BTS drops surprise 'Black Swan' music video and Jimin shines with his balletic dance solos
The music video for BTS' 'Black Swan' is here.
An orchestral version of the song was previously featured in an art film with choreography and performances from dancers of the MN Dance Company. BTS debuted their own choreography for the song in a live performance on 'The Late Late Show' with James Corden. Since then, fans have been hoping for a music video with the original trap version featuring performances from BTS, and the ARMY's wish has finally come true.
While both the MN Dance Company's art film and BTS' choreography featured elements of contemporary and modern dance, the MN version had a more classical approach while BTS opted for a more performance-oriented piece with contemporary elements. Having said that, Jimin gets several solos throughout the video that showcase his ballet and contemporary dance background. It would be a real treat to watch his whole solo performance someday.
The video opens with Jimin in a white suit and a single white light illuminating him from above, before cutting to the whole group. As for the stage version they debuted on James Corden's show, the members were all bare feet for the performance. The video appears to have been filmed at an opera house and really lends to the emotion behind the song.
'Black Swan' is a pensive track that speaks about an artist's fear of losing their passion. It includes lyrics such as, "Oh that would be my first death". This is in reference to a quote by dancer Martha Graham that says, "A dancer dies twice — once when they stop dancing, and this first death is more painful." It also talks about not being able to feel moved by music anymore, as Jimin sings, "Not a single song touches me / I'm screaming a silent scream."
Another issue the song alludes to is the invasiveness of fame, where everything is filmed and sold, including painful breakdowns. Jin sings, "Slowly sinking as if I'm bewitched / I'm thrashing my body but it’s just the floor all around me." This is followed by Jungkook singing, "Each moment becomes eternity / Film it now / Film it now / Do you hear me yeah."
Amid all the pain in the song is also a meandering path of duality that exists for artists — the fear of losing one's passion versus the realization that this passion is all they have. "If this can't make me cry anymore / If this can’t make my heart tremble anymore / Maybe I’ll die like this," raps RM before softly asking, "But what if that moment’s right now?"
Ultimately, this is a song that tackles the many struggles artists go through, including loss and grief relating to their artistry, the inescapable pull towards what they love doing and the realization that they are stuck between the joy of creating and the horrors of constantly churning out content for the masses. The video does a fantastic job of conveying the depths of those messages with simple yet cinematic visual storytelling.
Watch the music video for 'Black Swan' here.