RM Talks BTS Album, Fame, Worries, and More with DAZED

[mc1a.livejournal.com]

We speak to rapper RM of BTS, the seven-member boy group whose ultra-dedicated fanbase have made them the most prominent South Korean act to break the west

The phone line crackles out of Seoul where it’s nearly midnight, and where RM, the leader of seven member South Korean group BTS, is looking back at a crazy month in which they broke records – some their own, some they never even thought they’d achieve – one after the other in a relentless wave.

“I feel like we’re a balloon…,” RM says, surmising the time period, and there’s a tinge of disbelief in his voice. That’s unsurprising given their latest mini-album Love Yourself: Her is the biggest selling K-Pop album in pre-orders ever (over a million in domestic alone), and with the lead single “DNA”, they’re now the fastest K-Pop group to hit 10 million, 20 million, then 100 million YouTube views. Then there are those killer chart standings – #14 on the UK album chart, top 10 on the US Billboard 200 album chart – while DNA not only reigned over worldwide iTunes charts but rose to #67 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest position ever for a Korean group.

Expectations had, naturally, run high for their comeback; BTS (rappers RM, J-Hope, Suga, and vocalists Jimin, Jin, V and Jungkook) reached ‘phenomenon’ level last year with their second studio album WINGS and moombahton-style single Blood Sweat & Tears, yet 2017 has already provided an almost unbelievable new layer of success. Every day now brings another milestone, another article or another Western radio station playing the frisky, echoing electro-pop of “DNA”, adding to the feverish atmosphere around them. If their powerhouse fandom, known as A.R.M.Y, even felt momentarily overwhelmed by it all, then they’re not alone.

“Everything is going so fast,” RM adds with a small laugh. Intriguing and charismatic in conversation, he’s a rapid-fire lateral thinker who can whisk you on the mental equivalent of a gigantic wood-track rollercoaster. “We don’t know where that balloon is going but I’m just trying to enjoy it because there was so much suffering before. I’m trying not to lose (sight of) what we’re doing.”

Over the weeks since its mid-September release, pre-empted by a series of trailers bridging from the previous concept for the The Most Beautiful Moment In Life double album, Love Yourself: Her became trickier the more time you spent with it. Saturated in double entendre (both an exploration of love and a direct letter to their fans), its sound, for the most part, strides in a confident, glossy groove, yet peel back its shimmery surface and bruises and scratches lie along its limbs, even on the sweetest of tracks such as “Serendipity”.

While it’s not often that you get to step into an album’s lifecycle where hindsight begins to glimmer and perhaps shape an artist’s next phase, it’s a curious, illuminating and slightly vulnerable experience. But, without a trace of hesitation, we dive into Love Yourself: Her to explore the parts instantly indoctrinated into BTS lore, its impact, shadows and the wider reaching effect on its owners.

On release you called Love Yourself: Her a ‘turning point’ and BTS’s ‘chapter two’, pointing at the music as the primary cause. Have further reasons for these descriptors emerged over the past month?

RM: The concept of The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, that was chapter one for us, it feels like that because we were starting from the bottom but on this concept, Love Yourself, we started to talk about some brighter things, like the real things in life. Professionally, we got on the Billboard and UK charts, and our stadiums are getting bigger... so both inside and outside, it’s a turning point for BTS. I’d like to say we’re just in a different universe now, I think, like a crab, we got a new shell.

Two of the album’s most emotional moments are the hidden tracks, the spoken word ‘Skit: Hesitation & Fear’ and ‘Sea’. They both deal with struggles in your early days as well as current concerns about fame and success. Why was it important to have them on the same album?

RM: We add hidden tracks when we want to add details, right? ‘Skit’ was necessary for ‘Sea’ to be explained. I think they’re reacting to each other. I actually first talked about those fears, happiness, the sea and the desert on our first album (2 Cool 4 Skool), they were the hidden tracks – a skit called ‘On The Start Line’ and a track called ‘Path’. Four years has passed and I’m talking about how we dealt with it, what is the sea and desert inside of us and what’s the future.

You’ve come full circle and, damn, I didn’t realise. So over those four years, using this latest concept, what have you had to accept or learn to love about yourself that you didn’t like back then?

RM: Ummm, I’ve had to accept that that everyone cannot love me. Because when there’s love there’s hate, when there’s light there’s dark. But it was really hard to accept as an artist that there’s a lot of people that hate me but, on the other side, there are many more people who love me. I think everyone goes through that.

Do you recall when you were able to say, ok, I can deal with this?

RM: Actually I’m still on the way (laughs). I don’t really feel like I’m really out of it, but I’m getting used to it. I’m like a surfer, first you just paddle and fall off the board but as time goes by you can stand up on the bigger waves (laughs).

Themes of fate and destiny run through this album. Have you always believed you have a set path?

RM: Nietzsche... one of his famous phrases was amor fati, or ‘love your fate’. Let’s say, me who is born in Korea, and you, Taylor who is born Australia, we can’t change that, we cannot have the same life. Amor fati isn’t just saying leave everything to fate, but to first accept things we can’t change. Love our fate, and our environment, then (think) we could do something with fate and turn directions. We’re on some path that’s set since we’re born, but I still believe we can change some things. So I believe in my faith but I still don’t believe in my fate (laughs).

The huge success you’ve experienced off this album, how is that impacting your creativity? Can you think ‘I’m gonna write a song and see how it goes’, or it is ‘I have to write a song and it can’t be anything less than amazing’?

RM: That is a pressure actually, I can’t say I don’t feel it. What’s happening is so much for me, and everything around BTS moves so fast, like making ten songs in half a year. Sometimes (it’s) too much, but I always remind myself of things back in 2007, I started this because I wanted to say something. There was a message inside me and I wanted to spread it as music, so when I’m in my studio writing I try to take it slow. I’m trying to take a deeper look, like what am I really trying to say?

Except with people knocking on the door going, are you done yet, have you got a song for me?

RM: (laughs) Ah yeah, that’s why people call it a deadline, cos you feel like you’re dead.

Please read the rest of the interview over at DAZED. It's a good one.

Source: DAZED

Comments

[burningleaf.livejournal.com]

I’m just trying to enjoy it because there was so much suffering before boi don't make me feel guilty for not being there since the start pls, i have a weak heart

love the deadline line, bc i am currently dead at the line of work (fu)

OF COURSE HE MENTIONED CRABS. srsly lmao so cute ;; will read the rest when i have no deadlines trying to choke me bloody dead

[ironicmustache.livejournal.com]

so the rm thing is really happening, eh? even though it's considerably less corny, i don't like it. it just doesn't sound, or look, good to me. i wonder why he doesn't just completely change it. rapmon >>> rm > rap monster

[alleybetwixt.livejournal.com]

Agreed about RM. Doesn't flow off the tongue well or sound clear when spoken.

The other day I was thinking that 'RPM' would work better. But he should probably just do away with it entirely. Maybe just go by Joon in English-speaking contexts. That's easy. *shrug*

[frothies.livejournal.com]

haha i dont know if it's just coz i had a childhood friend who went by RM back then too, but it's alright to me.

Rap Monster... sounds silly these days, especially if they're unfamiliar with the group. but it is a stage name.

[jaelissi.livejournal.com]

Haven't read the interview yet, but he finally got someone to call him RM

Edit: all this talk of balloons, bubbles and mountains. Success being fleeting. Of course you wish for it to last forever, but it's hard to make it happen just because you want to. I somehow find it comforting that they're always keenly aware of this

[lightframes.livejournal.com]

RM: Hitman Bang (the group’s CEO/producer) wanted us to let out anger and pain on this track but it was hard ’cos there isn’t any anger or jealousy left inside, I’m satisfied right now (laughs).

This is pretty funny. Thanks for recommending reading the whole article, it was really good.

[meggicchi.livejournal.com]

i was about to go to sleep when this came up on my tl and now i'm feeling things :( i love his interviews.

J-Hope always tries to cheer us up and I’m so grateful. Actually I like to call him a new leader for the group. he's been mentioning it so much lately, i'm thankful ;; i hope that when hoseok releases his mixtape, we get lots of solo interviews like yoongi had for agust d, since we rarely hear about hoseok's thoughts/feelings.

We gather in our living room, have a little drink and talk about how we should deal with the schedules and how we’re doing. to be a fly on the wall when these talks happen lol, i'm really curious what they talk about and how they talk with each others when they have some alcohol in their blood haha.

also noooo @ the last question lmao, he knows that european/american fans say this ;;;; i'm glad he's finding it funny at least, cause i'd die if this was me.

[jyusou.livejournal.com]

Definitely one of the better interviews in this era. The interviewer chose some good questions. I was very curious to get a glimpse of how they are mentally coping with everything that has happened post Billboard and whether it has gone to their heads. At least for Namjoon, it hasn’t so much. Gave very candid, non-bs answers, and no foot-in-mouth moments this time, kudos kid.

The parts where he mentioned how they remember they were once sad and poor made me emo.

[black-swan87.livejournal.com]

Was anyone outside of those 3 people that work at billboard seriously talking about them and the Grammys?

[mc1a.livejournal.com]

A Korean journalist (who's also a Grammy jury) talked about them and the Grammys.

[nekobot.livejournal.com]

How dare you, you know they have that Grammy Award for Best Twitter in the bag!

[lightframes.livejournal.com]

Tbh I'm not even mad because the Grammys are so random now

[susansaid.livejournal.com]

Articles on the Grammys' website

https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/bts-dna-video-tells-7-members-stories-color

https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/bts-draws-massive-crowds-first-japanese-arena-shows

[black-swan87.livejournal.com]

Eh I don’t considered being mentioned on the Grammys website as seriously being considered for a Grammy

[susansaid.livejournal.com]

The talk for them being nominated began with the articles, Billboard discussion about potential Grammy nominees, and a member of the Academy talking about them.

[mc1a.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Hope you feel better, bb!

[lightframes.livejournal.com]

I hope you feel better.

[katheli.livejournal.com]

I would've preferred Rapmon to RM but this was a great read. He's so eloquent. Also loved him praising Hobi as the second leader (he should give himself some credit there as well tho) and Tae's craziness lol

It must be so scary to be on the rise like they are...you never know when it'll stop. Well I hope it won't stop anytime soon. Next album should break even more records!

[leinyan.livejournal.com]

I also have a struggle handshake situation in my life, but in my case rather than having big hands and being ignored I have tiny hands that get smushed by everybody else's. I also frequently end up high fiving myself when my nephews are involved :(

[sunlight-kisses.livejournal.com]

I CAN'T BELIEVE HE SELF TAUGHT HIMSELF THIS LEVEL OF ENGLISH FLUENCY IM SO MAD

[mc1a.livejournal.com]

I'm extremely jealous of his vocabulary tbh.

[yxerin.livejournal.com]

he got real all of a sudden lmao

[yxerin.livejournal.com]

i lost it when he went "nietzsche..."

nah but forreal i'm real soft for the rapman. i rlly appreciate his charming intellect and positive introspection, would like to have an actual conversation w him sometime
also him trying to distance himself from rap monster will never stop being hilarious to me

[queenhinata.livejournal.com]

rm truly has a sexy brain :) i love reading his interview responses

[jackieee94.livejournal.com]

Aww this was a very nice interview. RM praising Hobi T-T so sweet.

[baboboy.livejournal.com]

Question, are these guys making a lot of money?

[meggicchi.livejournal.com]

For sure, Namjoon/Yoongi probably make the most money bc they have the most royalties. They've been touring in big arenas since 2015 and Bighit has paid back all debts they had in 2015/2016, BTS also advertise for a few big brands.
A while ago during the comeback show, they bought outback steaks for 600 fans + staff, which cost about $10K, with their own money, they also buy each others really fancy birthday gifts, for example Namjoon bought a +$2K Cartier ring for Jimin birthday just this month and in general if they buy something for a member, it's always high end brands (like Gucci or St Laurent).
In January they also made big donations ($10K each + $30K by BH) to Sewol's ferry victims/victims' families.

[frothies.livejournal.com]

i love this interview and i love namjoon (ok no that's a hyperbole, but damn he's really endearing in this one!)

boy just wants to catch crabs and create music. he's so cute. i like the part about what they do before an album drops. that definitely got me curious as well. it's great to see that this group still keeps to their roots, are still humble, and are seemingly self-aware of how the cycle of popularity goes.

this is why i'm gonna root for them to keep going higher and higher (with better material, of course, i feel like Love Yourself: Her wasn't necessarily a step back but it's rather keeping to the same pace as is - music and creativity-wise??) so that this won't be their peak.

glad to have stan this group.