Black Swan: BTS performing a CPR on our almost deaths
These are my thoughts as an ARMY and as a person. But at the end of this, I am hoping that you, the who reads it, find comfort and strength in life.
Black Swan has many deep meanings, one is it’s a graceful reminder to move from any position where you feel powerless and at the mercy of external forces; it is time to reclaim your personal power. Indigenous Australians believe a black swan symbolizes the path to enlightenment which is not paved with gold, but often suffering instead.
Evident in recent releases, Black Swan, Suga’s Interlude and Interlude: Shadow, it is clear BTS are discussing their inner fears and inner “dark self”. These topics are mostly hard to discuss since most of us are repressing the thoughts of our fears and our dark selves in the innermost corner of our minds. However, as the music of BTS evolves into art, they go in-depth with human agony and suffering. Their music transcends through sounds that resonate on the level of human experience, whether be it good or bad. The seven members have the courage to go deeper and show their own fears. Through this, they have cultured a fan base that is more than willing to engage in conversations on the dark side of human experience.
Suga’s Interlude discusses how he is stuck in between his lost thoughts. It gives comfort and reassurance. It’s reassuring that even if things don’t go the way you planned, and this isn’t the future you had hoped for, life must go on. Especially when those words come from the mouth of someone you look up to and someone that inspires you.
“It may be different to what you were hoping for
How you live on and how you love might change”— Suga’s Interlude
While in Shadow, Suga talks about the dark side of success. Nobody knows what one has to sacrifice to have it, and devastatingly, sometimes one has no choice but to sacrifice something because the situation demands it. The circumstances offered to us are different, thus our way of coping might differ but one thing is for sure, music transcends these differences and makes us feel that somehow, someone out there is there for us. Hearing the song makes me think, “why can’t nice people have it all?”
But I guess that’s part of it, like how your shadow is a part you. In between where you are now and where you wanted to be, there is your shadow. Though our shadows are frightening, we’ll come to a point where we realize we don’t have to fight them. We have to learn how to tame them. It’s our demons that need fighting. At the end of the day, your shadow can be all you’ve got. Suga validates our fear regarding this. It’s terrifying and it can swallow you right up, but acknowledging your shadow might be the way to overcome the obstacle.
“Yeah you’ll be at ease if you admit it too
Yeah succeed or fail, whichever way you flow
Yeah you can’t escape, wherever you go
I am you, you are me, now you do know
You are me, I am you, now do you know”— Shadow
Black Swan tells us that we can experience our first death when we are in the middle of our lost thoughts and allow ourselves to be swallowed by our shadow.
[Reference to Black Swan] The assimilation of two elements: darkness and light is impossible, according to Aronofsky who immerses us into this thriller of a ballet dancer forced to insanity by seeking perfection. Nina was corrupt rather than consummated as an artist by delving into a dark role, the wicked Black Swan in which she suffered from this dark transformation.
In Black Swan BTS explore what might happen if music doesn’t excite them anymore. This might happen when they are still in the shadow of success, which is exhausting and blinding at the same time. What I learnt is that it’s not just about controlling external factors, but it’s also about letting go. Perhaps that is where we can find ourselves again. BTS’ music reminds us we have to acknowledge all aspects of ourselves. It’s important to step back and breathe; pursuing our passion is not a path of gold.
Through Black Swan, BTS performed a CPR to our almost-deaths. Reassuring us that we are not alone, and maybe reminding us it’s not yet too late to resurrect our passions and selves.
Each of us may take something different from the three songs discussed here. But for me, what I take is healing and comfort — knowing that there are others out there who can feel lost at times, just like me or you. This healing and comfort comes in the form of art, BTS are artists. Showing their darkest selves so that we may heal and grow together.
I am so honored to be their fan and to be a part of this family.
