BTS sets the night alight with heartfelt and electrifying performance on MTV Unplugged

K-pop group BTS set the night alight with their appearance on MTV Unplugged, turning a regular Tuesday night into one that will be ingrained inside everyone’s memories for a long while.

Members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, performed five songs for the half-hour special, four of which were from their most recent album, “BE.” With each performance, BTS’ presence through the screen grew, starting with the blood pressure raising “Telepathy.” 

“Telepathy” is already bright on its own, but the band put on a show that glowed as much as the neon “BE” sign in the background of their set. Lounging around in an old-school basement while playing foosball and arcade games, it was clear how much the boys were genuinely enjoying themselves, which added to the excitement.

Following their upbeat act, the wide range of BTS’ emotions and musicality shined in a personal favorite: their slow ballad, “Blue & Grey.” The vocal line effortlessly switched between chest voice and falsetto with impressive control; the rap line rapped with sensitivity and flow. Jimin, in particular, stood out with his elegant harmonizing.

“Blue & Grey” sent chills down the body from both the first note to the last, sung by V, who co-wrote the song. After a difficult year of being unable to tour because of the pandemic, V “translated the feeling of burning out as ‘blue’ and the sadness of not being able to see ARMY as ‘grey.’” V went on to explain how due to the simple acoustic-guitar driven melody, he “paid closer attention to delivering emotions through the lyrics.” 

Well, he succeeded; “Blue & Grey” will tear at your heart.

Suga, who had recently recovered from shoulder surgery in November, returned to perform with the boys again and similarly spoke about the creative process behind “Telepathy.” He explained: “We’re in a situation where we can’t meet our fans around the world in person due to COVID-19, so the song’s lyrics describe our current situation of temporarily being apart from each other.”

Having released “BE” Nov. 20, BTS have been unable to promote the album on tour. After “Telepathy” and “Blue & Grey,” the boys thanked MTV Unplugged for allowing them to perform both tracks live for the first time, but still expressed their disappointment over being unable to connect with their fanbase, the ARMY, in person. BTS hoped to bring the ARMY comfort with their surprise cover of Coldplay’s “Fix You,” a song that Jimin explained gave the band comfort throughout 2020. 

The group’s rendition of “Fix You” was angelic, ethereal and worthy of becoming the new national anthem. It took what “Blue & Grey” gave and further honed in on the depths of each members’ vocal abilities, including the three members of the rap line who are seldom given chances to display their singing. 

From Jin’s powerful belting and Jungkook’s delicate falsettos to RM’s rich baritone and J-Hope’s soulful tone, each member gave a different texture to the song. When all their voices fused together, it was hauntingly beautiful and breathtaking. BTS’ cover of “Fix You” is, undoubtedly, what you would hear going up the stairs to heaven, and for many, BTS is the beacon of light that will guide them to it.

In true MTV Unplugged style, a live band masked up to join BTS for their last two performances. The group sang “Life Goes On,” their third song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and the first ever song sung in Korean to claim that title. After this performance, it’s obvious why. 

Written during the pandemic, “Life Goes On” is a message from BTS about how, although the world has changed, their love for the ARMY has not. BTS stares longingly at the camera to deliver the message of hope that life goes on and there will be a future in which they can all be reunited in person again. 

The night ended with another energetic performance of Grammy nominated “Dynamite.” BTS has virtually performed their hit single throughout 2020, but each performance adds a new spark of energy. The band’s all-white outfits in “Dynamite” fit the heavenliness of the entire night.

Before the pandemic canceled live music, BTS was set to embark on a world tour for their one-year-old album, “Map of the Soul: 7.” While it is disappointing that BTS has now been unable to perform two albums in flesh, MTV Unplugged is an intimate reminder of their continuous dedication to outdoing themselves each day. 

Even when stripped of the complicated choreography and jaw-dropping special effects, BTS still delivers the performance of a lifetime. They can sit on a stool and sway, yet their stage presence is unlike others, even through the confines of a screen. BTS’ MTV Unplugged concert highlighted why the group remains a powerhouse and why they are deserving of their global stardom: because of their talent, rawness, humility and unwavering love and passion for what they do and who they do it for. 

In taking the MTV Unplugged stage, BTS showed fans that the long wait for a return to normalcy will soon be worth it, with BTS there waiting.