BTS took a bold but necessary gamble with 'Swim,' producer says

BTS took a bold but necessary gamble with Swim, according to longtime collaborator Alex Karlsson. The Swedish producer, who has worked with SM Entertainment since 2013, helped shape BTS' sound on songs from We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal to Fire and Beyond, and now weighs in on the group's new lead track from the fifth LP Arirang. Karlsson argues that a lower-energy song can still achieve global reach, and that bold sonic shifts invite debate within fandoms. He also cautions that Grammys remain unpredictable; even with the risk, the group faces a competition of artists like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and Harry Styles.