When all seven BTS members shared the same message, I wasn’t surprised. 

“We have decided not to submit our music to the Grammys this year. I hope music can be heard and loved as music itself, rather than being divided by region or language. Thank you to the ARMY and everyone for always being with me.”

Not long afterward, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. responded that he respected their decision and hoped BTS would return one day. He explained that the new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category wasn’t created to separate Asian artists, but to recognize the incredible growth of Asian music around the world.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something about it didn’t sit right with me.

As an Asian American and someone who simply loves music, I’ve watched BTS accomplish something very few artists in history have. They brought millions of people from every corner of the world together through music. They filled stadiums, broke records, and introduced countless new fans to the Grammy Awards. Every time they were nominated or just performing, people who had never watched the ceremony before suddenly tuned in because BTS was there.

So when I heard about a separate Asian Pop category, my first reaction wasn’t excitement. It was disappointment. Not because I don’t want Asian artists to be celebrated. I absolutely do. But I don’t want Asian artists to have their own table. I want them sitting at the same table!

To me, music has never been about race, nationality, or language. A song either moves you or it doesn’t. BTS proved years ago that you don’t have to understand every lyric to understand every emotion. 

The more I thought about it, the more I realized why I don’t see the Grammys and MAMA as the same conversation. I’ve seen people ask, “If American artists aren’t nominated at MAMA, why should BTS expect recognition at the Grammys?” On the surface, it sounds like a fair comparison. But I don’t think they’re trying to accomplish the same thing. 

MAMA was created to celebrate Korean music and the artists shaping the Asian music industry. That has always been its purpose, and I respect that. It isn’t trying to be the world’s music awards. It’s celebrating the industry it was built to represent. 

The Grammys have always felt different to me. Yes, they’re presented by the Recording Academy in the United States, but they’ve also positioned themselves as one of the world’s highest honors in music. Throughout the years, they’ve recognized artists from around the world, from The Beatles and Elton John in the United Kingdom, to ABBA from Sweden, Céline Dion from Canada, Burna Boy from Nigeria, and Rosalía from Spain. That’s what has always made the Grammys feel bigger than any one country. At their best, they celebrate exceptional music, wherever it comes from.

Today’s music doesn’t stop at borders. Streaming has changed everything. A song released in Seoul can become the soundtrack to someone’s life in Los Angeles, London, Manila, or São Paulo within hours. Fans don’t fall in love with a song because of the language it’s sung in. They fall in love with how it makes them feel.

That’s why I keep coming back to the same thought. If music no longer has borders, maybe our biggest music awards shouldn’t either. 

Maybe that’s an impossible balance. Or maybe it’s simply where music is headed. Either way, BTS’s decision didn’t feel like they were walking away from the Grammys. It felt like they were standing up for something much bigger than a trophy. They reminded all of us that music doesn’t need borders, labels, or categories to connect people.

As an ARMY, I’ll always be proud of BTS. As an Asian American, I hope we eventually reach a point where artists are recognized first for the music they create and not because they fit into a regional category.

Maybe that’s an idealistic dream. But I think it’s one worth hoping for.