Songwriter behind six 'Arirang' tracks shares his picks for BTS' World Cup halftime stage, reveals the K-pop acts on his wishlist Derrick Milano (Derrick Milano) Fresh off sweeping all three of their nominations at the 52nd American Music Awards on Tuesday, including artist of the year, song of the summer for "Swim" and best male K-pop artist, BTS is now turning attention toward a goal no active K-pop idol group has yet achieved: winning a Grammy.For Derrick Milano, the Grammy-winning songwriter and producer who participated in six tracks on BTS' latest album "Arirang," the group's chances are real."I think they're gonna achieve it," Milano said in an interview with The Korea Herald on May 20, days before BTS' latest triumph at the American Music Awards held in Las Vegas. "The work speaks for itself."Milano — known for his work with artists including Beyonce, Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion — contributed to six songs on BTS' album: "Hooligan," "Aliens," "Normal," "Merry Go Round," "Swim" and "2.0."While BTS already became the first K-pop act to win artist of the year at the AMAs in 2021, the group has repeatedly expressed its desire to eventually win a Grammy — still considered uncharted territory for a traditionally formed K-pop idol group despite this year's Grammy win for fictional Netflix act Huntrix in February.Milano said what impressed him most was not only the scale of BTS' success, but also how intensely the members approached every part of the project."They sold out their world tour. Individually, they're doing brand deals. In the midst of their brand deals, they're performing the same records, they're continuing to push these records," Milano said.He also praised the group's teamwork and constant promotion of the album through collaborations and performances."I'm seeing more choreography dance videos with different group members," he said. "It's like, 'now, we in this as a team.'"For Milano, "Arirang" already feels like a Grammy-level body of work regardless of official nominations, which have not yet been announced"The numbers are crazy, and the music is fire," he said. "It's a really cohesive album from top to bottom. I can listen to it all the way through, over and over and over again. For me, that's a Grammy Award-winning album."Among the songs he worked on, Milano particularly highlighted "Swim," which topped the Billboard Hot 100, saying the track's universal message helped it resonate beyond BTS' fan base."Hearing it on radio, hearing it in stores, hearing it in commercials," he said. "'Swim, swim.' It's just something that sticks with people."BTS songs built for stadiumsMilano also shared his thoughts on BTS' upcoming performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show in the US this July, where the group is scheduled to headline alongside Madonna and Shakira.Asked which songs he believes would best fit the global sports stage, Milano pointed first to "Hooligan." Derrick Milano (Derrick Milano) "If it was me to say what I feel like they would do — maybe 'Hooligan,'" he said.He also mentioned "Body to Body" and "Swim," emphasizing BTS' performance energy."It's just so many great songs," Milano said. "What's gonna get those people moving? They're amazing performers."Still, if Milano himself had to choose one song for the final stage, he said he would go in a completely different direction."I would do 'Normal,'" he said. "I feel like it would get everybody in the stadium to put their phone lights up and just light up the whole arena."Milano described the emotional image he sees for the performance: BTS standing in front of a packed stadium at the world's biggest sporting event while fans sing along."Like, look where we took this from. Look where we are. Look how far we worked," he said. "'We're literally performing at the World Cup halftime show, and this is what we call normal?'"K-pop acts Milano wants nextBeyond BTS, Milano said he has become increasingly drawn to the broader K-pop industry after working more closely with its artists and producers.Among the acts he hopes to collaborate with in the future are Katseye and Seventeen.Milano said both groups appear willing to experiment musically rather than staying tied to one established formula."It seems like they're in that phase right now where they're looking for something new," he said.Rather than simply producing a main track, Milano said he hopes to eventually help shape entire K-pop projects from beginning to end."If I come in, it's to help curate the whole project," he said. "Kind of like Quincy Jones — to see everything through from the beginning to the end."Milano also expressed strong affection for Cortis, a rookie boy band he has maintained a close relationship with since its debut in August. He praised the members' openness to experimenting with new sounds and evolving creatively."They're young, and they're open to trying new music, they're open to doing new things," he said. "I really want to learn more and understand what they want to do, and be able to adjust my style and my sound to continue to keep elevating and working with them."