Through the Years: BTS and Their Collaborations With Foreign Artists
From Coldplay and Steve Aoki to Ed Sheeran and Nicki Minaj, BTS has created masterpieces with some of the biggest names in the international music scene
Last September 24, BTS and Coldplay released what might as well be the collab of the year!
Sung in both English and Korean, Coldplay collaborated with BTS to come up with "My Universe," the second single released after "Higher Power" ahead of the launch of Coldplay's album, Music of the Spheres.
With the theme "Not alone but together," Coldplay's Chris Martin shares that the song is about how the power of love transcends all things, and nothing can really stop people from loving each other. BTS' RM adds that he co-wrote the lyrics while picturing the day the group can finally reunite with ARMY again.
But how did this iconic collab come about?
BTS recently unveiled a documentary titled "Inside 'My Universe'" on their YouTube channel BangtanTV. The 13-minute behind-the-scenes documentary follows Chris Martin as he travels to Seoul to work together with BTS on the song.
"About 18 months ago, I got a message from somebody. They said, 'BTS want to do a song with you,'" Martin shares at the start of the video. "And I said, 'How would that work?' I didn't understand how that could be possible."
He continued, "My friend said the phrase 'my universe' one day and I wrote down 'my universe'一I thought that's a cool title. Then I took it to my friend and said, 'Okay, let's do this demo for BTS.'"
BTS' J-hope added that it's a song that could be done remotely. However, by doing the song together, it added more sincerity to it. This collaboration was actually a dream come true for both groups. It is known that BTS has been a fan of Coldplay for how many years now. Jungkook even considers Martin as the "king of stadium tours." V says Martin was his "role model" who has had a "great influence" on him.
Martin also has nothing but respect for the Korean superstars. He said, "It's very special to me that the most popular artist in the world [BTS] speaks Korean and is a group of brothers not from the West. It feels very hopeful to me in terms of thinking of the world as one family. Then of course, when you see who they are as people and their songs, it's really a message of togetherness and finding, being yourself... all the stuff I agree with."
BTS and Coldplay also just released the "My Universe" music video last September 30, and we can’t get enough of it!
With BTS' 8 years in the industry, the group's discography is wide and impressive!
Aside from their collab with Coldplay, we’ve listed down some of the other iconic BTS collaborations everyone should have on their playlists. From Steve Aoki, Ed Sheeran, to Halsey, BTS has also created masterpieces with the biggest names in the international music scene. You'll surely be listening to these on repeat in no time!
Check out the gallery below:
BTS' Collaborators
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BTS x Chainsmokers - "Best of Me" (2017)
In September 2017, The Chainsmokers’ Andrew Taggart teamed up with BTS to co-write “Best Of Me," a catchy EDM single from the album "Love Yourself: Her."
Photo Credit: @BTS_twt
BTS x Steve Aoki - "Mic Drop" (2017), "The Truth Untold" (2018), "Waste It On Me" (2018)
Steve Aoki first collaborated with the Korean superstars back in 2017 for the track "Mic Drop." After that, Aoki also collaborated with BTS in 2018 for "The Truth Untold," a track from the group’s "Love Yourself: Answer” album, as well as "Waste It On Me," a dance track from the DJ’s fifth studio album "Neon Future III”. In an interview with Billboard, Steve Aoki revealed how much he respects the group, saying, “These guys are the geniuses. They're so creative on every level—on their dance, on their sound, on their style, their flow [...] They developed their own brand and they're global. It's incredible working with artists like that.” And last July, BTS' "MIC Drop" Remix Video With Steve Aoki Surpassed 1 billion Views on YouTube!
Photo Credit: @steveaoki
BTS’ RM x Fall Out Boy - "Champion Remix" (2017)
In 2017, BTS leader RM was featured on a remix of Fall Out Boy’s “Champion.” In an interview, Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz shared the story behind the collaboration with RM. He said that they reached out after they researched on RM and BTS. “We were like, ‘Would he want to do a feature,’ and they were like yes. He [RM] was really specific. They told us he wants a remix of 'Champion' and he’s got an idea for it. We were like ‘Oh, great!’ and that was that.”
Photo Credit: Fall Out Boy
BTS x Nicki Minaj - "Idol" (2018)
What do you get when chart-topping female rapper and Korean boy band join forces? Magic! Nicki Minaj joined BTS for the alternate version of their lead single “IDOL” off their third compilation album, "Love Yourself: Answer."
Photo Credit: Hybe Labels
RM x HONNE - "Seoul" (2018)
In 2018, RM released his second solo mixtape, which features seven new tracks including “Seoul,” a lo-fi melody co-written and produced by London electro-soul duo HONNE.
Photo Credit: @BTS_twt
BTS x Lil Nas X - "Old Town Road" (2019)
In 2019, Lil Nas X teamed up with BTS for the remix of the song Old Town Road. Aptly named “Seoul Town Road” after the South Korean capital, RM takes center stage in the track, where he sings the song’s intro, outro, and second verse. He even joins Lil Nas X for the last chorus. During the 2020 Grammys, the BTS members joined Lil Nas X on stage during his performance of the song.
Photo Credit: @BTS_twt
BTS x Ed Sheeran - "Make It Right" (2019), "Permission to Dance" (2021)
Even if BTS and Ed Sheeran never actually met in person, they have collaborated on two of BTS’ smash hits. Ed Sheeran co-wrote the song off of "Map of the Soul: Persona," “Make It Right.” BTS and Ed Sheeran also collaborated on the song “Permission To Dance,” which Big Hit Music has described as a song “that will make your heart beat to the rhythm of BTS’ positive energy.”
Photo Credit: MTV
BTS x Lauv - "Make It Right" (2019), "Who" (2020)
During an interview with Forbes Magazine, Lauv shared the story behind his collaboration with the Korean superstars. “I literally just met them at their show in London at Wembley Stadium. Right after meeting them, they asked me if I wanted to do the remix for their song ‘Make It Right.’ That’s my favorite song that they have ever released, so I was like, ‘Oh my God. Of course. That would be amazing!’ I recorded that a couple of days later in London. And then I thought it would be cool to have them on a song for my album. I went through demos I had, trying to find something that would be different for them, that they would sound really cool on. And that's when I stumbled upon the demo for ‘Who.’"
Photo Credit: @lauvsongs
BTS x Charli XCX - "Dream Glow" (2019)
“Dream Glow” is from the soundtrack for BTS’ video game, "BTS: World." The song features the vocals of BTS' Jin, Jimin, and Jungkook, alongside Charli XCX's. Charli shared in a tweet: “The song was originally about falling in love with someone in the club coz they had that ‘glow’ about them. But the guys flipped it to be about following your dreams and becoming empowered. I liked this a lot.”
Photo Credit: @BTS_twt
BTS x Zara Larsson - "A Brand New Day" (2019)
Aside from the collab with Charli XCX, BTS’ J-hope and V also worked with Swedish singer Zara Larsson for the BTS: World song “A Brand New Day.”
Photo Credit: People
BTS x Juice WRLD - "All Night" (2019)
Coming also from the soundtrack of "BTS: World," BTS’ RM and Suga were joined by the late American singer Juice WRLD to create the song "All Night."
Photo Credit: Soompi
BTS’ J-Hope x Becky G - "Chicken Noodle Soup" (2019)
In 2019, BTS’ J-Hope released “Chicken Noodle Soup,” a new solo track featuring American singer Becky G. He even flew to Los Angeles to film the music video with her! J-Hope added his own personal style to Webstar and Young B’s 2006 track “Chicken Noodle Soup,” incorporating new lyrics and choreography (which even started a dance challenge craze on TikTok). From Korean to English to Spanish, it ties together both J-Hope and Becky G’s cultures.
Photo Credit: @BTS_twt
BTS x Halsey - "Boy With Luv" (2019), "SUGA’s Interlude" (2020)
Did you know that the friendship of BTS and Halsey started because of snacks? Before BTS’ performance at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, Halsey gave the members churros as a gift. She explains that she’d heard that the members like churros, and in the video, she posted on Twitter, you can see how the guys started cheering and looked absolutely thrilled when they were handed boxes of the treats. “These are seriously my favorite!” says Jungkook in Korean as Suga yells in joy. In 2019, they truly cemented their friendship by releasing the collab “Boy With Luv.” They even took center-stage at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards, where BTS also won the Best Pop-Duo award. Halsey even surprised them at their concert in Paris. In her third studio album, Halsey collaborated with BTS’ Suga on the introspective “SUGA’s Interlude.”
Photo Credit: @iHeartradio
BTS x Sia - "ON" (2020)
While the BTS members each had a hand in writing their own music in the "Map of the Soul: 7" album, a few other artists appear on the album, and one of which is Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter, Sia. She collaborated with BTS on the iconic track, "ON. "
Photo Credit: Koreaboo
BTS x Troye Sivan - "Louder Than Bombs" (2020)
Following the news of the collab between BTS and Sia, Australian singer-songwriter Troye Sivan announced on Twitter that he co-wrote "Louder Than Bombs."
Photo Credit: Soompi
BTS’ Suga x MAX - "Burn It" (2020), "Blueberry Eyes" (2020)
In 2020, MAX appeared on the track “Burn It” from Suga’s second mixtape as Agust D called “D-2”, and SUGA returned the favor by rapping a verse on MAX’s “Blueberry Eyes.”
Photo Credit: @MAXMusic
BTS x Jason Derulo - "Savage Love" (2020)
BTS also contributed to a remix of Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo‘s viral hit "Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)."
Photo Credit: SBS
BTS x Megan Thee Stallion - "Butter" (2021)
Following the success of their single "Butter" which dominated Billboard Hot 100 charts for 9 weeks, BTS recruited Megan Thee Stallion for the official remix. The Butter remix featured Megan’s iconic adlibs and signature "Ah!" BTS’ J-Hope, Jimin, and Jungkook even posted a special performance video to the remix!
Photo Credit: @BTS_twt
Lead photos from @BTS_twt and Pexels
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