Sounds Like Selena
By Selena Ganguly
By Selena Ganguly
Broadcasting live, the Grammys is one of the most prestigious awards shows in the world and showcases an ongoing list of nominees for different categories annually. However, this year it all came down to this one category that would change history for boy bands, best pop duo/group performance. On Nov. 24, the Recording Academy formally announced their first-time nominee, BTS.
For someone who isn’t well familiar with BTS, they’re a boy group from South Korea who debuted on Jun. 13, 2013, consisting of seven members, RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook. Their hit single “Dynamite” charted number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and is now nominated for the 63rd Grammy Awards.
Throughout BTS’s career, they’ve achieved impressive titles from being the first K-pop artists to present a speech at the United Nations to being awarded the innovators of music in 2020 from the Wall Street Journal Magazine. The Grammy nomination is another addition to their collection of titles, but a historic title that should be remembered.
For those who grew up in an immigrant household, representation was almost non-existent in pop culture when it came to different ethnic identities. It was predominately always Western media barely leaving any room for other cultures to properly shine. In order for us to accept our Western identity, we leave behind the other half of ourselves- including clothing, traditions and language. That’s how I felt trying to assimilate myself until I found out about BTS.
What I’m witnessing is seven men from South Korea who are passionate about music and show their culture all through singing and rapping in Korean. The shocking thing is everyone around the world is on board with it.
BTS’s factor as an artist is far above the language, it’s how they transcend a multitude of topics in their music from depression, loving yourself and corrupt authorities to name a few.
Even their single released earlier in 2020, “Black Swan'' is about their fears of falling out of love with music symbolizing their first death- a fear not many artists are vulnerable enough to admit. This vulnerability is what brings out their authenticity in the songs, garnering themselves a worldwide audience through a foreign language.
Of course, a Grammy nomination doesn’t determine the worth of an artist but it’s odd how now they are nominated. Before they were invited to the 61st and 62nd Grammy Awards, they were interviewed at the Grammy Museum in 2018 and had written numerous articles about their music.
After two years, BTS finally earned a nomination by singing in all English for the first time. The same case with Sumi Jo in 1993, received a Grammy for best opera recording by singing in German yet none of her Korean works were acknowledged for her three nominations.
It shouldn’t take any foreign acts over two decades to perform anything but their language to be considered as a worthy nominee to fit the diversity quota box.
Despite the substandard timing on the Grammys part, it’s astonishing how far they’ve come within seven years of their career to create such a huge impact on music on a global scale for future foreign artists. It is no doubt an awe-inspiring moment for many to look back on.
For someone who isn’t well familiar with BTS, they’re a boy group from South Korea who debuted on Jun. 13, 2013, consisting of seven members, RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook. Their hit single “Dynamite” charted number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and is now nominated for the 63rd Grammy Awards.
Throughout BTS’s career, they’ve achieved impressive titles from being the first K-pop artists to present a speech at the United Nations to being awarded the innovators of music in 2020 from the Wall Street Journal Magazine. The Grammy nomination is another addition to their collection of titles, but a historic title that should be remembered.
For those who grew up in an immigrant household, representation was almost non-existent in pop culture when it came to different ethnic identities. It was predominately always Western media barely leaving any room for other cultures to properly shine. In order for us to accept our Western identity, we leave behind the other half of ourselves- including clothing, traditions and language. That’s how I felt trying to assimilate myself until I found out about BTS.
What I’m witnessing is seven men from South Korea who are passionate about music and show their culture all through singing and rapping in Korean. The shocking thing is everyone around the world is on board with it.
BTS’s factor as an artist is far above the language, it’s how they transcend a multitude of topics in their music from depression, loving yourself and corrupt authorities to name a few.
Even their single released earlier in 2020, “Black Swan'' is about their fears of falling out of love with music symbolizing their first death- a fear not many artists are vulnerable enough to admit. This vulnerability is what brings out their authenticity in the songs, garnering themselves a worldwide audience through a foreign language.
Of course, a Grammy nomination doesn’t determine the worth of an artist but it’s odd how now they are nominated. Before they were invited to the 61st and 62nd Grammy Awards, they were interviewed at the Grammy Museum in 2018 and had written numerous articles about their music.
After two years, BTS finally earned a nomination by singing in all English for the first time. The same case with Sumi Jo in 1993, received a Grammy for best opera recording by singing in German yet none of her Korean works were acknowledged for her three nominations.
It shouldn’t take any foreign acts over two decades to perform anything but their language to be considered as a worthy nominee to fit the diversity quota box.
Despite the substandard timing on the Grammys part, it’s astonishing how far they’ve come within seven years of their career to create such a huge impact on music on a global scale for future foreign artists. It is no doubt an awe-inspiring moment for many to look back on.