Recognition means little if it is contingent on separation, and BTS have made it clear they are unwilling to accept a form of representation that relegates Asian artists to a separate lane.
Yesterday, the K-pop supergroup announced via Instagram that it will not submit its music for the 2027 Grammy Awards, with all seven members — RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — uploading an identical statement.
“We have decided not to enter the Grammys this year,” a translation of the announcement read. “We hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language. Thank you to ARMY and everyone who is always with us.”
Their statement follows news that the Recording Academy introduced a new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category back in June.
While the intention of the new category was described by the Academy as a way to “recognise artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognised within Asian markets”, many have denounced the category, arguing it would effectively sideline K-pop and other Asian musicians. BTS’ statement appears to reflect those concerns.
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Hoping to mitigate the backlash, Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. took to social media to clarify that the new category was not intended to single out K-pop artists.
“I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision,” Mason said.
“I do want to clarify something that seems to be getting lost in the conversation. The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia. The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists. More categories mean more artists’ work is recognized. It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters.”
Reaction in the comments was mixed, though many skewed in favour of BTS’ concerns. One user wrote, “Representation should never mean putting people in a separate lane. Equality means standing on the same stage, not being handed a different one.”
Another added: “If you were truly listening to the global music community, you wouldn’t create a separate box for global artists; you would ensure a fair playing field where Pop is judged as Pop, Rock as Rock, and Hip-Hop as Hip-Hop, regardless of the artist’s region of origin. Separate is never equal.”
The Recording Academy has grappled with public boycotts before, including from The Weeknd, Frank Ocean and Drake who have refused to submit their music, often over complaints that the Grammys have failed to properly recognise artists of colour in major categories, as well as concerns about bias within the voting process.
BTS became the first K-pop group to receive a Grammy nomination in 2021 for “Dynamite”, their first song performed entirely in English. They have since earned four more nominations but have never won.
At the Grammy Awards back in February, KPop Demon Hunters clinched the first K-pop Grammy win when the songwriters behind the film’s breakout track, “Golden”, took home Best Song Written for Visual Media.
While the introduction of the Grammys’ latest category appears to have been intended as another step towards cementing the awards as a truly global institution, it may have unintentionally reinforced the very divisions it was meant to overcome.
