New BTS collabs: Who will the K-pop band work with next year?

Collabs for music videos or songs – much like the thrilling crossover episodes between two television series – are a dream for the fans of both the artists involved. And when you have a fan base as loyal and enthusiastic as the BTS ARMY behind you, the joy of creating music with other artists grows exponentially. Besides, more often than not, the collaborating artists are fans of each other, too. Whichever way you slice it, collabs in the music industry call for a mini-celebration. In the past, BTS has worked with a plethora of artists and the band members – RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook – keep a wishlist of artists they want to collaborate with. They worked with The Chainsmokers to bring out a banger of a song called “Love Yourself: Answer”. It’s a great collab seeing how both the artists retain their identity and flavor but simultaneously manage to create a zany, bouncy number. The track is bound to be liked by both the EDM fanatics and the BTS ARMY. For a track on their previous album Map of the Soul: Persona, BTS also roped in Halsey. Halsey has an unshakeable presence wherever she goes, whichever artist she works with – remember when she spiced up “Closer” with The Chainsmokers? – so it was hardly surprising when she became the first foreign artist that BTS ever collaborated with. In “Boy with Luv”, the Bangtan Boys bring their Wes-Anderson aesthetic to life and Halsey camouflaged right into their universe. As much as it’s a delight to see the boys dance dressed in varying shades of pink, it’s made even better with Halsey’s presence in it. The music video has now crossed one billion views on YouTube.

Military Service Hiatus and Group Reunion

The seven members completed their mandatory service terms, which created a multi-year gap after the 2020 album BE. All seven were discharged by mid-2025. The full reunion was announced in July 2025, and the group immediately began work on new music and a world tour. That timeline explains why the 2020 wishlist sat untouched for several years and why fresh BTS collabs only surfaced once the members returned together.

BTS 2026 Comeback and Arirang Collaborators

The group released their fifth studio album Arirang on March 20, 2026. The record credits Kevin Parker of Tame Impala, Diplo, Flume, Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, Mike WiLL Made-It, and JPEGMAFIA among its producers. Title track “Swim” posted strong chart numbers and anchored the supporting tour dates. These realized partnerships replaced the earlier speculation about who might appear on the next project.

Producers and International Features on Recent BTS Work

Arirang’s expanded production roster shows how BTS widened their circle beyond the 2020 wishlist. Kevin Parker handled several instrumental layers, while Diplo and Flume contributed electronic textures. Ryan Tedder added vocal arrangements on two tracks. The credits read like a map of current global pop and electronic scenes, and the album’s sound reflects those varied inputs without losing the group’s core identity.

Member Solo Collaborations During Hiatus

While the full group was on pause, individual members kept releasing music that fans still link to the BTS ecosystem. j-hope teamed with LE SSERAFIM on “Spaghetti” in 2025 and had previously featured with J. Cole. RM issued the albums Indigo in 2022 and Right Place, Wrong Person in 2024, each carrying guest spots from a range of artists. These solo projects kept the BTS name circulating even when the seven were serving separately.

Khalid

In May 2019, it was reported that BTS had confirmed they were planning something with Khalid. It was RM who was asked about future collabs when he mentioned Khalid’s name, “I have to mention Khalid, our friend, it's really happening, so please stay tuned for our Khalid collaboration.” Even Khalid has confirmed that “something will arrive” from both the artists, but no specific details were shared. Whether it was a teaser for something big that hasn’t reached fruition yet, or if the plans for this collab have fallen through the cracks is yet to be confirmed from either side. The BTS ARMY is eagerly waiting for this collab. In fact, the initial guess was that the collab would feature on BTS’ previous album Map of the Soul: 7. When that didn’t happen, fans started speculating it could be on the BE album. Khalid also hung out with the BTS boys at their concert backstage and was visibly hyped about it. Perhaps there’s something on Khalid’s album? Only time will tell. No track has appeared through 2026 despite the earlier mutual confirmations and backstage meetings.

Ariana Grande

BTS expressed their wish to collab with Ariana at the 2020 Grammy Awards. On the red carpet, RM said, “We always want to collaborate with Ariana. She’s the one right now and she’s the best. Please collaborate with us Ari.” They also later met with Ariana backstage. They’ve seen each other rehearse, so they’re familiar with the styles. Looks like we’re just waiting for Ariana to give a nod. The comments remain a 2020 snapshot; no official BTS group collaboration with Ariana Grande has been released since.

New Hope Club

New Hope Club has long been a fan of BTS. It shows in the covers they’ve sung of BTS songs like “Fake Love”, “The Truth Untold”, and “Make It Right.” Something might materialise in this collab and we say this because we have receipts on social media, when Blake Richardson from New Hope Club tweeted, “V let's write some songs @BTS_twt” – and the BTS account replied, “All right let me know”. We’re still waiting. The covers and online exchanges continued into 2022, but no official joint release has been confirmed by 2026.