BTS Misses Grammy Win... Eases Disappointment with 'Solo Performance'

The group BTS participated online in the red carpet event of the 63rd GRAMMY AWARDS held on the 15th, Korean time.

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] BTS became the first Korean pop music artist to be nominated for a Grammy Award but did not win.

BTS was nominated in the 'Best Pop Duo/Group Performance' category at the 63rd Grammy Awards Pre-Ceremony held at 4 a.m. KST on the 15th, but their name was not called as the winner. The award went to Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande for "Rain on Me."

The 'Best Pop Duo/Group Performance' category was established in 2012 and is awarded to duos, groups, or collaborations that achieve outstanding results in pop vocal or instrumental performances. BTS was nominated for this category with their digital single "Dynamite," released in August last year. This nomination marked the first time an artist from Korea and even Asia was included in this category. BTS competed against J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & Tainy’s "Un Dia," Justin Bieber & Quavo’s "Intentions," Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande’s "Rain on Me," and Taylor Swift & Bon Iver’s "Exile," but unfortunately, the award was postponed to the future.

BTS had previously made a mark at major American music award shows, winning the Billboard Music Awards in 2017 and the American Music Awards in 2018. They first appeared on stage as presenters at the Grammy Awards in 2019 and performed with rapper Lil Nas X at last year’s Grammys. Winning a Grammy remained the ultimate goal for BTS. However, the Grammy Awards, often criticized for being conservative and predominantly white, will have to wait for their recognition.

However, BTS will perform a solo stage as a 'Nominee and Performer' at the Grammy main ceremony held around 9 a.m. on the same day. This is the first time for a Korean artist. The performance was pre-recorded in Korea. Leader RM recently told USA Today in an interview, "What we hoped for more than the nomination or winning was the Grammy performance," adding, "As a performance team, performing on stage with our song was one of the ultimate dreams of this journey."

The Grammy Awards have long been a fortress for Korean musicians. Soprano Sumi Jo won the Best Classical Opera Album in 1993, and recording engineer Byungjun Hwang, CEO of Side Mirror Korea, won twice in the classical category for Best Engineered Album in 2012 and Best Choral Performance in 2016. However, no Korean pop artist had ever won. BTS is the first to be nominated and to perform a solo stage.

Grammy winners and nominees are selected through voting by members of the Recording Academy, which consists of music professionals such as singers, producers, recording engineers, and critics. The final voting to determine the winners took place from December last year to January this year. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was postponed from January to this month.