"The Voice (AU)" Criticized For Labeling A Contestant "K-Pop Obsessed" For Singing BTS's "Butter"

A talented, rising star is gaining attention for her “smooth like butter” performance on The Voice (AU).

Meet Amber Reid, a 23-year-old singer from Perth, Australia. A self-described K-Pop and anime fan, Reid has amassed 510,000 followers and 17 million likes on TikTok as @bambsreid for her incredible music content.

For The Voice (AU)’s blind auditions, Reid dressed up in BTS’s signature color, purple, and performed their smash-hit “Butter.” Her fresh take on the song had the audience dancing and the judges slamming their buttons.

@bambsreid

My @thevoiceau blind audition- Butter by @bts_official_bighit 🫰🥹💜 #thevoiceau #bts #bangtan #bts_official_bighit #btsarmy #btsxarmy #kpop #kpopfyp #butterbts #thevoiceglobal

♬ original sound – Amber Claire Reid

After winning over three out of four judges, Reid explained why she chose to perform a K-Pop song and, more specifically, “Butter.”

I’m a massive fan of BTS, and K-Pop, and the whole genre. I think it’s got so much to offer the music industry at the moment. And I think it’s so full of energy, and [“Butter” is] such a positive song, it’s just something that’s so needed in society today, so I wanted to bring it to the table and make the room full of energy.

— Amber Reid

From TikTok and Twitter to Facebook and Instagram, Reid is everywhere. Fans are loving her performance, but not everyone is happy with how The Voice (AU)’s official Twitter account has described it.

This K-pop obsessed vocalist, Amber Reid, sure has got pipes! #TheVoiceAU pic.twitter.com/KZ4MG0S0mS

— The Voice Australia (@TheVoiceAU) May 1, 2022

Many fans are taking issue with the phrase, “K-Pop obsessed,” which calls to mind fanatical, teenage fangirls. They feel that the phrase is diminishing Reid’s talent and shaping her to fit an ongoing, damaging narrative about K-Pop fans.

As fans have pointed out, Amber Reid is much more than a “K-Pop obsessed fan.” She is a wonderful artist, and we can’t wait to see what she does next!