the point where you can’t physically or mentally do the thing that you love. Passion and creativity for an artist is an all encompassing life force that is part of their being. So to loose that would be like a first real death.
So what to bts do? Write a song about it of course, a song that is a catalyst for healing and helps them move forward. Instead of letting the darkness take hold of them they accept that they are struggling and use their passion as a means to cope. Kinda mind blowing when you think about it!
Wow...this is one of the best comments I ever read, thank you so much, I could never have formulated my thoughts on this like you did. Borahae
The orchestral version of the song was part of BTS exploring art. They sponsored art events, installations and programs wanting to bring art to everyone. It was called Connect BTS and of course because of covid it was halted. They had cultural dances, art pieces etc planned all over the world. They are very conscious of art slowly disappearing everywhere and they wanted to do something about it.
This song says, “The dancer dies twice. The first death is when the dancer stops dancing. And this death is much more painful,” the legendary contemporary dancer Martha Graham made its motif. Just as a dancer faces his first death when he quits dancing, it contains the fear of the moment when he will no longer be able to stand on the stage as an artist.
"The more I do music, the more I fear that music will no longer give me a lot of emotion or trembling, but the moment I face my inner 'Black Swan' from the depths of my heart, I paradoxically realize that there is only music."
[Suga] Ayy, they say my heart is not beating
no more listening to music
Tryna pull up
Time seems to have stopped
Oh that would be my first death
I been always afraid of
[RM] If this makes me cry no more
If you can't make my heart tremble more
How could I ever die like this
But what if that moment’s right now
right now
It's one of my favourite songs . But I was little sad before because RM is my favourite Rapper and he got the less part in song but he wrote this masterpiece is the biggest thing for me. He got to show his writting skills. It can't be more amazing how he always impress me with his talent
In the art film version I always see the dancers in black at one moment being his shadows and one moment being his wings. The combination of the song, the orchestration and the dance mirrors this internal battle. 10/10 for me.
Now you really need to listen to Interlude: Shadow
Yes! That one is definitely on the list 😀
@@AndrewBergSax did u notice that in this MV BTS danced more contemporary than what they have done before! Just wow
This was great, thank you Andrew and Caitlin 🙏💜 I enjoyed your interpretation, and loved your enthusiasm, both of you.
In the mv, Jimin is the black swan…watch the live version on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, it is so beautiful. Also, Jimin’s behind the scenes shoot for the mv is interesting. The mv was shot in the LA Theatre.
BTS is very open to exploring their musicality, and they never stick to one genre - they can’t be boxed in 🤷♂️ They are happy to use anything that delivers a better music experience to the audience, it’s all about what works creatively, what tells the story better, what depresses the emotions that they want conveyed. I have remained sucked into their world for six years because of this creativity and versatility.
Awesome video guys!! This was part of the Map of the Soul 7 album which was based off of Carl Jung's book map of the soul. There are three parts of the human soul. Persona, Shadow and Ego. The album before this was Map of the Soul: Persona, which explores ones persona or what we show the world. MOTS 7 explores the Shadow and the Ego. A lot of the songs touch on these aspects. Black swan gives of very Shadow vibes. Fear of losing their passion for music and experiencing their "first death." Suga's Interlude: Shadow is literally him and his Shadow meeting each other and he touches on his fears and his inner battles. Since Caitlyn is a Suga bias, you guys should check it out 😘 💜 Borahae
P.S. Their concert had a Jimin solo with the orchestral version and the MMA 2020 performance had the Black Swan Orchestral version as well. Beautiful performances.
Thanks for the info, we are definitely going to check those out! And ohhh now I'm even more excited for MMA 2020!
@@AndrewBergSax both r stunning u going to be shoock!!!
Re the MN Dance Company. At the time this was made the lead dancer was 16 yo. The original choreography didn't quite work so the MN Co asked if they could use their own choreo.
This was released before the MV by BTS and it really helped prepare the fans to understand the meaning behind Black Swan.
The art film was the reason I became an Army and I will always credit Black Swan as my gateway to the rabbit hole..
It's been a while since I've watched the art film and it has agains moved me to tears 😢
So to explain the art film..at the start the self (the shirtless dancer) is being controlled by his shadows (the dancers in black)..he tried to break free from his shadows and when he did, he was alone, he could not fly..so he decided to confront them and fought for control (the battle sequence in their choreography was awesome)..when he learned to embrace his shadows and accepted them, he was no longer controlled by them, instead it helped him rise and fly 💜
Love your reaction Andrew and Caitlyn 💜
One of BTS’s goals with their music (RM in particular) is to enrich Army’s lives, physically emotionally and spiritually. These collaborations are great examples of how they work to introduce new experiences to their fans. It’s one of the reasons they are so beloved.
“If this can no longer make my heart flutter, Perhaps this will be how I die once”-Black Swan (2020)
A dancer dies twice, once when they stop dancing & this first death is the more painful-Martha Graham
The fear of every creative soul. Acknowledging it is courageous
Lyrically, Black Swan is possibly BTS's deepest, rawest & most vulnerable exploration of their musical mortality. Sonically, it’s one of their most haunting songs & lingers long after the last note fades. Grammy worthy? No question. (Still not over how MOTS7 was completely robbed of a nomination/win)
I can't wait for them to perform Black Swan in their concerts. This song is underrated maybe because this album was caught in pandemic era, but nonetheless my *most* favorite among their songs. This MV is my kind of art and their dance choreo is killing me softly 🥰😍💜
P.S. My dad and I tried to play this using our speakers, volume up. We were both surprised how good the music was (esp the bass) 😉
Black Swan is honestly one of my top BTS songs of all time; as a (non-musical) artist, there is truly nothing more terrifying to me than the thought of, for whatever reason, no longer being able to get what I once did from what I'm passionate about - without the practices that have defined our lives (whether to the world or simply ourselves), what are we left with? The message BTS ends with, that they won't know if they've truly ended up at that point until they're there and that until then, they'll keep going is just so, so beautiful to me. Whenever I think about the song's meaning while listening to it I always end up with tears in my eyes.
The song itself is based off the quote by Martha Graham that, "A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is more painful," as well as the movie by the same name. Four days after the Art Film (to me, the orchestral version of the track reflects the meaning of the song even better), they performed the actual song on The Late Late Show (and played an absolutely hysterical game of hide-and-seek, both of which you should check out).
Having now watched the music video and in addition to the above videos, let me recommend a couple of (several. All of them. Literally every single) other performances of the song (even any I don't mention): 2020 Melon Music Awards (this one had to be my favourite), The Tonight Show, 2020 SBS Gayo Daejeon. They also performed it during their Map Of The Soul ON:E online concert and Jimin performed a solo piece afterwards!
Not going to lie, Jimin is my favourite part of this video. They all, of course, did amazing as always, but he stole the spotlight with how perfectly he embodies the black swan. There's a Bangtan Bomb of the behind-the-scenes of his solo dance parts that shows all the work he put into it.
"Black Swan" is one of my favorites and I have been so excited to see you react to it as I felt that you would truly love it as a musician.
I love that we fully get to see the intense contemporary dance training Jimin has in this video. It's so powerful.
I love the orchestral version, I wish it was on Spotify! I wish they could have performed this and ON at the Grammys and the big award shows. It's a masterpiece.
I completely agree!!
Hi! late to comment but I wanted to say that Black Swan takes a lot of inspiration from the ballet Swan Lake and from Darren Aronovsky’s film Black Swan. The plot of Swan Lake is a white swan (Odette) is tricked by the black swan (Odile) into giving her her beauty and talent in dance in order to entrance the prince that Odette is in love with. Odette ends up being tricked and commits suicide after losing track of her dream. In many versions of the ballet, Odette and Odile are played by the same person, or the best dancer is often Odile. This creates a really interesting dynamic of temptation.
This is essentially the plot of BTS’s Black Swan as the boys give in to the darkness which is the loss of their love for art. In the film, Natalie Portman’s character starts to lose her mind trying to play the black swan Odile. There are several shots in the film where Natalie Portman looks in the mirror and her reflection does something different, like turning away or waving hello. The sequence with Jin in the mv is likely a reference to the film. Thanks for the great reactions!
The Black Swan is such an underrated masterpiece. And the Art Film is something that no other Kpop act has ever put out. The first time I saw and heard it, I cried my eyes out. Such a touching, intimate and deep cutting testimony of their identity as artists. They are truly paving the path, with their vision, with their artistry and with their craftsmanship. I am saddened that gems like this is buried somewhere deep and main stream poppy sounds is all what people talk about and associate them with.
As an army I'm very happy to see you reacting to my beautiful boys! Black Swaw is a classic of them, choreography completely different from everything they've been doing so far, rocked.Army of the whole world let's make Black Swan and Blood,sweet & tears hit the 1 billion, they deserve it all!
I'm glad that you welcome it. I remember when connect BTS was released where they had all those huge art projects all around the world including the release of this art film and "art snobs" looked down on it. Even that host that was implying the partnering artists were doing it because of the funding BTS and BH provided and not because of the sincerity of BTS to the art. Because they were so sure that the guys couldn't and wouldn't know about "fine art" let alone produce it. It's really maddening how they get treated a lot of the time when we should actually thank them for making an effort of continuously breaking down walls. Art, music, language are ways we can connect with eachother and shouldn't be a means to other or even belittle other people.
I love how your wife didnt even know BTS a couple of months ago but she became so ecstatic at the thought of watching two BTS vids today. She's adorable!
Also if anyone new to BTS asked me what is the best song to display their pure artistic talent, I would definitely choose either Black swan, BS&T or Spring day (which has been my (and a lot of the ARMY's) favourite song since it came out and I definitely recommend reacting to it. Fun fact- RM wrote Spring day after going for a walk in a park. Yup, the way these guys get inspired by the smallest things just amazes me.)
i will never not laugh at his explanation of how he wrote the lyrics - "the wind was blowing FYOSKWOWOWOOWS and leaveslikepPIIEEUUUU so i was like leaves are falling, leaves are falling~"
This was filmed in an abandoned mall in LA, sheer poetry and I feel sorry that people have forgotten that this masterpiece exists!😞
Another cool reaction!Loved it as always. BTS lyrics are always so genuine (and sometimes really deep) since it's 100% their own story, struggle and emotion.
Black Swan and On are masterpieces which were robbed of their time to shine (covid hit right after the release) and imo totally grammy worthy, which makes me a bit emotional
P.s. - for Black Swan live performance, Jimmy Fallon and MMA2020 was so beautiful
p.s.2 - By now I wonder who her bias is XD
More than grammy worthy, absolutely
I agree, Black Swan and ON are two of the songs/videos I was most surprised don't have more views!
@@AndrewBergSax Army is working on it I promise.
When BTS 1st introduced Black Swan on James Corden is still my favorite, they danced in their bare feet (as dancers do) it was stunning
Black Swan is another great song from their Map of the Soul series... Showcasing another beautiful song. There are so many ways that the lyrics and the music itself can be interpreted. It's another thing the BTS does so well. So we have the Movie Black swan. There is also a meaning for a Black Swan event, which means an unpredictable event that goes beyond what is normally expected of a situation and possible severe consequences. Also, Black Swans are rare! So, coming from the map of the Soul series, I see this as being a dance between the persona and the shadow. For anyone not familiar with the map of the soul book... I would say Black Swan is the dance between what you want the world to see and your doubts that hold you down. The Black swan would be the freeing and acceptance of those doubts and pushing forward, and knowing that with all of it and you can still strive.
Love your guys' reactions!! I love the way you break down the lyrics and the music! Thank you so much!!! This is so great!💜💜💜💜💜
the amazing thing about Black Swan was that that dance video came out first was our first introduction to it!!! It took everyone's breath away. I remember just shaking from the power of it. And tears. Then to see the MV they created... so many extra layers of meaning. so many feelings... but of course, that is why they are so special. such a gift.
They also collaborated with several visual artists around the same time. Artists from several countries created artworks inspired by their music, and had exhibitions.
One of the most sad things in the world is; that with their ALBUM, called 7 never got the recognition it deserved. BTS in Feb. 2020 were releasing 7/ their music and also they were presenting a project called BTS Connect. What was Connect, BTS? ‘Connect, BTS’ was a global project [starting January 2020] that connected 5 cities around the world and 22 artists, each of whom contributed their unique philosophy and imagination. This project aimed to provide a collective experience that brought a new communication between art, music and people! COVID hit and stopped them from from continuing this amazing Idea. Can you even imagine how much happiness & good will these ART & Music projects would have brought to the world?
Black Swan is THE song that made me decide I needed to dive into the rabbit hole head first with no turning back. I was like shut up and make me army! They elevated pop to high art. This is art. From the visual to the contemporary choreo to the message. Everything! I still remember their first live performance of black swan on James Corden dancing in full beautiful suit with bare feet. The way jimin danced in this one. So beautiful and meaningful I forgot to breathe.
Basically, the song talks about their fear of having THAT feeling of losing passion for music or for what they used to love. they were saying that if that day comes, it will be their first death. and now they were thinking if that day is today. obviously, this is such a deep song for them. they released this song in celebration to their 7th year anniversary of debuting. and thinking of it just made sense that they have probably thought of those feelings. i mean for 7 years they have shared a lot of their hesitation, pressures they felt, problems and struggles they encountered, and even thoughts of disbanding. Honestly, this song is a work of art! the choreography is sooo good and the instrumental of this song is out of this world. watch them performing this song live on their concert please!! 💜
You guys making everyone happy. Thank you🙏
Also love how the bunnies replaced by BTS 😂
Hahaha everyone loved BTS eating the Likes in the TTLS video so I thought it would be fun to add them in 😂
@@AndrewBergSax i love it. So funny! ty
I can never get tired of "Black Swan".
Haha I love that you’ve replaced animals eating the CZcams like button with bts members 🤣
Hahaha it just seemed fitting 😂
I just want to say I freaking love you two, like omg you are so incredibly cute and beautiful reacting and complementing each other together.
Thank you so much!! 🥺💜
I love Black Swan. It's such a great song both lyrically and musically, and definitely not what you expect when you think of K-Pop. And the Art Film version is really nice as well. I wish that was available on Spotify as well.
On another reaction video I saw an interesting interpretation of the art film about how the other dancers are the shadow and they can hold you down if you try to repress them, but that you can't actually fly without accepting that the shadow is a part of your self.
And I echo the others in the request to watch Persona, Shadow and Ego in order. I love all 3 of them.
Again, thank you for your reaction! I love how you connected Dionysus with this song, I never thought about it that way before, but it does makes sense! Dionysus is from their album Map of the soul: Persona (inspired by Jungian archetype Persona) while Black swan is from their next album Map of the soul: 7 (which combined the archetypes Persona, Shadow and Ego; in fact, the song sequences goes like Dionysus -- Interlude: Shadow -- Black Swan). I also agree with your interpretations on the choreography of the art film! And I agree that BTS and HYBE are fantastic in that they are genuine in their love for the arts. In fact, to promote the release of their album Map of the soul: 7, they initiated a global project called CONNECT: BTS held from January 2020 through March 2020 that connected artists from all over the world and made their work accessible to ARMYs by opening exhibits in different museums and cities. It's described as "a project aimed to provide a collective experience that brought a new communication between art, music, and people". This was around the time Black swan and all the other songs from Map of the soul: 7 was promoted!
Kudos on another great video, I'm going to share this with my ARMY family and friends :)
Black Swan is such a masterpiece, closest to the masterpiece that Spring Day was …
Also one awesome point you mentioned, that them being in the spotlight even when they’re not performing …
This is actually one of Suga’s fears/worries, that they have been just doing they thing they love : Music, but with every achievement, they’re put under so much scrutiny, tremendous responsibilities and are always in the spotlight 😣
PS: They were elected as Cultural Envoys by South Korea’s President, and have all received diplomatic passports 😊
Thank you for calling them ARTISTS! They have surpassed so many expectations of what an IDOL is and does. BTS moves freely from hip hop rap KPop pop etc to show their versatility and that’s why they’re so engaging and they continue to evolve. They should never be boxed in, categorized because they will turn around and challenge and smash those ideals. Thank you for taking us on your journey. You both have great insight as a writer and a musician. 💜
This song/art film is also connected to their art project. "Connect, BTS' was a global project [held from January 2020 through March 2020] that connected 5 cities and 22 artists, each of whom contributed their unique philosophy and imagination to it. This project aimed to provide a collective experience that brought a new communication between art, music, and people!"
a fan theory is that the song has a quite a bit of autotune distorting and muddling their voices because it's supposed to mimic the feeling of being completely lost, sinking and losing feeling, just like the song lyrics convey.
Ooooh if your wife is a writer I think she would really appreciate "The writing styles of BTS". It's a longer video (1 hour) BUT IT'S SO INTERESTING AND GOOD, you get snippets of their songs without spoiling much, get a sense of the variety in their discography as well as learn about their different styles of writing!
I can't wait for blood, sweat and tears reaction. My SOPE heart loves when Jhope and Suga rap following eachother. I like that you appreciate and notice that they show more of their artist abilities. Another lovely reaction.
I'm so glad you checked out the Black Swan art film! I really love how the classical sounds were incorporated and it's one of my favorite BTS pieces too.
This is just my theory, but I just want to point out smt abt the set in the art film: near the beginning, when the scene pans out to showcase the whole building, you can see that there are at least 3 floors. The film only takes place in the first 2 top floors and doesn't really focus on the escalater leading to an unknown/unseen/pitch-black 3rd floor.
In Jungian philosophy, Jung believes that the psyche is separated into 3 parts: the Ego, the Personal Unconscious, and the Collective Unconscious.
The *Ego* is our perceived Self, our conscious mind as we believe ourselves to be. It's the part of ourselves we are most aware of and what we perceive our true identity to be.
In the film, I believe the top floor represents the Ego: the part the dancer believes is his true Self.
I'm sure everyone's stated that the dancers in black should represent the *Shadow.* Jungian concept of Shadow is the rejected parts of ourselves that we try to ignore/are completely oblivious of. It's the parts of ourselves we see as shameful (it doesn't actually mean smt bad but smt we believe we don't want to identify ourselves with).
However, although the dancers in black interact with him, the main dancer doesn't truly acknowledge them in the beginning (you can see how he doesn't actually follow them bc he walks past them to get into position to fly and doesn't focus on any of them while they all stare at him, and he also never initiates any interaction with them--they are always reaching out to him, not the other way around).
It's not until they're in the "cage" that the main dancer finally shows signs of perceiving them (it's the first time he holds their hand but he still doesn't look at them at this point) and you can see he's struggling to reject and separate himself from them.
When he finally directly looks at them, it's to cast them aside. But when he tries to go back to his perceived Self, he finds that he's unable to fly like he used to.
In Jungian philosophy, the Shadow can considered to be in part of the psyche Jung labels as the *Personal Unconscious:* basically the repressed/forgotten parts of ourselves that were once part of the conscious mind. Jung believes this layer exists just beneath the conscious mind and is accessible with some effort by the individual.
I believe the 2nd floor represents the Personal Unconscious. When we see the dancers in black again, it's on this 2nd floor right after the main dancer takes the effort to consciously look for them. And in looking for his Shadow, the main dancer has taken his first steps into accepting and assimilating his Shadow to his conscious mind to produce a wider Ego that is closer to his true Self.
Once he's able to accept the dancers, the main dancer finds that he can fly again.
However, Jung states that acknowledging and accepting the Shadow is a continuous process that lasts a lifetime. And he also states that what we may first perceive as our Shadow, may actually only be a part of it.
Instead, Jung believes that there is a 2nd layer to the Shadow, the 3rd part of our psyche, the *Collective Unconscious.* Jung believes this is the aspect of ourselves that refers to the deepest part of our unconscious, which is our shared human instincts that exist on a primordial level and not through personal experience (side note--there's also heavy debate on how this concept should be perceived).
And I think the 3rd floor, which the MV doesn't focus on and we can't see through, represents this part of the psyche.
you guys are awesome together. i love caitlyn's take on being caged... the line "do your thang with me now... what's my thang, tell me now... film it now..." yes, that's exactly it. they must feel they're always being watched, the public always having expectations and demands, and these lines feel like a sarcasm. "do your thang with me now..." but also in andrew's pov, wanting to break free from that as an artist... wanting to do their own thang...
in a nutshell, the artist wants to break free from his shadows but also, it's a compromise - in the end, he works with it, with his shadows under his feet, allowing him to also soar... because he can control his shadows already.
and yesssss, this is absolutely a masterpiece so i'm still waiting for this orchestra version to be released on streaming platforms. 🥲
This song is from their Map of the Soul series and the symbolism has a lot to do with Carl Jung's Map of the Soul. When they are wearing white suits, it shows them acknowledging the light aspects of themselves (what they show the world) and when they're in black it represents their inner darkness and accepting their darkness. You'll see in other videos from this series (revisit On?), they all have varying amounts of white and black showing they are in different stages of self-actualization. Black Swan is a song that fully acknowledges the inner darkness of fear that goes along with the light of creating music/performing. Also, a Black Swan Event describes something unprecedented and unexpected happening in history... like a little group from South Korea becoming the biggest thing on the planet.
These boys are deep. (:
Thanks for another great reaction.
And I think I read that they were feeling like they were stressed by expectations and losing their creativity and passion. The first death. I can't say enough about how gorgeous the video and dancing is. I hadn't seen the Art Film!
On a side note thank you for making the video big and you guys small. I hate it when reactors put the video at the bottom, it sometimes get cut off. And since you are at the top I can watch you both easily. It is funny, Caitlin was staring so hard, while Andrew did also, he bopped to the beat.
Do watch the behind the scenes on making this, if you get a chance. That is Jimin's dancing shadow while Suga raps. Not to send you farther down the rabbit hole but Jordan Orme does reactions also from a video editor stand point and he explains about the transitions, how the camera people get the shots, and he is funny.
Jimin has the feathers, I believe because he is doing solo dancing through out the video.
Jin is also part of the BTS Universe. It may be tied to his time traveling also. They tend to have connections to their other songs in the video. Suga and JHope tend to do the mirror move in other videos. At least in Film Out and I think in Fake love also
I think they are both art films! I was going to say harp, when you first asked about it. I agree with Caitlin on the box, BTS isn't just KPop, they have evolved into their own genre.
If you want another beautiful video, check out the Film Out video, it is in Japanese. Mostly piano in the beginning and builds to more instruments. Jungkook wrote it. JHope and Suga basically sing their raps, it is gorgeous and still is my favoritest BTS song. Though Black Swan gave it a run for first place.
I love watching your reactions. Thanks for making them. I Just wanted to point out that at 4:08 the reference to “Ocean with all lights silenced..” refers to “black ocean” which is a term in kpop for when your audience protests against you. At a concert the audience is usually lit with fans holding light sticks , but in protest, they will all turn off their light sticks, making the arena black - a “Black ocean”.
All the songs in the Map of the Soul series are connected, including Black Swan and Dionysus. Just like all the songs in the Love Yourself series are connected, and all the songs in the Youth trilogy are connected. BTS tends to tell stories with each album series they release, which becomes clear when you listen to each song in order. Map of the Soul is talking about Carl Jung’s theory of psychology that the three parts of yourself are the persona- how others perceive you, the shadow- all your fears and weaknesses, and the ego- how you see yourself. Jung theorizes that in order to achieve true happiness or contentment or whatever you want to call it, you have to confront and reconcile these three parts of yourself. This song is the boys confronting their fear that they may not be able to do music forever, and once they have faced that fear, at the end of the video Jungkook’s shadow shrinks because he has made the shadow part of himself.
BTS seems to really embrace and live by the sentiment of L'art Pour L'art (Art for art). They are not shy to keep turning to different artforms either...
I would love to see your reaction to their Tiny Desk concert. It's just them having a great time singing live with a live band. No choreo, just them.
Yes! We're about to start listening to the individual songs first, and then we'll watch the Tiny Desk after!
Black Swan Orch. Version is one of my favourite songs. I can't get over how beautiful and artistic this piece was..
Interesting you mentioned Dionysus. That song was part of the first section of the trilogy. So it makes sense that it talks about rebirth. While the second part, which includes Black Swan, talks about the slump. Thus talking about a second death. Interesting
I swear I could write an essay about the lyrics and the art film, but I won't... Interpreting the art film relies on understanding the Jungian concept of the shadow. As the lead dancer is continually running from the shadows, thinking they are what keep him from flying, he eventually leaves them behind, but still cannot fly. It's only when he accepts the shadow that he is able to take control and fly.
I think the lyrics also point to how their entire lives are captured on film. Every struggle, every triumph, everything. Film it now, film it now. It must be exhausting.
When i first watched the art film I cried so much. This version of the song is flawless, the emotion of the dancers and the meaning of the song just hit so hard. Love this so much💜💜💜
I cannot wait till you and your wife watches BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS!!! :D
Oh there's one more 'Black Swan' performance video you should watch!! It's from the 2020 MMA show. BTS (minus Suga, sadly, as he was still recovering from shoulder surgery) performed to the Black Swan orchestral music version used by the dancers in the 2nd video you reacted to. It's part of a longer BTS performance, but you don't have to watch/react to the entire thing if you aren't ready because Black Swan is the opening song. The guys really did an amazing job in extraordinary dancing conditions! Watch and you'll see what I mean.
No official correlation to Dionysus (from what the boys have shown/said) BUT I like how you connected the theme of being born twice w/ Dionysus and dying twice in Black Swan
Love you guys. 😘 Also visually it is based in the classical ballet Swan Lake (Black Swan the movie is also based on the famous lead character in the ballet) There is a beautiful white swan, pitted against the evil black swan. In many productions the two characters are played by the same dancer representing the struggle within oneself between light and dark. Jimin in his solo dance represents that character as a whole. It all ties back into Jungian themes like others have commented. The struggle within. This is one of the most stunning and deep videos ever and one of my favorite songs ever, I live for the gayageum. (That's the instrument you talked about not a harp!!!) You should definitely check out some live performances of this piece. ( The Jimmy Fallon one is 🌟 It's beyond words and then they did an orchestral performance for the MMA's 2020 🤯🤯 but I don't want to ruin the surprise) 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
Side note in the performance piece he again represents the swan struggling with darkness which (as dancer) has always meant to me the battle that goes on with your body, when it can no longer do what you want it to. 😪 hence the first death.
I have loved this song as one of the songs that introduced me to BTS, but I got so many new things out of it today from your commentary and the lyrics on the screen!! Interesting, because before this I was watching RM's Vlive for his birthday, and he was talking about how physically taxing concerts are, and how he is trying to stay in shape because he worries that he will not have the stamina for them when they are able to do them again--that he won't be able to do what he did before.
oh yeah, that was quite a sobering thought, considering how dearly they wish to be able to tour again, and we hope to be able to see them again. To have that kind of damokles sword dangling over it on top of everything else, too 😪
i interpret the art video as the inner turmoil we can feel and trying to find peace. For the last half he is able to fight against his inner demons. and then the shadows follow his lead in the dance, and then the very end he is in harmony and being lifted to fly.
Black Swan is also referring to the movie Black Swan in wich a ballerina prepares to play both the white and black swan in Swan Lake. Being a very good/nice and controlled person she has no problem playing the white swan. But to be able to embrace the black swan she has to get in connection with her shadow self. The parts of her that she has chosen to surpress (rebellious, sexual). This then of course ties back into Carl Jung which other people have mentioned in the comments already.
The black and white outfits in the music video refers to the white and black swan. You need to accept and let out the black swan (represented by Jimin's dancing and wings) in order to accept all that is you. The theme in this song is the fear of loosing your passion. You have to face the fear and work through it. So in the end, their song Black Swan is the black swan. They took the fear and made art out of it.
(The movie is a psychological thriller btw. A little warning if you'd like to watch it)
(Also, I'm still upset that the orchestra version is neither on spotify, nor the album...😠😅)
BTS also performed to the Art Film version of the song at the 2020 MMAs. Might be something you want to check out since you seemed to like that arrangement a lot. If you want to check out the full 2020 MMA performance they also performed On, Life Goes On, and Dynamite. I know you want to hear the songs first before seeing a performance which is understandable! As always, thanks for the video. You are my favorite BTS reactor!
Thank you so much! I definitely want to go through the songs first before reacting to those iconic live performances so I really appreciate it!
And it's very nice to hear that I'm your favorite reactor 🥺💜
I interpret the dancers in black as our inner demons (e.g. fear) that are holding us back from doing what we truly love and want. Towards the end, it’s showing that we can’t get rid of our “shadows” but we can embrace them and be on top of them. That way we can still “rise”. It’s coming to terms with and understanding one’s inner self.
black swan my underrated queen! literally my fave, sometimes i can't listen to it without crying thinking about my passions in life 🥺
😄 the fact that you switched from cute animals eating to BTS eatinig/feeding each other for the "feed the YT algorighm" 😂😂😂
"a lot of dying" ... 🤐 not gonna comment more on that but... 😭
"The music is not what I expected it to be" yeah 😁 that happens a lot. There are still a couple "genres" that they routinely do and you have not yet heard any example of it, and I'm honestly so happy I can watch you discover more and more.
Black feather on Jimin's white suit
I would hazard a guess that's just in reference of a white swan transforming into a black swan.
Jimin was highlighted in this MV also with several solo-dance scenes because of his contemporary dance training. When they all watched the art film together (I think before they themselves even recorded the MV) the others immediately suggested that they should make their own version of it with Jimin in the main role, and his response was just "i'm on it!" 😉
Maybe the feather was another way of making him stand out a bit in the costume choice, but that's just me speculating.
"that was a BU scene" --- ahh no, not quite 😜 Once you get started with the BU you'll realise why...
I love how much you love the instrumentation!!! We are still begging BigHit to make this instrumental version available on Spotify.
Thank you for another entertaining reaction 💜
CFA
Thank you so much, Conny!! I'm dying without the orchestral version on Spotify!!! 😭
My theory for the performance video: the shadow dancers represent the love of an audience, and the lead is the performer. The performer is at first following the audience, then begins to interact with them. The performer is doing whatever comes naturally to them and the audience is moved by them. Soon though as the relationship grows, the performer is influenced by the love of the audience into doing certain things until the audience eventually controls the performer. By doing just what the audience wants and nothing else, the performer gains the light of fame, but it’s not a spotlight it is a cage made of light. The performer gingerly tries to escape the cage but the love of the audience works to keep them in that fame, no matter what wants the performer has to ignore to stay there. Even being caged, the performer can very much bask in the audience’s sentiment and allow themselves to coast on the warm feeling of approval and acceptance that the love of the audience brings. Eventually the artist really decides they do want other things more than the fame and rebuffs the audience and what it wants, and the performer is free to express themselves just how they want, but it becomes an empty performance because no one is there to take it in, a lonely hollow thing and so the performer stops even practicing their craft, just goes on without their passion.
But a true passion cannot be denied forever and the performer now starts to perform again. The audience immediately return to witness and this time, being older and wiser, the performer quietly rejects the audience trying to influence their performance, but instead of opposing the audience as they had before, the performer now leans into the audience’s support while they guide the audience into following what the performer wants to do. Eventually the audience and the performer are one.
I think this represents what the guys expect to happen when the group disbands. Though ARMY love BTS unendingly, when they finally come to the end of their fame as BTS - when they go on to do what they want for themselves they fully expect to be abandoned by everyone.
But even though they expect that, they also fully expect their fans to come back and support them in their own endeavors because ARMY means more than just fans and BTS means more than simple fame.
And that is why sometimes I cry when I watch this performance.
When you spoke on the melody being very complex and then just repeating the same note - I do believe that is a grand form of text painting not only that rut rut rut is repeated but though the theme - making music and then feeling as though you aren’t able to produce the quality you used to.
Oh, she is going to LOVE THIS! So are you, didn’t mean to leave you out ! I have been ARMY for about 4-5 years, and THIS is my all time favorite. It is stunningly visual and is so classy. Unfortunately covid hit just after they released this album, so they never got to fully promote and tour with the masterpieces on it. So I feel like the album never got the appreciation it deserved.
Each song of BTS is like discovering mysteries of life. You will be able to feel a lot of emotions and learn many things. Their songs were not only beautiful musically but their lyrics touches not only your heart but also your soul. 😊
I couldn't wait for you to react on each of their songs and be captivated by BTS Universe. 💜
Thank you for your amazing reaction. 😍💜
The "Let's Go" part is cute!! I cannot with you guys! :') :')
Hahaha I was getting worried when I didn't see anybody else comment about it 😅 I'm glad you liked it!
You are so right about how you feel about the orchestration of this music. In reality the sad part is that "Dynamite" was nominated for an award in 2020 when both "On" and "Black Swan" we released earlier that year. Especially "Black Swan" which was about struggling with your love of your art, feeling the need to grow to expand your world. The truth about kpop is that most groups do not last more than 7 years be they boys that must do military service by the time they are 30 or girls who most times are just exhausted by the age of 30 or wish to do other things such as act, model, host shows, produce music. The industry as a whole is very rough as most groups don't just sing but they must sing, rap, dance, interview. They wake up at around 5am every morning and go to bed well past midnight, so very tiring work. Black Swan was BTS' way of representing that feeling without hurting their chance to remain both relevant and viable as a group in today's very flooded market of kpop. BTS as gone beyond kpop and I think Black Swan has proven that. Both the lyrics and the music were magnificent yet the grammy gurus (be they who they are) decided both the music and the lyrics were not worth of a grammy nod because the didn't understand the language or the meaning it conveyed. Truly sad.
I’m sure someone said (I’ve only read a few comments lol) but the shadow at the end recedes as a result of confronting their fears. Ugh such a beautiful song and performance that deserves about 1M more views and a grammy🙄
I love that you reacted to both the MV and the art film. The art film MV is definitely one of my favorite releases by BTS. The cool thing is that the Art Film is how BTS introduced their new song Black Swan to the world. It was featured in this way as a second single to a new album. So the orchestral version was what fans listened to first. The song was released on Spotify later the same day. However, before the Official MV was released, two other new tracks/Official MVs were uploaded to CZcams. The MV you watched first (performed by BTS), came much later after ARMY had had a chance to truly examine the intention/production of the song and the lyrics.
I truly admire their fearlessness to trust their audience to handle a musically complicated piece of music. I adore this Art Film. Everything about it conveyed the intention the song and lyrics. I love both MVs but the Art Film hits differently.
BTS danced to the orchestral version used in the Art Film in their MMA 2020 performance - Jimin and Jungkook danced a pas de deux - it was amazing. Please check it out - they also performed ON, Life Goes On and Dynamite with a Michael Jackson tribute dance break. Suga was absent because he was recovering from shoulder surgery so it was just 6 members but the whole performance was awsome!
I love how you're both now trained to notice small details & wonder "what it means" 😅
Hahaha I'm just prepping my attention to details skills for the eventual BU rabbit hole 😂
A lot of the members are very into art. They use many influential art pieces in their videos. Be it an orchestra or art work from famous painters. With this whole album they really went heavy with the artistic side. They did pop up art installations in several cities. Blood sweat and tears has some art pieces that have a huge meaning to the story line. Books like Demian and The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas are used as a basis for songs. They truly are more than just a boy band. They are cultured and well educated.