Grammy-winning songwriter reflects on contributing to BTS' latest album and why K-pop thrives on musical fusion Derrick Milano (Derrick Milano) When Derrick Milano first walked into a Los Angeles studio to work with BTS, he did not even know which songs he would be touching.He only knew one thing: He did not want to arrive with the attitude of a hitmaker who already knew everything.Instead, the Grammy-winning songwriter behind tracks for Beyonce, Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion approached the sessions as "a student."That mindset eventually led Milano to become one of the most heavily involved contributors on BTS' latest studio album, "Arirang," participating in six tracks including "Hooligan," "Aliens," "Normal," "Merry-Go-Round," "Swim" and "2.0."From Jennie to BTSMilano said his connection to BTS began with earlier collaborations tied to Jennie of Blackpink. Nicole Kim, vice president of A&R at Big Hit Music, reached out to him while the artist was working in Los Angeles. Kim previously served as the vice president of A&R for Columbia Records in the US, where she managed Jennie's promotion in Hollywood."She was like, 'There's a lot of stuff that you have done that I am a fan of,'" Milano recalled in an interview with The Korea Herald, Wednesday, referring to his hip-hop-focused work with major US artists.Although those early sessions with Jennie did not lead to released material, Milano maintained the relationship. A few months later, he received another call — this time about BTS."There's a record that you did that BTS and their team like a lot," he recalled being told.Soon afterward, Milano was invited to meet the group at Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Nervous about working with one of the world's biggest acts, he said he focused first on building a natural connection with the members.That icebreaker unexpectedly came through fashion.After changing into a new outfit before entering the studio, Milano said J-Hope immediately complimented his look, leading to conversations about style and music before work officially began.The actual recording process, however, surprised him even more."I didn't know what I was working on," Milano said. "They told me they were missing melody and cool pockets." Derrick Milano works on Teyana Taylor's album "Escape Room' at a studio in this August 2025 file photo. (Derrick Milano) According to Milano, BTS producer Pdogg would play instrumentals while directing him in real time — stopping takes, adjusting flows and guiding melodies.Rather than forcing his own approach, Milano said he carefully adapted himself to BTS' creative system."This is a new world for me," he said. "I didn't want to come in with an ego. I didn't want to come in and act like a know-it-all."That openness became central to his role on the album. Milano explained that he began approaching melodies as if he himself were being featured on the tracks, drawing inspiration from artists known for unconventional vocal rhythms and melodic structures.The process eventually snowballed from one song to another."It went from 'Hooligan' to 'Aliens' to 'Normal' to 'Merry-Go-Round' to 'Swim' to '2.0,'" he said.Milano believes his contribution helped create melodies and rhythmic structures that were easy for both BTS and listeners to follow, especially as much of the album was recorded in English."RM loves to rap. He cares about his rap pockets," Milano said. "I guess I was able to make it digestible, but still easy for fans to understand."Among the six tracks, Milano said "Normal" remains his personal favorite because of its emotional vulnerability."It feels like when you've been one of those people who's been overlooked or counted out," he said. "This is your breakthrough."He also highlighted "Swim," the main track of "Arirang," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 on April 4, calling its message motivational and universal."'Keep swimming' is becoming like a phrase," he said. "You gotta keep going, fight through and push through every barrier."BTS' perfectionist mindsetHaving spent years working with solo stars, Milano said BTS stood apart because every member approached the project with perfectionist-level commitment. "Even when they think a take is perfect, they still want to do better," he said.He particularly praised the members' attention to pronunciation and diction while recording English-heavy tracks."They wanted to say certain words right and have the right pronunciation." Derrick Milano works with WhoJiggi producer and Cash Cobain at a studio in this file photo taken in August 2025. (Derrick Milano) Milano also said BTS' willingness to take creative risks helped him fully embrace his own hip-hop and R&B instincts within the K-pop framework."Because they're global icons, they're able to take risks that a lot of other artists can't," he said.K-pop without bordersFor Milano, modern K-pop is no longer limited to one sound. Instead, he described it as a fusion platform where pop, hip-hop, dance, rock and R&B can coexist freely."I think K-pop is a fusion of different global sounds," he said.Milano compared that genre-blending approach to the work of artists such as Michael Jackson and Prince, saying some of the world's most influential musicians became iconic precisely because they refused to stay within one musical lane."When you look at Michael Jackson's music and pay attention to the type of records, Prince and certain people, it wasn't the traditional sound," Milano said. "They would mix this with that, and add dance elements, and then add pop, and then add rock."He said BTS represents a similar kind of musical flexibility, allowing the group to naturally collaborate across genres and audiences."I could see a song with BTS featuring somebody like Taylor Swift, but I could also see BTS featuring an artist like Future," he said. "I could see BTS doing a song with Billie Eilish, because now it's opening up the sound sonically, where you can just take chances and take risks."Rather than criticizing K-pop's growing use of English lyrics, Milano argued that multilingual music helps expand global collaboration."I think it should have both," he said when asked whether K-pop should balance Korean and English lyrics. "As Americans, we need to learn the language as well."Milano said working with BTS also changed how he views the global music landscape itself."This genre is a global genre," he said.Now, after contributing to one of BTS' most ambitious albums, Milano hopes to continue expanding deeper into K-pop — not simply through singles, but through full creative involvement."I want to help curate the whole project," he said. "From top to bottom."