“Outro: EGO” is the Best Thing of 2020 so far

We’re getting so much closer to the highly anticipated comeback of BTS, and the anticipation keeps getting stronger. The next teaser for their album, Map of the Soul: 7 has just been released and it features none other than the dynamic and energetic J-Hope. This song, "EGO", is labeled as the outro to round out RM’s intro, Persona, on their previous album, and Suga’s Shadow, which was released a few weeks ago. With a wildly different tone, EGO will be an explosive lead-in to the album’s release.

I. Love. J-Hope. He always brings so much energy and fun to every song and performance BTS puts on. He adds tiny flairs to their dances, and brings tons of passion to his verses when he sings and raps. EGO has a little bit of all of this, right from the little shout that kicks off the song.

Actually, there is something before J-Hope’s lyrics, and it’s just as important to take note of. The announcer at the beginning is the same one that played for BTS’s debut song, “No More Dream”. I love the throwback, because it shows how this album is going to be very reflective on where BTS has been and where they are now. Shadow was a nod to that, but this one definitely hits it on the head. They use it in a good way for J-Hope’s song too; the beat speeds up gradually until J-Hope takes it away over a super lively beat.

I love this song. It’s everything that makes J-Hope who he is. The lyrics are all about how he can look back in fear and question how things are going, but instead he overcomes the negativity to achieve his dreams. J-Hope is a guy that looks on the bright side, and the song shows it. The bright tone of his voice, the fast and sunny beat behind him, and the accompanying video all make me feel ready to party. I love the video. It’s got crazy computer graphics, fun outfit and scenery changes, and of course cute baby pictures of J-Hope! There’s a lot to love about this one.

The video might be one of my favorites for BTS, as it’s just a whole three and a half minutes of fun. Seeing J-Hope dance is always a treat. It’s his passion, and when he gets to do what he loves, you can really tell he’s into it. His smile is genuine, his energy is genuine, and you can’t help but go back and re-watch countless times.

It’s also interesting to see how similar this is to J-Hope’s solo song “Daydream”. “EGO” has a lot of the quick camera cuts, popping colors, and vibrant text across the screen as he sings that “Daydream” does as well. I like seeing that he has his own distinct style, and that he can bring that to BTS. His lyrics align with the message and spirit of the group, but they can also apply to J-Hope as an individual. This is what I like a lot about BTS. They can do solo intros, and each one is a good lead in to the album while being specific to each of them. “Shadow” was very in line with Suga’s style, and I didn’t think J-Hope’s song would follow the same mood.

“EGO” also gives a look into how diverse this album is shaping up to be. “Shadow” and “EGO” are both rap tracks, but they sound completely different. I have no idea what to expect with this album. I know thematically that I can always trust BTS to give me meaningful lyrics and good vibes. That’s about all I have. When you add these together with “Black Swan” you have a lot of different sounds in this album. I’ve adored everything about this album so far, and “EGO” is the cherry on top. I’m ecstatic for the album, now more than ever. Only a few more weeks to go!