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As if the hype surrounding BTS‘ upcoming fifth studio album, Arirang, wasn’t already sky high after the K-pop supergroup’s nearly four-year hiatus, producer Diplo just amped things up a few more notches.
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When TMZ caught up with Diplo at a Super Bowl LX party on Saturday, he said the LP due out on March 20 is gonna blow some minds. “I just feel so lucky because I’ve been working for three decades and to link up with a group like that, and have them trust me and do some awesome music,” said Diplo, who did not reveal how many of the album’s 14 tracks he worked on. “Honestly, it’s gonna shock the world,” he added, “craziest album ever.”
Diplo, who has collaborated with everyone from BLACKPINK to Britney Spears, Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, Usher, Bad Bunny and Bailey Zimmerman over the years, also had high praise for the studio savvy he saw from members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook. “They’re so hands-on. They’re so creative. I can’t believe it,” he said, singling out one member for particular praise. “Jungkook no autotune. Perfect voice.”
Calling them “the real deal,” Diplo also raved about the septet’s rapping skills and said, not for nothing, they “smell really good” and “they dance better than any of us.”
The upcoming release will be BTS’ first full-length album since 2020’s Be and the first since the group went on a temporary hiatus in 2022 to allow the men to complete their mandatory South Korean military service. The new album’s title, Arirang, is a reference to a traditional Korean folk song known around the world. “Transcending time and generations, the song has long been associated with emotions of connection, distance, and reunion,” BigHit Music said in a statement announcing the collection.
BigHit added that the LP is a “deeply reflective body of work” exploring the K-pop singers’ “identity and roots.” The track list and production credits for Arirang have not yet been released.
BTS will be back on the on April 9 when they kick off a world tour in Goyang, South Korea before heading to the United States in late April.
