BTS fans talk about their newest album, Proof

(From left) Jungkook, Jin, Jimin, V, RM, and J-Hope of BTS at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in 2022. Pic courtesy/Getty Images

It was 2017 when Nia Carnelio and Aman Vakharia's worlds took a change forever, musically that is, thanks to Korean pop sensation, BTS. "My friend was listening to Whistle by BTS and I had to ask about it because it sounded so amazing," says 22-year-old Vakharia. Carnelio on the other hand was made to listen to Fire by a friend. Love struck at first chord and the two have since been a part of the BTS fandom called army, an acronym for Adorable Representative MC For Youth.

On June 10, the band released an anthology album Proof, with 48 tracks spread across three CDs. While this album is a dive into part of the band's discography, it also includes three new songs. Mumbai-based Carnelio tells us, "Unlike other anthology albums, where songs are repackaged with new covers, BTS has added a few new songs, shared the behind-the-scenes with the demos, and given the fans the songs they had been asking for years. They're listening to their fans."

The three-CD album comprises Yet To Come, Run BTS and For Youth, the last being a gift of sorts to commemorate their ninth anniversary, which was yesterday, Carnelio shares.

Review Corner

Power in the diversity of styles and genres
Aman Vakharia, 22, student

The album is a nostalgic drive to some of the band's most iconic songs and a holistic encounter with their versatility and strengths as individual artistes. Vakharia rightly notes that the album is a great way to introduce new or potential fans to the musicality since their style and genres are so diverse. Speaking about the first track, Born singer, he expresses that the album starts off strong as this track demonstrates their forte, with soulful and old-school beats. "It's what made me fall in love with them," Vakharia says. It also traces their journey as artistes and collaborators; their songs with Boy in Luv, and Nicki Minaj, too, are featured. "If you want to understand their music, beats, artistry, RM's self-analysis, how emotional Jimin is, and the effortless way in which Jungkook sings, this album is a great introduction," he says.

An anthology, the right way
Nia carnelio, 25, freelance content and copywriter

Nia Carnelio continues from where Vakharia left off, saying, "You can literally see them grow into their music and style in their title tracks over the years." She shares her thoughts on each CD, starting with Yet to Come, noting, "I'm inclined towards upbeat songs but the first CD manages to capture the softness of songs like Life goes on and the upbeat vibe of Permission to dance. It's a true fusion of styles." The second CD, Run BTS, she says, captures the essence of their first few years, before people finally acknowledged their music and hard work. "It's also a mark of their never-say-die attitude," she adds. Speaking about For Youth, the third CD, Carnelio tells us that fans are emotionally attached to the track by the same name. Overall, it's a great anthology album for a band with an army of supporters.