BTS has come back bigger and better than ever! They have an album set to release on February 21. They have dropped three music videos since January when they announced their album release date. The name of the album is Map of the Soul: 7, where each of the seven members are rumored to have solo songs. After the release of the album, they are set to release the official music video for the lead single February 28th. This album is the second to the Trilogy Map of the Soul.
The comeback trailer was released on January 10 with the song ‘Interlude: Shadow’ performed by BTS member, Suga. This is not the first time a comeback trailer consisted of just one member. The last time Suga was a solo for a comeback trailer was back in 2015. ‘Interlude: Shadow’ has a deeper meaning, one that focuses on the effects fame can have on celebrities as big as BTS. The music video constantly shows a group of people reaching for Suga. Suga has spoken about his dislike for being touched and the anxiety it causes him especially at airports. Another noticeable moment in the music video is when Suga is standing on a platform that looks much like a stage and there is a faceless crowd of people sticking their phones towards him. In another part of the music video Suga is on the ground surrounded by a faceless group of people who are sticking their phone’s towards him. This could be interpreted as BTS feeling constantly watched. The music itself had a sound like no other. Suga rapped about wanting to be on top, but afraid of what comes with it. This is just one of the three songs they came out with before their album release.
‘Black Swan’ was the first single the group released on January 17. Instead of a usual music video, the group released an art film in partnership with the song. This is something very new to fans, as it’s something quite unexpected. The art film featured the MN Dance Company. ‘Black Swan’ was a bit different in the film than in than streaming apps. The film featured an almost classical type of feel, beginning with what sounds like an orchestra in the background, with instruments such as violin and piano and strong percussion. The vocals and instruments were well balanced and didn’t feel overwhelming. The new era portrays a different feel than the well-known ‘Boy with Luv’, although it’s different the group executed it gracefully. The production behind this song is super clean, and it’s obvious the hard work put into it. BTS is known for not being confined to just one genre, which truly showcases the talent they have to be able to combine many genres well.
On February 2, the comeback trailer for ‘Outro: Ego’ was released. The video was just so appealing and the talent jumped out. I’m still speechless. I wasn’t surprised to see the oh so colorful J-Hope being cheerful as ever, but the song itself was just so joyful and refreshing to hear. The lyrics were not only catchy but super meaningful, talking about just to trust yourself and be there for yourself, the flavor! The song has an upbeat tune, and the production was clean and crisp once again. It had J-hope all over it.
As of February 18, five days before the release, pre-sales have exceeded in numbers in comparison to the other albums of theirs. The comeback has become one of the most anticipated ones yet. Many ARMYs are super excited and are even planning events to meet other ARMYs and celebrate the album release!