Black Swan’s Lyricism: A Story of Passion
BTS and the Black Swan
BTS, a popular South Korean boy band, has garnered considerable recognition in the music industry due to their extremely passionate music. Ever since they burst onto the scene back in 2013, they have become one of the biggest artist groups out there. Their latest album, Map of the Soul: 7, launched them into superstardom by selling an astonishing sales figure of 422,000 copies in its first week. It is not surprising that they reached the top of the charts and achieved the status of best-selling album of the year.
BTS is more than just a successful chart-topping group - they are known for their amazing performances and heartfelt songwriting. Their love for music and dance shines through in every song they create. “Black Swan,” the first single from their album Map of the Soul: 7, dives deep into their artistic journey. This genre-bending masterpiece mixes cloud rap, emo hip hop, and trap to create something truly unique. RM, the leader and main rapper of BTS, poured his heart into this song and expressed his emotions about it during a press conference.
The Tale of the Black Swan
“A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is more painful.” - Martha Graham
The Black Swan is inspired by this quote from Martha Graham, who was a significant figure in modern American dance. Graham, a choreographer and a dance teacher for more than seventy years, was well known for her style, called the Graham technique. Many deem this quote of hers to have used the act of “dancing” as an inclusive metaphor referring to all sorts of passion—to indicate that any loss of fervor in what a person has always loved doing brings them their first ”death.” This death, in particular, she states, affects them more than their final demise.
The quote may apply to artists from different fields of art, but it is perfectly suitable for BTS just as it is. This stems from the band’s musical content, which involves a notable amount of choreography that is not just there as a complement to the song but also designed to support the message they are trying to deliver. In Black Swan, the band skilfully integrates contemporary dance choreography with the music itself, showcasing their extraordinary talent. Moreover, Black Swan has two versions: a studio version and an orchestral version. The latter, released on January 17, 2020, accompanied a reflective art film containing an insightful performance by MN Dance Company.
How Black Swan depicted a story of passion and doubt
Black Swan plunges us into a world where passion flickers and fades. The film opens with a potent quote by Martha Graham, setting the stage for seven dancers cloaked in black – their shadows personified. Except for one. He stands shirtless, a lone artist amidst the multitude of uncertainty. As the music intensifies, the dancers transform into his inner demons, manipulating his movements as their shapes overshadow his own. Suga, the lead rapper of the band, reveals the initial verse which expresses sorrow over a heart that no longer beats to the rhythm of the music. Following this, RM raps his verse, which expands upon this sentiment, proclaiming:
“If this can no longer resonate, no longer make my heart vibrate,
Then like this may be how I die my first death.”
The pre-chorus induces a state of panic, with V and Jimin feeling trapped within the confines of an emotionless spirit. The chorus then bursts forth, creating a sonic prison as all seven members’ voices blend together, symbolising their united battle.
“My wandering feet held in a rut, every sound’s been cut,
Killin’ me now, killin’ me now, do you hear me? Yeah.”
During the chorus, the set in the film has jets of white light shooting downward around the dancers, creating cage-like imagery. Throughout this verse, the leading dancer is seen struggling to escape this visual cage, and the dancers around him hold him back. The cage could be referring to what BTS is singing about—the sense of vacancy and the shadow being their passion for music, which has become routine-like and is no longer something that ignites a spark in them. In a review for Black Swan, NME author Rhian Daly writes about the verse after the main chorus:
“At various points, Jimin, Jin, and V’s voices float into view like an inner
monologue has torn between pushing through and carrying on as normal or being
riddled with uncertainty and hesitation.”
Throughout this scene, the dancer resists his passion, imprisoning him, and continues trying to dance his way out of the “cage.” It is not until the leading dancer, J-Hope, raps about “losing focus” and letting his feet carry him that the dancer can fall from the grasp of his shadow. By the next verse, the dancer is free. At this very moment, it could be said to stand as the “climax” of the song and therefore depict BTS’ epiphany. The dancer falls. However, he moves back towards his shadow. Only this time, he is in command, and his shadow retreats as if fearing his advances. Suga’s second verse vocalises the pivotal moment. Through these lyrics, the band speaks of the paradoxical instant after facing the “Black Swan” in themselves, which leads them to realize that they only have music. They make this confession as artists who have come to realize what their passion truly means to them.
The art film opens with a dancer struggling against his own passion, trapped in a metaphorical cage of self-doubt. He desperately throws himself into the dance, trying to fight his way out of the darkness. J-Hope’s rap echoes this turmoil, urging him to “lose focus” and let his instincts guide him. Finally, in a cathartic moment, the dancer breaks free.
This could be considered the climax of the song and BTS’s own epiphany. But the journey is not over. The dancer falls back towards his shadow, symbolising that doubts and fears never truly disappear. However, this time, the power dynamic has shifted. Suga’s lyrics capture this pivotal moment, as the band admits that facing their inner “Black Swan” has shown them just how crucial music is to their very being.
“I slowly open my eyes, I am in my workroom, it is my studio
The darkness goes darkly in a throe, but I will never get dragged away again
Inside, I saw myself, myself.”
As these lyrics echo, the dancer in the film moves away from his shadow, claiming his own space. The shadow remains, though, a constant reminder that fear will always linger. Yet, the dancers representing the “shadow” no longer hold power. The individual dancer’s movements radiate newfound strength, effortlessly pushing back against negativity. This culminates in the shadow itself mimicking the dancer’s moves, finally submitting to his will. The artist has conquered his own internal darkness.
The film ends with the dancers representing the shadow and the main dancer uniting as a single entity, symbolising the concept of embracing imperfections and overcoming hesitations. BTS promotes the notion that individuals descend into darkness when they lose their passion, which is an inherent part of being human. In the second pre-chorus of the song, the lyrics state, “Nothing can devour me, I shout out ferocity.” This line emphasises that genuine enthusiasm for something can always be rekindled.
The Black Swan ideology
The music video for “The Black Swan” takes place in the resonating Los Angeles Theatre and goes beyond being just a catchy song and graceful choreography. It serves as a poignant reflection on the ebb and flow of passion, even for megastars like BTS. Facing their shadows and mirrored reflections, they embody the emptiness felt when passion fades away. However, their genius lies in transforming this vulnerability into a compelling work of art that reminds us that even in our darkest moments, there is potential for rediscovery. Ultimately, the ability of the human spirit to create art, both for personal healing and collective inspiration, demonstrates our resilience. Passion may flicker, but its absence does not diminish our worth. It is simply a natural part of the journey, setting the stage for facing our own “Black Swan” and uncovering a renewed sense of inspiration and purpose that leads us down an enchanting new path of self-discovery.
