Lea Salonga has revealed which BTS member stand out most to her when it comes to vocals.
During her appearance on the K-ALL podcast hosted by Angel Polito, Lea was asked about her thoughts on BTS’ live vocals and which member stood out to her.
Having attended BTS’ Arirang concerts in early August as well as BTS Festa in Busan last June, Lea has had the chance to experience the group's performances firsthand. As a world-renowned singer known for her powerful vocals and perfect pitch, she particularly appreciated what V is able to offer to BTS’ vocal line.
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While Lea named Jungkook as the “GOAT” (Greatest Of All Time) among the group’s vocalists, she said V’s voice is the one that strikes her the most.
“I think Jungkook is the GOAT. He is... among the vocalists. I have spoken to other people that have worked with him ever since his debut. This one music director said – because I was remarking on how this kid's pitch is just ridiculously unreal – he said, 'He's been that way'. He's always been that way since the very beginning. It's like he swallowed a stack of CDs. He is consistently like that,” she said.
“But I think, the one whose vocals are the most striking for me, I think it's V. And I think I would say most improved over time. Because it isn't just that he can hit the notes...it's like the singing seems to have gotten easier for him overtime. I think especially now that he's much more physically fit. It's one of those things that I think even he is feeling like 'This is so much easier for me now',” she added.
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For Lea, however, V’s appeal goes beyond simply being able to hit difficult notes. It is his distinct vocal color that makes him stand out.
“But beyond the skill, it's the tone,” she emphasized. “There's this tone that he has. It isn't just that he's the lone baritone in the vocal line, because Jungkook can actually also go down there, but his is that warm tone. And it's like he lives in that warmth.”
That baritone quality also makes V's higher notes more exciting for Lea because of the contrast between his usual vocal range and the notes he reaches.
“It's exciting when he hits a high note, because it's so unexpected. Even for Broadway people, when you hear a baritone singing a tenor line, there is an excitement that goes with that. So I think it's a similar thing happening. There's excitement to it. You hear a baritone singing tenor line, it's like 'Oh my god. There's something to that'. Especially when it's paired with something that's really really emotional,” she explained.
Lea drew from her own theater experience to explain why she finds this particularly compelling.
She recalled the different actors who have played Chris Scott in Miss Saigon, noting that both tenors and baritones have taken on the role. For her, however, there was something especially exciting about hearing the role performed by a baritone during emotionally charged songs.
“For a tenor hitting a high note is not going to be a big deal, because it's in the voice. It's not going to require a lot of effort. But when it's a baritone, when you see that there's effort in it, you kind of find yourself hoping and praying that he gets there. And of course, he does.”
That same anticipation is something Lea experiences when listening to V perform live.
“It's a really exciting thing, hearing V live," she expressed.
The Broadway icon also acknowledged that BTS performances may incorporate pre-recorded vocals and backing vocals, but said V's live moments can still be thrilling, especially when he pushes his voice into higher territory.
“Even he doesn't know how it's going to happen or if he's going to hit it. I think they're open about having the pre-recording and the backing vocals there, but it's such an exciting moment. Even when it's a breathy high note, it's still really exciting to hear,” she said.
During the podcast, Lea also shared her admiration for V beyond his singing, naming him as her ‘BTS bias’ because of his unpredictability, integrity, and emotional honesty.