BTS: Hope 'Butter' can be the summer song for 2021, our another try at Grammys

South Korean K-pop boy band BTS members/picture courtesy: AFP

They may have missed the Grammy trophy this year but global K-pop sensation BTS on Friday said they will continue to aim for the award through their latest summer track "Butter", which shattered the YouTube premiere record of their first English single 'Dynamite' within hours of its release. The South Korean music group has garnered over 46 million views and counting since the song's release on Friday.

The septet -- comprising RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, all in their 20s -- also spoke about their future, dreams, eighth anniversary of their debut, their appearance on the 'Friends' reunion, and the upcoming Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs) where they are nominated in four categories. "We hope that 'Butter' can be really the summer song for 2021. So we'll try to do the best we can, work hard on our promos and our activities," group leader RM said in a global press conference from Seoul, where BTS fielded questions from international as well as local media.

"If we are able to engage with and communicate with fans, that will be great," he added.

Jungkook said the song is "very simple". "We hope that you can have a fun summer with the BTS and with 'Butter'. I think that will be enough, that's the goal," he added.

Winning at the Grammys continues to be important for the band, who were nominated in the best pop duo/group performance category this year but lost out to Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande's "Rain on Me".

"I'm sure this is something a lot of people are curious about and we are thinking of the Grammys. We will try to do whatever we can to try to set that as a goal and go towards that goal. Yes, we are going for a Grammy," RM said when asked if "Butter" was their attempt to get a win at the music awards.

Suga also hoped that they have a better chance at the event, conducted by the Recording Academy, next year.

"We want to receive a Grammy Award. I think 'Butter' will be our another try at the Grammy Awards. I hope we can have good results," he added.

"Butter" is a dance-pop track with musicians including Rob Grimaldi, Stephen Kirk, Ron Perry, Jenna Andrews, Alex Bilowitz and Sebastian Garcia helping in writing the song. RM also worked on the track to bring their signature style to the song.

The video of the song features their trademark high-energy choreography, a combination of group and unit dances executed in razor-sharp precision.

The band will perform "Butter" for the first time at the BBMAs where they are vying for the top duo/group, top song sales artist, top social artist, and top selling song awards.

Suga said they were looking forward to their performance at the BBMAs and were "anxious" as well as "excited" to take the stage at the event.

Jungkook also said being nominated was a great honour, adding it was special as it comes a year after the release of 'Dynamite'.

In September 2020, BTS became the first pop act from South Korea to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Dynamite", which debuted at number one.

When asked if with'Butter' they were aiming for another numero uno track on the chart, Suga said, "It's a very fun song. We are already in early summer. Summer is still here so we hope that you can have fun listening to the song. Number one on the Billboard Hot 100? I think we can make it."

To which RM joked, "What Suga says, Suga gets. I think we should get number one. I think we will do it."

The serious mood of the press conference was dispelled when one of the reporters asked about J-Hope's golden hair colour or the new perm that V was sporting, which Jin joked resembled a "poodle".

"I'm sort of in charge of the cuteness among the members right now. So I thought that this is the hair that I needed for that position," V remarked with straight-face.

Asked about the best part of 'Butter', he said, "I think my part is the best, my part stands out compared to all the other parts."

On a question about the lessons they have learned along the way in their eight-year journey, considering 2020 was their best year globally, J-Hope said though the group had many good things happen to them, due to COVID-19, most of their plans were upended and they felt "uneasy and confused".

"We had so many good things happening to us. The year 2020 was a roller coaster but at the centre, I think it was music that played the most important role. When I was having a difficult time, my breakthrough was music. I was consoled through music, and happy things and good results that happened were also thanks to our music. Going through 2020, I learned that music has enormous power," he said.

Like the rest of the world, the group also seemed nostalgic about "missing out on things that we took for granted".

"Those are the ordinary things that we used to do. I learned that those were really precious. And I think those were the lessons learned," J-Hope added.

Suga said music helped him heal during these difficult times.

Asked about their future, RM said it is the most difficult topic the group discussed in the "new normal" courtesy the pandemic and while there are achievements to look forward to, like the Grammys, they ultimately want to "leave a meaningful legacy" behind.

"As BTS, what are the values that we should realize and pursue? And then in this industry, in this genre, whatever that is, how can we leave a legacy? How to leave a meaningful legacy? I think that's something that we always talk about."

Asked about featuring on the "Friends" reunion, ardent fan RM said they did shoot for the special but they aren't sure "how it'll actually be on the show"

Also Read: Fans can't stop grooving to the peppy beats of BTS' summer song 'Butter'