It seems like just about everyone has jumped on the BTS bandwagon from other celebs to their loyal AF fans they have all around the world. Basically, you can't escape hearing BTS and hey, no one is complaining. Their songs are catchy, all seven guys can sing and dance like champs and some can even rap. They're bringing K-Pop into the mainstream on a global level, proving that music 100% transcends and can unite people from all over the world. So that's why it was a bit surprising to hear that Forever In Your Mind has some conflicted thoughts about BTS and their rising success.
During an interview on The Zach Sang Show, bandmates Liam Attridge, Emery Kelly, and Ricky Garcia were asked about what it means being called a boy band and about other popular boy bands of the moment and naturally, BTS came up. Ricky and Emery praised the guys and how they can sing, dance and rap and said they're fans of the group, but Liam feels like they're in a different category musically, but not for well, reasons that don't seem to make much sense.
"I don't count BTS — I do agree they are a boy band but at the same time, they belong in a different genre on their own because I feel like there still needs to be a European or American boy band at the top and BTS can just live on their own, they're BTS," Liam said. "I can't get behind it, I don't understand what they're saying. I think it's sick, the rapping is cool I think the whole dancing, it's sick visuals but I can't go to a concert and not understand a word I'm listening to."
Huh, didn't think it mattered where a band was from in order for them to be considered a boy band or to have fans all over the world but OK. The host of the radio show, Zach Sang, went on to say that what makes BTS so special is their Korean lyrics, which Ricky and Emery agreed with. Zach said that the whole point of BTS' music is that it makes you feel something no matter the language they're singing in since music has no borders, which Emery added in saying "music is a universal language." So the fact that their songs aren't in English shouldn't be something the band needs to change. They're from Korea after all and make K-Pop music so why should they change who they are? Liam went on to say he agreed with Zach and the guys but that's why he doesn't think they're necessarily a typical boy band.
"Them speaking Korean is so cool and people like it and it's awesome because it's something different but my point was that another boy band who probably sings in American [English] has to exist alongside them and that's what I was saying. They're their own genre, they're redefining what it means to be famous because no one has become globally successful singing a language that probably 90% of the world doesn't know. We were at the American Music Awards and they're singing and the girls [fans] are singing in Korean and it's cool."
Ricky came in to let Liam know that he doesn't necessarily agree, since he happens to like BTS' music a lot, despite not being able to speak Korean. He reminded everyone you can always look up translations of their songs and he was there to defend them all around. Ricky brought up how he doesn't know why BTS' songs aren't getting more play on the radio and Liam feels they need to record a song with a big name artist like Selena Gomez that would mostly be sung in English with one verse in Korean in order to snag a radio hit.
"I don't think the world is ready to have multi-language radio. That's where I'm sort of at," Liam said.
Now, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and even the members of FIYM clearly have diferent opinions about BTS and music in general, which is fine and dandy. But how about Liam just focuses on is own band and not worry so much about BTS? They're doing just fine and their many, many, many fans all around the world are proof. And hey, Emery and Ricky are fans so maybe they can convince Liam to join the BTS Army too. We can only hope!
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