Musicians have been using fashion and personal style to make bold statements and pay homage to their culture, music and religion for decades. Sometimes so dazzling is their vision, that they become a religion unto themselves. Michael Jackson, Madonna and Beyoncé have regularly used religious motifs to transform themselves into ethereal beings on screen. Accompanied with stringent brand control, an online persona plus careful social media and PR management, musicians have become more than flesh and bone — they are phantom beings that have deigned to walk the world among us.
But while Beyoncé, The Beatles, Cliff Richard and Madonna receive praise and notoriety (the good kind) for this ability, South Korean boy band BTS have faced brutal amounts of homophobia and xenophobia in every country outside their own.
For the West, which so far had only been introduced to Asian men like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, seeing BTS take over the Grammy Awards (despite not winning), touring London and the United States, entering the Time 100 list and pulverizing world records, was shocking. The fact that the seven-member team did all this while singing in a language that was not English, made it a bigger stumper.
From being called ‘a fad’ to being asked if they’d sleep with their fans or if they even knew English, BTS have faced numerous hurdles during their attempt to establish themselves as world-renowned artists. One of those hurdles is the assumption that their fanbase comprises hysterical pre-teen girls on Twitter. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Denne historien er fra November 2020-utgaven av RollingStone India.
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Denne historien er fra November 2020-utgaven av RollingStone India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
SPICE WORLD
Ice Spice ignored the haters, commanded our attention, and became a new kind of star. Next up: a great debut album
Pritam: THE HIT MAKER
INSIDE THE MIND OF HINDI FILM MUSIC DIRECTOR PRITAM CHAKRABORTY, WHO RECENTLY WON HIS FIRST NATIONAL AWARD FOR BRAHMASTRA: PART ONE - SHIVA, ON HOW HE CREATES SCORES THAT ENDURE AND SONGS THAT CLOCK MILLIONS OF STREAMS
K-Drama Flashback: 'My Name'
'My Name,' starring Han So-hee in the titular role, deftly subverts gender norms in society via a story of relentless fight for revenge
LAST NIGHT I DREAMT I WENT TO SILENT HILL AGAIN
The 'Silent Hill 2' Remake has you returning to that restless dream from 23 years ago
FIFTY FIFTY: 'WE'LL CONTINUE TO SHOW OUR BEST SELVES'
Fifty Fifty's single 'Cupid' was a viral hit. The K-pop girl group is back with renewed vigor, releasing its new album, 'Love Tune.' The following interview covers details, insights, and anecdotes
EXCISE DEPT: 'IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CREATE STRONG, BOLD CONTRASTS'
From An Armory Of Instruments To Personal Stories Told With An Uncharacteristic Straightforwardness, The Delhi/Goa Band Are Taking Over The World With Their Latest Full-Length
Mali is Heading to SXSW Sydney in October
For the longest time I have known that my music has a significant market outside the country,' says the Chennai/Mumbai pop artist
Ji Chang-wook, Lee Jun-ho, and Cha Eun-woo to Star in Superhero K-Dramas
Features the upcoming 'Twelve,' 'Cashero,' and 'The Wonder Fools' with the Korean stars in exciting new roles
Yoon Seobin Makes a Stylish Comeback with 'Rizz'
The Korean actor and singer well-known for starring in the K-drama Kissable Lips' returns to the music scene after a 10 months hiatus
Markio Tanaldo Pours Out Emotions in 'Mera Koi Na'
The Arunachal Pradesh singer-songwriter's second release is a poignant Hindi song that pays tribute to his late father