It took 10 months, but BTS is back stronger than ever
By Rocío Fortuny
By Rocío Fortuny
After the longest wait since they debuted, BTS has finally released new music with Map of the Soul: 7, their third full-length album. All 7 group members celebrated their 7 years together with an introspective and meaningful album.
This album has five songs from Map of the Soul: Persona, released in 2019 as an EP, as well as a total of 15 new songs, including solo songs from all the members and the alternative version of one of them featuring Sia. ARMYs, or hardcore BTS fans, got a deeper look into the band’s feelings and emotions – this album allowed to see a new side of the boys, as they look back to everything they have gone through while thinking about what they future holds in store for them.
SUGA’s and J-Hope’s solo songs “Interlude: Shadow” and “Outro: Ego,” were released back in early January and February respectively. These two songs really set the mood for the entire album. SUGA, also known as Min Yoongi, kicked the album off rapping about dreaming of being at the top, but how the top is so lonely. J-Hope, or Jung Hoseok, uses his voice’s versatility and his personality’s positivity to tell the story of his childhood full of dreams, to years of hard work and how that has led to him trusting himself, J-Hope. Then, BTS debuted “Black Swan” at The Late Late Show with James Corden and got the entire world talking about them right before the album drop.
From “ON,” their lead single, where the members powerfully sing about how the pain they’ve endured to make it to the top has been worth it, to “UGH,” where the rap-like – RM (Kim Namjoon), SUGA and J-Hope – put the haters back in place, Map of the Soul: 7 was an emotional rollercoaster. As a longstanding ARMY, I was able to find meaningful details hidden in their lyrics, as well as larger messages that they have been giving us throughout their careers.
My personal favorite song is “Louder than bombs,” co-written with pop-artist Troye Sivan. This song is probably the most unique out of the entire album, and is the newest sound to BTS. It has grandiose vocals, and music that lets you get lost in it. Another amazing song is BTS’ promise to ARMYs to always be there for them with “We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal.” As V, Jin and Jungkook sing “we were only seven, but we have you all now,” the connection between the group and their fans is crystal clear.
V (Kim Taehyung) and Jimin (Park Jimin)’s song “Friends” is an hymn to their beautiful friendship, and it hit really close to my heart. Lyrically, it is full of private moments from the boys, like conversations on the bus back from school, and accidents that are now funny and how they grew up together. Jimin and V’s vocal range complimented each other really well, creating a beautifully balanced song, where they ask each other to “One day when this cheer dies down, stay hey, you are my soulmate, for eternity, keep staying here hey, you are my soulmate.”
The album also features “My Time,” where Jungkook (Jeon Jungkook) talks about growing up in the world of K-Pop, and Jin (Kim Seokjin)’s “Moon,” where he gets personal and sings about how ARMYs have helped him and his dedication to fans, saying “I'll be around you, I'll be there for you, I'll be your light, all for you,” as well as Jimin’s “Filter,” RM’s “Respect,” the vocal line’s “00:00 (Zero O’Clock),” V’s “Inner Child,” and a version of “ON” featuring Australian artist Sia.
Map of the Soul: 7 is special for many reasons: it was released in an important year in BTS’ career, it plays with different musical instrumentalsa like Latin Pop and Trap, and it gave the members a chance to talk from the bottom of their heart to the fans and to each other.