On September 30 at 12AM EST, Coldplay released the much-anticipated music video for “My Universe,” a collaborative project with BTS. The song was originally released on September 24 with an official lyric video at midnight EST.
A Galactic Story
The visually stunning music video immediately draws in the viewer. It begins with a description setting the scene that explains music is forbidden. Three bands come together to defy the rule with DJ Lafrique uniting them via holoband. With an ominous start, the music video gave off almost a galactic movie-like feel.
Coldplay performed from the planet, Floris, to start the song. BTS’ holograms soon joined him in what resembled stone ruins. The energy the two bands exude was strongly addictive as the song transitioned to a powerful chorus. From there, we’re taken to the planet Calypso where BTS resides. Surrounded by what appeared to be ruined spacecraft equipment and structures, the two bands continue to defy the music ban and sing. A third band of aliens from the planet Supersolis join, and with the holograms of BTS and Coldplay, the three groups refuse to give in to the rules.
📍 Coldplay on Floris
📍 BTS on Calypso#MyUniverse // https://t.co/BT7UrnR3C4 pic.twitter.com/w8fYb43iJ1— ColdplayXtra (@coldplayxtra) September 30, 2021
At the climax, we see a giant spacecraft that threatens to silence DJ Lafrique and the holograms start disappearing, finally bringing on a sense of doom. The three bands continue to perform, and with the never-ending music, DJ Lafrique went into overdrive and was teleported to safety.
https://twitter.com/hnnhnmjn/status/1443441574004752385?s=20
Music: A Powerful Force
The music video contained multiple themes that did not go unnoticed. Though on first listen it appears to be a love song, it also shows that music is strong enough to unite people between different planets and even galaxies. It united three uniquely different bands and even with opposers, shows that music is a force that cannot be stopped. Fans have connected this to the pandemic, stating that even a global pandemic cannot stop music from connecting people. Others have also tied the message to race and LGBTQ+ rights with the lyrics, “And they said that we can’t be together / because / because we come from different sides.”
the message of My Universe is about people of certain races/sexualities not being allowed to be together and the first lyric is “and they said we can’t be together because we come from different worlds”, this already has me in tears pic.twitter.com/KHo2hTZkt8
— lex⁷ (@prodK0YA) September 21, 2021
The message behind the music video is so wonderful. Music transcends absolutely everything. Music is too powerful that nothing can stop it to bring people closer together, not the silencers, not even the pandemic.#ColdplayXBTS #MyUniverse #MyUniverseMVOutNow pic.twitter.com/1qu1w8C0fJ
— ˙ᵕ˙ (@taebokkiii) September 30, 2021
as much as "my universe" is about love, i also feel like (especially in vminjoon'a verse) it gets across the message of "don't shut off yourself from the world. don't limit yourself because the darkness – although painful – is more known to you"
— 🕊 (@monoloveclub) September 24, 2021
In the Coldplay X BTS Inside ‘My Universe’ Documentary, BTS agrees that the song is “in line with the messages we’ve been trying to get across.” Chris Martin from Coldplay added, “I think it’s very special to me that the most popular artist in the world speaks Korean and is like a group of brothers not from the West. And it just feels very hopeful to me in terms of thinking of the world as one family. […] It’s really a message of togetherness and finding, being yourself. […] Well, the song is about how the power of love transcends all things, borders and rules and genders and race and every sexuality. If you look at people right now who are divided by a border or can’t be together, that’s what the song is about. About how nothing can really stop people loving each other.”
“My Universe” has proven to be a successful collaboration between two legendary bands. Follow BTS’ and Coldplay’s socials to keep up with their future activities!
Want more? Check out our initial recap of “My Universe” here!
Thumbnail courtesy of Warner Music and HYBE.
