Members of South Korea’s K-pop band BTS say they feel honored to be competing for a Grammy at Sunday’s award ceremony. The group will also perform during the 2021 Grammy Awards show.
BTS is nominated for the best pop duo/group performance for the song Dynamite. Members of the band recently spoke to The Associated Press about their appearance at the Grammys and about how the nominated song came about.
Dynamite was created as people across the world were isolated because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The health crisis forced BTS to cancel live performances and the band members, too, were isolated at home. The song Dynamite was meant to be a gift to BTS fans all over the world.
“A lot of people were sad and down and out because of the COVID situation and it was sort of our suggestion to pick (everyone) up,” BTS member Jin said.
“There was no plan to release a single like Dynamite," the group’s RM explained. He added that the song gave the band “huge success in Korea” and led to the Grammy nomination and the chance to perform at the show. “So … life is really interesting."
Dynamite became BTS’ first number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart when it was released last year.
BTS will be the first K-pop group to compete at the Grammys. “It’s really hard to express in words,” band member Jimin said of the nomination. “Even now we can’t still believe that we were nominated, and we’ll be able to perform at the Grammys. So, we’re thankful. We’re honored.”
Dynamite will be going up against some other big hits, including Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s Rain on Me. Also in the running is the single Exile by Taylor Swift and Bon Iver, along with Justin Bieber and Quavo’s Intentions. The fifth nominee is UnDia (One Day), by J Balvin, Bad Bunny, Tainy and Dua Lipa.
“I always listen to Rain on Me. It’s so great to listen to that song on the treadmill. It was a hit. It was fire last year,” said RM. “And, of course, Intentions, Exile was crazy.”
RM added: “We’re nervous and actually, frankly, we’re not expecting (to win) so much because we don’t want to get disappointed because Lady Gaga, Taylor, Bieber, all the big names (are nominated).”
Their Grammy performance on Sunday will mark BTS’ second on the music awards show. Last year, the band assisted Lil Nas X when he sang Old Town Road. The Grammy show performance follows the recent airing of MTV Unplugged Presents: BTS, which showed the group covering Coldplay’s popular rock song Fix You.
The organization IFPI, which represents the worldwide recording industry, said last week BTS was the best-selling act of 2020.
The band is currently working on new music, both as a group and individually. BTS members have said that while the Grammy nomination does create some pressure for the next group of songs, they are trying not to let the success go to their heads.
“We try to stay down to earth and put our feet to the ground and do what we do,” RM said.
I’m Bryan Lynn.
The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.
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Words in This Story
isolate – v. to put or keep (someone or something) in a place or situation that is separate from others
down and out – adj. having no money, possessions or good opportunities
treadmill – n. a machine with a moving part that you can walk or run on for exercise
nervous – adj. worried and anxious
disappoint – v. make someone feel unhappy because someone or something was not as good as they had expected
