"Stay Gold" is a song recorded by South Korean boy band BTS as the original soundtrack for the TV Tokyo drama series Spiral Labyrinth – DNA Forensic Investigation.
The song was produced by long-time Japanese collaborator UTA, who co-wrote it with Sunny Boy, Melanie Fontana, Michel Schulz, JUN, and KM-MARKIT.
[1] Teen Vogue called it a "piano-pop number infused with enough cheer to make your cheeks burst...that picks up into a mid-tempo anthem of pure joy.
[3] Musically, the song is composed in the key of C# Major at a tempo of 129 beats per minute with a runtime of 4:33, and features keyboard, guitar, and synthesizers in its instrumentation.
[4][5] It was written by UTA, who has worked with the band on other Japanese releases since 2015, Sunny Boy, Melanie Fontana, Michel Schulz, JUN, and KM-MARKIT—the first was also responsible for production.
[1] Vocalist Jungkook softly sings the song's first line, backed by isolated piano notes, before it changes pace and segues into rapper Suga's verse accompanied by "bouncing strings".
"[7] The chorus is filled with chants of "stay gold" from the band to their unnamed loved one interspersed between "declarations of affection", with Sound Digest calling it a "great moment for fans to shout the words".
[7] Vocalist Jimin sings his "signature high note" during the song's final chorus, backed by "booming drums" and "soaring vocals" from his bandmates.
[8] Jimin and Jungkook share the final verse, trading lines as the song winds down to end on a softer note with a smooth harmonization.
[9][11] Originally slated to air on TV Tokyo in April, filming for the drama was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, and the song's release was delayed.
[14] The 15-second long clip included a brief snippet of the song's official music video at the end, in which BTS member Jungkook could be heard singing the words "stay gold" with "kimi sae ireba" as the responding refrain.
"[1] Reviewing for Sound Digest, Amanda Thilo felt the song was "romantic" but also "uplifting", stating that "during times like this it's nice to have a reminder to stay positive for ourselves and our loved ones".
"[22] Noting possible inspiration from world events in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, India's Mumbai Mirror wrote, "...many are forced to stay indoors, separated from their loved ones.
"[24][25] Echoing similar sentiments, ET Canada felt the video "brightens up the world, bringing light and colour to the darkness...when they [BTS] hit the chorus, things suddenly get bright and summery.
[41] Globally, "Stay Gold" became the first Japanese single in history to top iTunes charts in 82 countries within 24 hours of release, including the US, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Brazil, and India.
[46] The song's official music video, directed by Yoo-jung Ko of Lumpens,[47] was posted to Big Hit's YouTube channel on June 26, 2020.
[23] As the video draws to a close, they successfully seek paradise together, and discover "a brighter world filled with purple flowers and lush nature".