The afterglow of their Gwanghwamun comeback performance hadn’t even faded when BTS jetted off to the United States. Starting with an exclusive Spotify fan event in New York on the 23rd (local time), and followed by back-to-back appearances on NBC’s ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ on the 25th and 26th, BTS’s landing in New York is in full swing.
An Exclusive Performance for 1,000 Invited Fans
The ‘Spotify x BTS: SWIMSIDE’ event, reported by major American music outlets such as Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Digital Music News, is taking place today (23rd) in New York. Spotify has invited 1,000 of BTS’s most loyal fans to this event, which features an immersive experience themed around the album ‘Arirang,’ a special performance, and a Q&A session. This marks BTS’s first performance in the United States with all members present. The venue remains undisclosed.
The invitees were selected based on Spotify’s streaming data, identifying BTS’s “top fans.” Album pre-saves and streaming activity within the BTS catalog were key selection criteria. Billboard hailed the event as “Spotify’s most ambitious K-pop campaign with BTS to date.”
Spotify also launched an in-app treasure hunt event called ‘Decoding ARIRANG’ in preparation for this event. Fans could unlock exclusive audio messages from each member (RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook) by finding hidden clues within the app. A BTS music quiz was also available. A SWIMSIDE event is also scheduled to take place on a Han River cruise in Seoul from the 27th to the 29th.
This New York performance carries significance beyond a simple fan event. According to Rolling Stone, this is the first time all BTS members are performing together on a US stage since the ‘Permission to Dance On Stage’ concert in 2022, approximately four years ago. The last time all members were together in the United States was during their visit to the White House to meet with President Biden in May 2022.
Yahoo Entertainment analyzed, “It showcases BTS’s global superstar strategy of transforming a simple album release into a multi-platform cultural phenomenon.”
Back-to-Back Appearances on The Tonight Show (25th-26th)
Following the Spotify event, BTS is scheduled to appear on NBC’s ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ on the 25th and 26th for two consecutive nights. This appearance, widely reported by Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Deadline, marks the first time all members, after completing their military service, are appearing together on an American late-night talk show.
On the 25th, they will participate in an in-studio interview with Jimmy Fallon and perform one of their new songs. On the 26th, they will showcase a second new song performance. Ariana DeBose is scheduled to appear on the 25th episode, while Chris Pratt and Charlie Day will join on the 26th.
BTS has a long-standing relationship with the Fallon show. BTS’s last appearance on the show as a full group was in July 2021 for the ‘BTS Takeover’ special, during which their performances of ‘Butter’ and ‘Permission to Dance’ surpassed a combined total of 120 million views across digital platforms. In February 2020, they also garnered attention for a surprise performance at New York’s Grand Central Terminal.
After their appearance on the Fallon show, BTS will embark on their world tour ‘Arirang’ on April 9th, starting at the Goyang Stadium, encompassing 23 countries, 34 cities, and 82 performances.
