BTS’ SUGA: Road to D-DAY: 6 moments that capture the journey of Agust D and his liberation

Pop titans BTS’ member SUGA released his first official solo album D-DAY under his another moniker Agust D on April 21. The album arrived about three years after Agust D’s latest solo mixtape D-2 released in May 2020, and acts as the finale of the Agust D trilogy following his two previous mixtapes, Agust D (2016) and D-2. The overarching theme of D-DAY is ‘liberation.’ It ruminates on the importance of focusing solely on ‘oneself’ and the ‘present’ in today’s society where an excessive amount of information flows at an unimaginable speed. Each track sings that we shouldn’t be swayed by regrets from the past or fear for the future, but concentrate on the present. As he kicked off his solo world tour SUGA | Agust D TOUR ‘D-DAY’ from April 26 onwards, he had also released a documentary SUGA: Road to D-DAY which captures him on a journey as musician and producer, finding new inspirations for his music as he goes on a road trip around the world.

 

BTS’ SUGA: Road to D-DAY: 6 moments that capture the journey of Agust D and his liberation

 

The thing about artists like SUGA is that their creative process to make music is as immersive, enriching and steadfast as their music. SUGA documented his journey of creating D-Day which was released on the same day as the album, 21st April 2023. The documentary gives a glimpse into the months, and perhaps years, long preparation that went into making D-Day. His musical alter ego Agust D has a charm of his own which is reflected in this album with a stunning clarity. The multi-hyphenated musical artist speaks about his own feelings and thoughts in the album which more or less serve as a mirror to what his listeners could also be experiencing. As we come to celebrate SUGA aka Agust D’s work, let’s take a look at a few highlights from the documentary currently housed on Disney+.

 

1. “I am lucky to have such good friends”

 

The documentary captured SUGA’s interactions with artists like Steve Aoki, Halsey, Anderson .Paak, where they discuss music, write some lyrics and have some fun along the way. He has always found deep respect and admiration for the artists he has worked with. Be it going for some musical advice, or coming together for a collaboration, SUGA knows whom to approach to bring the best out of what he aims to offer. All BTS band members have always been supportive of each other, be it as a group or as a solo artist. In the documentary we see the members’ usual banter as Jimin goes to checking on him when he was preparing for D-Day but had faced a temporary block. It is truly heartwarming to see the members supporting each other as individuals and as musical artists.

 

2. “What do I aspire to do?”

 

SUGA collaborated with the late Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto for the track ‘Snooze’ on the album D-Day. Along with Sakamoto, he also collaborated with the lead vocalist of The Rose, Woosung. He flew to Japan to meet with Sakamoto and the two came together to work on the track. SUGA showed Sakamoto the track he had prepared and took inputs from Sakamoto for the same. Sakamoto was honest and blunt in his opinions, a trait that is seen in him as well. He has been a fan of Sakamoto’s work for a long time, and meeting his idol was like making one of his dreams come true. It is really interesting to see an artist we look up to, meet with an artist he looks up to. Kinda meta there, don’t you think? Unfortunately, Sakamoto passed away a few days before the album’s official release.

 

3. “There are a lot of things you can do when you are 30”

 

As one grows old, the avenues to do more also open up along the way. With the changing times and one’s changing age, access to all worldly amenities is unlimited as well. They say that age is just a number, but it is also a number which allows an individual to grow personally. SUGA, who turned 30 in March this year, pondered over how entering his 30s has changed certain things for him. He has spent over a decade in the music industry and over the years it has only become more and more challenging for him to do better than he did before.

 

4. “What we can control is the present”

 

SUGA reflected on the trepidation one feels when it comes to shaping one’s future. In doing so, he also imparted a few words of wisdom on to the audience. When he said that one should focus on the present, he said a lot in a few words. It is very easy to dwell on the past, or worry about the future if things get difficult. But in doing so, one loses hold of their present, the one thing that can help them get out of their problems.

 

5. “I think about quitting music 100 times a day”

 

Even when you are working on something that you love, exhaustion can come to you. There are moments when you feel like giving up, and that is okay. But as long as one gets back up and does what they do best, that is all that matters. It is also something of vital importance to address a burnout or an exhaustion because of the ‘hustle culture’ idea that is rampant in the society. It is through messages sent by artists like SUGA, the dialogues they have about their own experiences and also their artistry that reflects their ideals that people can learn to be more self-loving and grow more comfortable in their own skin.

 

6. Bonus: Live renditions of Agust D songs

 

What is better than listening to an Agust D rendition? Listening to its live version! In SUGA: Road to D-day, he performed ‘Snooze’ and ‘Haegeum’ live, complete with the use of live instruments. The incorporation of traditional and modern music for ‘Haegeum’ is no less than an extraordinary feat. To bring things to a full circle, he also gave a live performance of ‘Daechwita’. The recordings of these tracks were stunning as it is, but the live performances are truly goosebump inducing. An artist’s musical abilities are reflected well when the energy of a recorded track is translated well and above in the live rendition as well.

 

SUGA’s documentary Suga: Road to D-day was much more than a simple map of the 3-year-long journey of making D-day. He has touched millions of people across the globe with his music, and the road to doing that hasn’t been easy. There were personal and professional struggles that came in the way, but he triumphed over those and reached his goals. When you are making art, you put a piece of yourself in it. You make it give an outlet to your emotions, to send a message across, to talk about your ideals and in doing so, you provide a mirror to someone who perhaps is experiencing something similar. SUGA’s music has been a testament to that. The 30-year-old singer has come a long way, from being an underground rapper in South Korea, to becoming of the most popular musical artists across the globe, SUGA has walked a long road to D-Day.

 

Also Read: BTS’ SUGA closes Agust D chapter with thought-provoking self-reflection, social commentary and liberation with D-DAY – Album Review

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