K-Pop icons BTS released their new album “BE” on Nov. 20. This new album consists of 8 tracks including their recently released single, “Dynamite.” This new album has proven to be very successful; it is BTS’s fifth album to top the Billboard 200 chart, and “Dynamite” earned them a Grammy Nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. 

As “BE” was released during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is intended to bring hope to the listener and assure them that everything will be fine. The album achieves this successfully, starting out with songs describing the members’ feelings of sadness and loneliness, and then “Skit” provides a great transition to the happier vibes of the last four songs on “BE.”

“Life Goes On” is a very reassuring and comforting song. The vibe of this song is similar to that of BTS’s “Spring Day” from their album “You Never Walk Alone.” The title track assures the listener that life will continue to go on, even during troubling times.

“Fly To My Room” is a unit track sung by Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, and V. This song has a softer pop vibe to it. It’s about how having to stay at home for almost a year has affected them. They express how they’ve been driven mad by quarantine through the lyrics “It’s so frustrating, it’s driving me crazy / Feel like it’s still day one / Somebody turn back the clock / The entire year got stolen.” After describing the negative effects of being stuck in a room during the pandemic, they switch to a positive mindset, asking themselves “Then, what can I do here?” and deciding to appreciate being there because “This room is all [they] have.”

The third song on the album, “Blue & Grey,” has a melancholic vibe and conveys feelings of extreme loneliness and unhappiness. The title of the song expresses depression and anxiety through colors. The members describe how unhappy they are because they have been alone for so long. BTS has been so successful, but they want to do more to become happier, but they don’t know if it is okay to want that. These feelings are revealed through the lyrics “I am singing by myself / I just wanna be happier / Am I being too greedy?” 

The fourth track on the album “Skit,” is not a song, but a recording of the members talking about how they feel about becoming No. 1 on the Billboard charts with “Dynamite.”  The members talk about how happy they are and how proud they are of one another for this accomplishment. “Skit” is a turning point in the album; the next songs on the album are happier and more up-beat.

“Telepathy” has a very funky and retro vibe compared to the previous tracks on “BE.” “Telepathy” communicates how much BTS wants to see ARMY again and how they are connected; this is highlighted by the lyrics “Even if you’re not by my side, yeah / Even if I’m not by your side, yeah / You know we’re together.” BTS always shows their love and gratitude for their fans, ARMY, and this song further proves how immense their love is; the lyrics convey this with “You’re the most special person to me.”

The next song on “BE” is “Dis-ease;” it has a vintage hip-hop feel to it. This track reflects the members’ feelings of uncertainness during the pandemic and how hard they have to work to become happy. The lyrics “Yo, is it the world or me that’s sick?” are a reference to the pandemic and people being sick physically, but also how quarantine has caused many to suffer mentally. RM expresses how exhausted he is by saying “My heart needs a vacation,” “The dark doesn’t blur out even when I take off my glasses,” and wonders “How much do you have to earn to be happy?” COVID-19 has taken a huge toll on the world both mentally and physically, and “Dis-ease” expresses this perfectly.

“Stay” is another unit track, sung by Jin, Jungkook, and RM. This song is more EDM-like compared to the other tracks in “BE.” This song addresses ARMY and how COVID-19 has made the internet the only way for fans to connect with BTS. In April, BTS was supposed to start their Map of the Soul Tour, but it was postponed due to the pandemic. To make up for this, BTS has put on virtual concerts and done many live streams to stay connected with ARMY. The lyric “We connect to 7G” describes how the members interact with fans; through the internet. They use “7G” instead of 5G because the number seven means a lot to BTS and ARMY; so much so that their previous album, “Map of the Soul: 7” had the number seven in the title.

The last track on the album is “Dynamite,” previously released as a single but is included in the album. This track got BTS nominated for a Grammy, and got No. 1 on the Billboard charts. “Dynamite” has a retro and fun vibe, it’s very up-beat and a great song to cheer you up. The message in this song isn’t as explicitly stated as it is in the other songs in the album, but it’s still very meaningful. “Dynamite” encourages listeners to be a source of light when the world is dark. BTS hoped that “Dynamite” would emit positive energy and vibes to the listeners, and this song fulfills that hope easily.

BTS’s new album, “BE” not only reflects the many feelings that we’ve had during the pandemic this year, but also gives listeners a sense of hope and relief. BTS has produced another amazing album with their talent that is none other than unmatched.