"As soon as I heard this song, I was certain that I had to do it."
BTS's J-Hope will release the digital single 'Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)' and its music video on the 7th at 2 p.m. (Korean time). 'Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)' is a serenade that captures a heartfelt desire to love and be loved. J-Hope sings about the feeling of being in love, comparing it to a sweet dream.
The new song is in the pop R&B genre, featuring dreamy synthesizers, refreshing guitar strums, and light yet smooth vocal riffs that audibly express the feelings of love. J-Hope participated in setting the overall direction of the song's message, enhancing its quality. Additionally, R&B's leading representative Miguel features on the track, harmonizing with J-Hope. Miguel has won the 'Best R&B Song' award at the Grammy Awards for 'Adorn' and has been nominated 13 times.
J-Hope kicked off his first solo world tour with 'j-hope Tour 'HOPE ON THE STAGE' in SEOUL' from Feb. 28 to Mar. 2 at the KSPO DOME in Songpa, Seoul. He previewed the stage for 'Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)' as a surprise, which garnered an explosive reaction from the audience.
J-Hope, who is releasing the new song 'Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)', shared a Q&A through his agency Big Hit Music.
Q. Thoughts on the first comeback after discharge.
: I am extremely excited at the thought of sharing new music after a long time. I wanted to share my music quickly and enjoy it with my fans. I feel both nervous and expectant. This work was produced after much deliberation, so I hope you enjoy it.
Q. Impression when you first heard the song.
: As soon as I heard it, I was certain that 'this song has to be done by J-Hope.' Normally, when I hear a good song, various images come to mind, but this song had so many clear images. I hope my confidence and belief are not mistaken (laughs). Since it's a song I like and enjoy, I hope that sincerity is well conveyed to everyone.
Q. Behind the scenes of the new song's production.
: While preparing this song, I did my first songwriting camp, and this method suited me better than I expected, making the work enjoyable. As a result, I created a lot of songs while in Los Angeles. I wanted to quickly share these songs with my fans because so many good ones came out. Moreover, the songs created during this time all have different colors, so I wanted to see which genre suits me best and how listeners would perceive them.
Q. What part do you want people to know about?
: I cannot define what popular music is, but this new song started from what kind of popular music I want to pursue. Music is one way for an artist to talk and express themselves, but ultimately, I believe the listener's perspective is the most important. This time, I valued the process more than just the final product. The previously mentioned songwriting camp in Los Angeles is part of that. I think all the various promotions I will present in the future and my approach to carrying them out will be part of the learning experience. If the listeners acknowledge this consideration, it would hold significant meaning for me (laughs).
Q. Behind the scenes with featured artist Miguel.
: I suggested featuring first, and I was thrilled that he accepted positively despite not having personal ties (laughs). He accepted in such a wonderful way. I have listened to Miguel's music since I was young, so I was delighted to collaborate with him. I believe Miguel's deep voice and authenticity go well with the song, and I'm happy that we achieved a good result.
Q. The event in Paris this January was a huge topic. Any behind-the-scenes insights?
: Since it was a performance before my solo concert, I put in a lot of effort. A lot of ARMY members came, which gave me great inspiration and motivation in preparing for the concert. I felt the energy of the fans in Paris and want to show them an even better version of myself next time. It was touching that I could only hear the voices of the ARMY through my in-ear monitors. Indeed, BTS power. ARMY is the best (laughs).
Q. A message for the fans who waited a long time.
: You really waited a long time! The music 'Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)', which can be listened to comfortably at any time, will finally be released to the world. It is a song filled with my heart, and I wanted to share it with as many people as possible as soon as possible. You know my heart, right? I hope you enjoy it, and I love our ARMY who always take care of my sweet and dream. This first half of the year is going to be really diverse. I will take care of cute, funky, and sexy and return with a great performance (laughs).
J-Hope will hold an offline fan event 'Sweet Dreamland' at 1 p.m. on the 7th, sharing the moment of the new song's release with fans. He will invite 613 people to the venue to coincide with BTS's debut date, June 13, and will also conduct an exclusive live stream on the global superfan platform Weverse for those unable to attend.
[Photo] Big Hit Music
[OSEN = Choi Lee-jung, reporter]