On February 23rd, 2021, BTS made their debut at the MTV Unplugged. They proved themselves as world-class artists who can both light up a sold out stadium with gorgeously crafted choreography and embellish a small intimate set alike with their charismatic performances. Unable to meet and perform for ARMYs in person, BTS have come up with innovative alternatives like their power-packed MOTS ON:E virtual concert, the sweet bubbly BANG BANG CON: THE LIVE, and even appeared on this TV show, which revolves around musical artists performing acoustic versions of their songs. The onslaught of teasers and sneak peeks were enough to cause a stir in the entire fandom till the fateful day finally arrived.

The show kicked off with the shimmering synth of the funky disco track “Telepathy” in a set filled with vintage arcade games, motorcycles and a big, comfortable couch that matches the retro vibe of the song. The seven members grooved along to the quirky song in their casual collegiate inspired outfits and Donald Duck themed graphic tees from Gucci. “Telepathy,” produced by SUGA, describes the deep connection between BTS and ARMY and how they are always together, even when physically apart. It was a perfect opening song due to its upbeat rhythm and the underlying message that we are there for each other, albeit virtually for now.

The fun-filled atmosphere transitioned into an alluring greenhouse style set with the sun setting in the background and V’s silhouette in the middle as the lush acoustic guitar strings of “Blue and Grey'' played. The other members walked in one-by-one amidst the tall grass swaying along to the melancholic melody in the light breeze, crooning along to the ballad wearing their Thom Browne suits and knitted pieces in different shades of grey. From V and Jungkook’s breathy opening verse interspersed with Jin's gorgeous honey vocals, Jimin’s painstakingly sweet falsetto, and Sope’s ASMR-like rhyming whispers to RM’s laidback philosophical rap, the song maintained the feeling of warm energy and comfort throughout. V went on to explain that this song, which was co-produced and co-written by him, aimed to express his inner sadness of feeling burnt out and uncertainty of the future through the colours ‘blue’ and ‘grey’.

As ARMYs were recovering from this soulful confession, our boys gave us the biggest surprise of the night by performing Coldplay’s 2005 single “Fix You”. Perched on stools with the ambient spotlight reflecting on them, topped off with their glowing, radiant countenances and sparkling eyes full of hope, the boys looked ethereal and angelic as they hummed soulfully to the legendary track that is known to hold an ardent and sincere meaning to the group. The passionate high-pitched melodies of the vocal line were backed by the deeper, bassy notes of the rap line which intertwined and blended perfectly to form a harmonious and introspective masterpiece that left all the listeners hooked. The slow tempo in the beginning built up to the bridge, which is accompanied by the jazzy electric guitar beats followed by a monologue-like outro. Jin’s iconic high-note in the climax left ARMYs mesmerized and left us in no doubt that the boys meant it when they ended with, “Lights will guide you home, . . . And I will try to fix you”.

Following their earnest farewell speeches, the septet graced the majestic evening with a performance of “Life Goes On” and “Dynamite” in the presence of their live band, Ghost. Clad in plaid brown suede suits from Ralph Lauren in a royal and artistically decorated room, the seven members gave the fans a treat with a new live acoustic version of the title track from their BE album, “Life Goes On,” which is an optimistic alternative hip-hop track that finds positivity in the hardships of the pandemic. Jungkook’s notable ad-libs and harmonization which made this performance memorable are worth highlighting.

For the final song of the night, they switched to a darker, colourful disco-like set with flashing lights in matching all-white blazers and dress pants to create a striking juxtaposition. The members broke into little dances while performing a lively acoustic rendition of their famous 2020 summer single, “Dynamite”, a funky vibrant disco pop song that aims to provide energy to people worldwide with its catchy beats and uplifting all English lyrics. As RM once said, the explosive nature of “Dynamite” makes the finale feel like the fireworks at the end of a concert. Ending with this instant serotonin boost that felt like an exclamation mark to the whole episode, BTS bade goodbye to their awestruck fans.

BTS set the night alight with their array of majestic and iconic performances in this virtual mini-concert and remind us yet again of their artistic talents and deep love for ARMY through this auditory and visually appealing celebration.

References

Lead Image: Big Hit Entertainment. (2021, February 24). BTS in brown suits at MTV Unplugged [Photograph]. Teen Vogue. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/bts-performed-new-be-songs-coldplay-fix-you-mtv-unplugged