Why BTS is so popular in America without having a U.S. debut
The answer may cause you to have a reaction in the form of a facepalm.
Before getting to into the uber talented septet, I would like to bring to your attention two artist: CL and DEAN trbl. Trust me, I’m going somewhere with this.
CL, full name Chae-rin Lee, is one of the members of now-disbanded but forever iconic girl group, 2NE1. CL, Dara, Minzy and Park Bom, aka 2NE1, helped YG Entertainment elevate it’s profile. As a result of the group’s stardom, CL has brushed shoulders with the likes of Jeremy Scott, Diplo, Janet Jackson, Alexander Wang, Scooter Braun and Justin Bieber to name a few. With the connections and the celebrity she has, the potential to make it big in the United States is very real. She even made an official U.S. debut in 2016 with her single, “Lifted”. So whats the issue? There are actually many in CL’s case, but I’m only here to point out one.
Next we have DEAN aka DEAN trbl, the charming “different” R&B singer. Full name Hyuk Kwon, he started his career rolling with 88rising artist, Keith Ape. From there, he evolved into a Multi-platinum singer/songwriter/hip-hop artist/producer. He debuted in the U.S. with the track “I’m Not Sorry” featuring Grammy Award-winning artist, Eric Bellinger. Since debuting in 2015, DEAN has either been acquainted or worked with notable Korean, American and Canadian artists such as ZICO, Crush, Anderson .Paak and Daniel Caesar. The eminence of his connections arguably may not be at the same level of CL’s, but they are still nonetheless valuable.
Have you caught the pattern? No? Here’s the answer: both CL and DEAN had official U.S. debuts. What’s wrong with that? Nothing, except debuting is a very Korean approach to introducing a new artist to the American public. Yes, every artist arguably debuts before they get famous, but there is usually zero anticipation surrounding it. Most American artist seemingly just appear out of nowhere and sky rocket into fame and popularity.
BTS, on the other hand, never had an official U.S. debut. Heck, they didn’t even come out with an English song until 2017. Most of the (non-ARMY) American public thinks BTS is a relatively new group, when in reality they have been active since 2013. As this excerpt from Vulture explains:
English-speaking media is still trying to process BTS’s sudden rise. Because BTS appeared to emerge completely out of the blue….
This false perception of ‘newness’ is how most American artists start out. No debut performances on music shows. No promotional photoshoots pushed by their label. Just one song that puts them on the map.
By no means am I saying CL and DEAN haven’t reached major popularity because they chose to have U.S. debuts. I am only noting that their approach may not be the best strategy for making it big in the U.S.
Update: It has been announced CL will be featured on the Black Eyed Peas upcoming project, Masters of the Sun. She will be on track #6 titled, “Dopeness”. The album is set to release on Friday, October 26th, 2018.
