A still from the BTS music video for 'Life Goes On'. Youtube
A still from the BTS music video for 'Life Goes On'. Youtube
A still from the BTS music video for 'Life Goes On'. Youtube
A still from the BTS music video for 'Life Goes On'. Youtube

Music

New BTS album 'Be' offers a message of hope

The video for the album's opening track, 'Life Goes On' has already had more than 81 million views on YouTube

Selina Denman
Selina Denman

November 22, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

K-Pop superstars BTS unveiled their latest album Be on Friday, November 20.

"The name Be is a verb, it is a very open concept," says band member Jimin, who took on the role of music project manager for this latest effort, at a press conference announcing the album. "In our discussion, 'life goes on' came up as a recurring idea."

This, fittingly, is the name of Be's opening track, which sets the tone for an album that is reflective and focused on the idea of resilience, which is in keeping with the global mood.

"This is what we wanted to say through this album. No matter what happens, despite what happens… life goes on," band member RM elaborates. "That is the topic, that is the motif."

The music video for the gentle ballad Life Goes On is a decidedly low-key affair, largely devoid of the high-octane dance routines that K-Pop is famous for. Instead, it shows the band members at home, wistfully looking out the window, in their pyjamas playing video games, brushing their teeth, driving around quiet roads or staring thoughtfully out at nature.

As is the band's wont, the video racked up more than 81 million views within 24 hours of being posted. It also surpassed 150,000 Shazams in the same period. BTS is scheduled to perform the song remotely for the 2020 American Music Awards on Sunday.

Life goes On is followed on the album by Fly to My Room, Blue & Grey, Skit, Telepathy, Dis-ease and Stay. The album closes with the band's hit single Dynamite, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart this summer.

Following swiftly on from February's Map of the Souls: 7 album, Be runs at slightly less than 30 minutes and consists of eight tidy tracks that, at their core, strike a hopeful tone. Which is precisely what the band's army of fans no doubt need in these trying times. "Feels like they're giving me a warm hug while tapping my back whispering 'it's okay' is how one fan sums up the experience on Twitter.

Band members RM, Jin, Suga, Jimin, J-Hope, V and Jungkook were heavily involved in the album, with the pandemic having given them time to immerse themselves in songwriting, production and visual concepts for the album, they said.

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

While you're here

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Music