Ask AP529 | Episode 1: Festa Songs
This post was written by Leslie Day
Welcome to Ask AP529 where YOU get to utilize OUR brain wrinkles to find answers to your most burning BTS questions. Our first formal question comes from our very own Katie, from the AP529 Admin Team. She asks:
Has BTS given us a song every year for Festa, and can we expect one this year?
So I thought this was going to be an easy question to answer and compile into a blog. It both is and it isn’t. Most of us know “Take Two” from last Festa. I knew that “DDaeng” was a Festa song. I did not however know that “Bicycle”, by RM, was a Festa release, or “Still With You” by Jung Kook.
To answer the original question: Yes. There are ten original songs for Festa. The members of Bangtan Sonyeondan have released special music for each and every anniversary celebration known as Festa.
Let’s talk about them in order and with some detail. I hope my research provides some insight for both newer and veteran ARMYs alike.
FESTA 2014
So 4 More Original Track: Pro Era – Like Water; Lyrics by Rap Monster, SUGA & j-hope; Beat, Remake by Slow Rabbit Melody by Slow Rabbit & Supreme boi; Mixed, Mastered by Yang Ga @ BIG HIT STUDIO
For the first Festa in 2014, the song “So 4 More” was given to ARMY. A new version of Pro Era’s song, “Like Water”, the seven members sing about how hard the year was for them. RM begins the track with,
Yo it’s been a year, It’s been a mudafucking year. Ha! We living in a good life. We living in a bad life. Whatever, It’s not important ‘cuz we here.
His verse continues and we can hear that he is already questioning the responsibilities he has been given that continues into his latest solo album. SUGA is beginning his struggle with who he is and what he set out to do that bleeds into his solo trilogy. And, j-hope raps about his sweat and hard work that allows him to shine brightly like the constellation, Sirius. Something he later questions in his solo work, “Arson”. Did he shine too brightly?
V, Jin, and Jimin sing the chorus that promises they’ll still continue on the stage, despite what the rap line is questioning. It’s the beginning of a pattern of duality that continues for over a decade. The song ends with Jimin’s raw vocals singing the chorus:
A year has passed and another year will come. You and I, we will be walking on this melody again. Even when the night comes, and even when it passes, our performance for a better life will continue.
There is a bit of confusion concerning the title of this song. “So 4 More” is a play on the word sophomore. On BTS’s album, DARK & WILD, there is a track called “2nd Grade” which was renamed “Sophomore”. Now, Spotify and Tidal have “2nd Grade” listed at “So 4 More”. We even did it in our lyrics sheets. iTunes has “2nd Grade” labeled correctly on DARK & WILD. But now that we know, we can stave off our own confusion. “So 4 More” is the Festa song, “2nd Grade/Sophomore” appears on DARK & WILD.
FESTA 2015
We Are Bulletproof Pt. 1 (4 Begins Ruff) Written by RM; Produced by RM
This Festa gives ARMY “We Are Bulletproof Pt. 1 (4 Begins Ruff)”. The song answers the question I had when I was baby ARMY and discovered “We Are Bulletproof Pt. 2”, the second track on their first album, 2 Kool 4 Skool. I asked myself, “If this was part 2, where was part one? (Something I also asked myself about “Airplane Pt.2” before I discovered Hope World.)
“We Are Bulletproof Pt. 1 (4 Begins Ruff)” was originally released in 2010 by the band’s initial formation (RM, IRON, & Supreme Boi) and was later re-released for 2015 Festa on June 9. I know who Supreme Boi is, but I had no idea who IRON was.
Not so fun fact: A quick search for IRON (Jung Heon-cheol) reveals he died 1/25/21. He started with BigHit (and was going to debut with RM as part of a hip-hop trio), but left to pursue rapping instead of being an idol. This is sad. His cause of death is unknown. Does this connect? I am wondering how Namjoon reacted to this in the midst of the pandemic. Did it color his music for Indigo? But that’s just another rabbit hole, back to the original question.
This gift to ARMY is evidence of their true hip-hop roots and sandwiched between the release of The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt. 1 (April 2015) and its follow-up The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt. 2 (November 2015), where we see a massive change in their sound. It’s a fun track, meant to hype up ARMY. And, as a fun treat, we get to see the vocal line rap. One cannot listen to it without walking away and chanting, “We are bulletproof, yeah, we are bulletproof!”
FESTA 2016
I Know Written by RM; Produced by RM, Pdogg
This Festa gives us the gift of “I Know” written by RM and performed by RM and Jung Kook. I had never heard this song before. It’s a song that expresses gratitude for ARMY staying with them for three years with RM singing more than rapping and JK’s vocals and adlibs rounding out the sound.
RM begins by describing the “red carpet in front of him” made of the tears shed by someone who loves him. (Notes in DoolSet provide some cultural background that I suggest you go look up.) This powerful imagery tells me that he knows that those close to them and ARMY were right beside them as they traveled through their difficult times. Jung Kook sings about locking eyes with his beloved and the connection is indescribable.
The only way they can return that love is to express it. The title suggests that they “know” and giving us a song every Festa is their way of showing us they see us.
I KNOW PERFORMANCE RM AND JUNG KOOK (as shown)
FESTA 2017
4 O’Clock Written by RM, V; Produced by RM, V; Arranged by SHAUN
For BTS’s 4th Muster, they give ARMY “4 O’Clock”. This unit song performed by RM and V has a beautiful melody juxtaposed against melancholy lyrics about longing and the sadness through the passing of time. V starts with a letter to the moon and melts into the chorus which sings about a bird whose sad song will bring in the morning. He describes the moon’s light as blue and it is waiting for the red of morning. Knowing that V wrote “Blue and Grey”, I love the imagery he uses with color. It seems as if he describes his feelings as colors and now my mind wants to go research whether or not he has said as much in interviews.
In RM’s verse he talks about how the sun suffocates him, leaving him naked. Then he quotes a movie called Moonlight (released 2016) where the dialogue talks about how we all look blue in the moonlight. RM raps, “Just like that movie, like the line (from the movie).
The entire world is blue inside the moonlight.” In the movie the character, Juan, is telling a story about a woman who named him Blue because he looks blue in the moonlight. I think this line resonated with RM a great deal. I looked into this scene and the rest of the conversation is telling. IMDB gives me the rest of that scene.
Little : So your name 'Blue'?
Juan : [Chuckles] Nah.
[Another pause]
Juan : [to Little] At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you gonna be. Can't let nobody make that decision for you.
We know this is something with which Namjoon struggles. I love that he shares that struggle with us, because we can all identify with it. I am fairly certain, within myself, that Namjoon loves Juan’s line, “Can’t let nobody make that decision for you.”
Pairing those words with V’s chorus is magical. V has the unique ability to make his voice so soft and tender. Who can forget when Iris Stevenson told V that people feel things when he sings? She wasn’t wrong, and he displays that here.
Musically, the song ends on a 7th chord. That leaves the sound unresolved, but my ear hears the optimism. This is co-written by RM and V, and I can only think that is intentional.
FESTA 2018
DDaeng Written by SUGA, J.Pearl, RM, j-hope; Produced by SUGA, J.Pearl
This Festa gave us the classic we are all begging to be released on all streaming platforms. Rap Line delivers “DDaeng” with the fervor we have come to expect from BTS. It is a straight up diss track that speaks directly to their haters, while affirming their confidence in themselves and what they had accomplished over the past five years.
This track demonstrates BTS’s lyrical genius to the point we’re just going to cut and paste from Doolset. (Please PLEASE click on the link, as she’s requested, and then come back.)
Don’t even look at my lyrics sheet. Just go to Doolset. I didn’t even link it. There are too many.
Here’s an example of what you’ll find on DoolSet:
Note: This track was revealed under the name ‘DD ceremony’ during the 2018 FESTA. DD is typed ㅇㅇ in Korean keyboard, a shortened form of 응 (yes, okay). ㅇㅇ is often used in an informal chatting/texting and sometimes implies that the sender is indifferent, unimpressed, or unbothered. It’s similar to using ‘K’ instead of ‘okay.’ 땡 (ddaeng) also sounds like dang, which is well-fitting to the theme of this song, intended or not.
DKDKTV has an excellent explanation of this song over on YouTube if you would like a visual breakdown of this masterpiece.
FESTA 2019
Tonight Written by Slow Rabbit, Jin, Hiss Noise, RM; Produced by Slow Rabbit
“Tonight”, by Jin, was a song I had never heard before. I’ve only been ARMY since April 2022, and this research has made me happy to find something of which I had no knowledge whatsoever. I can’t even find a good performance video of it. There is this fan made MV that has the lyrics and set to the Jin VCR from the BU. I suggest watching it. It’s touching.
Jin’s translated note:
Hello, it is Jin.
This is a song that I wrote while thinking about my pets.
Though this is my first self-written song, I hope you like it.
I’ll work hard again next time and give you a good song. Thank you, ARMY.
If you go to Doolset, she adds another interesting note about Jin I didn’t know. And with him coming home so soon, it makes me even more excited. I knew about his sugar gliders, but I didn’t know about his family dog or the change in the word for pet. Go read it.
What a perfect song to dive into before Jin returns to us.
FESTA 2020
Still With You Written by Jung Kook, Pdogg; Produced by Pdogg, Jung Kook
“Still With You” was a gift to ARMY in 2020 and I had no idea this song was from a Festa.
Story time: Two years ago, while I was traveling in Spain and bopping along to “Left and Right”, I discovered my dad suffered a heart attack and passed away. The chorus of “Left and Right” shifted meaning for me and it was a comfort. And while I traveled with my mom, back to the US, I stumbled across the song, “Still With You”. Well that’s not true, it is included on Disk 3 of Proof, and I loved it. I didn’t understand the long pauses in the a capella track until I stumbled across a fan made MV on YouTube late one night just a few days before my dad’s celebration of life. I can say, I wept like a baby.
I didn’t know the words, so all I could understand from the melody full of longing and melancholy was, “still with you.” And I found great comfort in JK’s soothing voice and those three words. Combining those two songs together, “memories follow me left and right, I can feel you over here, I can feel you over here, in every corner of my mind,” with “Still with you,” I concluded that the lessons my dad had taught me, the love, time, patience, and devotion he gave me was still with me—in every corner of my mind.
So, when Jung Kook crooned to us in the final song of his Golden Concert, I was in tears again. What a beautiful gift for the 6th Festa. It was also released on all streaming platforms prior to the release of Golden.
FESTA 2021
Bicycle Written by RM, John Eun; Produced by RM, John Eun
Festa 2021 brought ARMY “Bicycle” by RM. This beloved tune is mellow and sweet, and probably what everyone needed in the midst of a global pandemic.
I’ll just leave RM’s words with you, because he can explain it better than I can. I miss his letters to ARMY even if it will be another year before I get to experience them in real life.
Translation of RM’s letter:
Always, I’ve wanted to write a song about bicycle.
As it’s already been almost three years since I put out mono, and as myself was getting tired preparing the next series that has no hard plan, I decided to use Festa as a great excuse(!) to make and share a bicycle song.
After many twists and turns, I laid out melodies and lyrics on the guitar played by Heeyoung hyung while wandering from place to place on a bicycle in February and March.
The lyrics were actually written while I was riding a bicycle.
I can’t even remember how many times I crooned the song to myself.
For the cover artwork, I made the request in person to artist Moon Sungsic, who I’ve admired. I think the artwork came out great in his own drawing style.
I send my thank-you to Heeyoung hyung and artist Moon Sungsic for getting on board with this childish decision.
Riding a bicycle always makes my heart flutter, but when placing my two feet on the pedals, I always feel somewhat sad. Perhaps it’s because there are many things I long for.. But the reason is not clear even to me. Maybe it’s because I haven’t driven a car since I don’t have a driver’s license. Anyway, when riding a bicycle is the time, one of the rare times, when I feel the freest physically.
I wanted to portray the vague, impalpable scenery that I have always thought of when riding a bicycle since the trainee days. Feelings that are sad but exciting, a little cold but warm.
I hope this song stays on your playlist for a long time and becomes your bicycle song.
I would be the happiest if you listen to this song and accept it as if it’s a small gift from me.
The days are getting better and better.
When sad, let’s ride a bicycle !
I too will do so, always.
– Namjoon
Namjoon’s deepest wish, I am gathering, is that we revisit his music. He wants us to enjoy his art when we feel the need. I’d also like to share this caption from an Instagram post from Eun Heeyoung, whom RM mentioned above. This makes my heart so happy that he was able to work with someone he respected and who reciprocates that respect. It’s a big change from three years before with “DDaeng”.
The feeling of making music is always exciting. But the feeling of making music with someone who makes you feel that you are profoundly connected is something that is hard to come by. I feel extremely lucky and blessed to make music with this friend that I resonate both musically and personally. Thank you RM for your friendship and for always keeping me motivated to be a better musician/human. I couldn’t have asked for a better mate.
The mellow melody has RM singing half and a soothing flow in his rap. This song is on all streaming platforms and has made it on several of my playlists.
The chorus ends with “with our two arms spread out freely” and I can imagine Namjoon riding on a path next to the Han River. And that mental image brings me joy.
FESTA 2022
My You Written by Jung Kook and Hiss Noise; Produced by Jung Kook, Hiss Noise
This Festa brings us “My You” written by JK, including suggestions he received in a LIVE. I was in this LIVE when he was asking for suggestions. I was so new, I had no idea what was going on, but I was there. Here is the translated letter he posted with the song’s release:
Overwhelmed by all these emotions I have when I think of you, sometimes I wondered, “what if all these things disappear, what if all these were just a dream.”
So I wrote this song based on those thoughts and picked pretty words to fill the lyrics not to make the atmosphere of the song too gloomy.
This is a song that is solely for you, and I hope that this song will eventually make both I myself who made this song and you who listen to it be more hopeful, shine by ourselves, and gain energy.
Thank you always, ARMYs, and let’s make even better memories going forward!
My ARMY,
I love you.
This song was released before the infamous 2022 Festa dinner, and now I understand the uncertainty in his lyrics. Is this why he started going live with us in the middle of his night? “Worrying that it may disappear. Worrying that this was a dream. I toss and turn, I fall asleep again. Can it last forever? My bitter heart, I try to soothe it and sink into the night, eyes falling shut.”
Jung Kook, I hope that ARMY has shown you that this will last forever, and that your heart is no longer bitter. This song was written directly to ARMY and parts of it by ARMY. I remember the buzz on social media surrounding this song and the love ARMY felt from it.
MY YOU VISUALIZER (as shown)
FESTA 2023
Take Two Written by SUGA, EL CAPITXN, RM, Gabriel Brandes, Matt Thomson, Max Lynedoch Graham, j-hope, Nois upGrader; Produced by SUGA, EL CAPITXN
No one knew what to expect for Festa 2023 with Jin and Hobi already enlisted in the military, and with Yoongi still on tour. Jimin had gone a bit MIA after his FACE promotions were over, V randomly went LIVE for anywhere between twelve seconds and an hour, while JK was going LIVE at all hours of the night. But it was their ten year anniversary and Big Hit and the city of Seoul did not disappoint ARMY. We had a live concert with RM, the city turned purple, and a fifteen minute fireworks show. There was so much more, but what touched my heart the most was the release of “Take Two”.
Please check out the lyrics on Doolset because there are many allusions to tracks in BTS’s extensive discography. There are also links to the Twitter posts that go along with the song. (These are included in the lyrics provided at the top, if you care to look.)
“Take Two” was a breath of hope for ARMY and the live performance video they dropped was both cute and playful. Both hearing and seeing Hobi and Jin was a balm to our souls.
BTS takes care of ARMY.
The premise to this question that was asked was: how likely are we to get a special Festa song this year? I would say, given the history of Festa songs, the chances are really good that we’ll get one. We may not get an OT7 song, but given the list above, we can expect at least a unit song or a solo song.
But as I analyze who has been included in the songs on this list, my prediction is that we will get a Festa song from Jimin. Or possibly a unit song that includes Jimin. There have been many hints that Jimin has prepared more for us, and he is the only member who has not been included outside of an OT7 song. He did gift us a live performance of “Letter” last year, but that was not the official Festa song. As a Jimin bias, I am manifesting this.
CREDITS:
YouTube/Web, HYBE LABELS, BANGTANTV, Bangtan Subs, DKDKTV, Mnet K-POP, BTS Wiki, Boragang: Heather C, NoonaAmy, Joscelin, AP529Admin, KAPWING on YouTube
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