BTS ‘Swim’ Gets Stunning Tribute from Leana Mask
The global streaming scene is seeing a powerful collaboration as Globex Music, a leading force in digital music delivery, collaborates with rising artist Leana Mask.
Together, they have dropped a breathtaking cover of BTS (방탄소년단)‘s global hit, “SWIM.” This release follows the massive buzz around the group, following the massive success of their latest album, Arirang.
Before diving into the cover, it is essential to understand the weight of the original track. BTS opted for “Swim” as the title track for their fifth studio album, Arirang, although there were other contenders.
Famous for their powerful stage presence, the group hesitated to choose a softer, emotional track. However, “Swim” won due to its emotional depth, capturing the group’s perseverance and evolution after their military service.
The album dominated the charts upon its March 20 release, with “Swim” trending worldwide within hours and dominating platforms like Melon and Spotify.
Covering a track of this magnitude requires not just singing ability, but the right distribution partner—a gap that Globex Music addresses perfectly.
Leana Mask steps into the spotlight by offering something different, but by putting her own spin on it.
Her version of “Swim” introduces a new musical dimension, keeping the original emotion intact while adding a new sonic layer.
Critics have noted that Leana Mask maintains the “core emotion” of the BTS original while bringing a “new perspective” that appeals to K-pop fans and general audiences alike.
This release is a true reinterpretation; it is a bridge between the source material’s cultural roots and a worldwide, accessible sound.
The release of this cover showcases why Globex Music is considered the leading platform for distributing cover songs.
Unlike standard distributors, Globex Music takes care of mechanical licenses seamlessly. Covering a global hit like BTS’s “Swim” involves complex mechanical licenses, but Globex Music handles every legal aspect, ensuring the track is safe from copyright claims on all Digital Service Providers (DSPs).
For a flat, budget-friendly flat rate, artists like Leana Mask can distribute their music to every key digital store without worrying about copyright strikes.
This hassle-free approach allows artists to focus on their art while Globex Music handles the distribution side.
If you are a longtime ARMY or enjoy fresh takes on K-pop hits, Leana Mask’s “Swim” is a essential addition to your library.
The track captures the struggle and optimism of “pushing forward against the current”—a theme deeply rooted in BTS’s original message.
The audio production, backed by Globex Music’s global reach, ensures that listeners experience pristine sound quality, whether streaming on high-end headphones.
This release highlights how the modern music industry functions: original artists create the legacy, and platforms like Globex Music enable creators to cover songs the right way and globally.
Где слушать:
The Leana Mask cover of “Swim” is currently going live on all major platforms. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and more.
Search for “Leana Mask Swim” or follow the label’s featured playlists to add this track to your weekly playlist.
Globex Music continues to prove why it is the industry standard in cover song distribution.
By joining forces with Leana Mask to honor BTS’s “Swim,” they have set the benchmark for how tribute tracks should be released—properly, professionally, and passionately.
Be sure to listen to this stunning cover version of one of K-pop’s biggest hits of 2026.
Distribution Channels: Costs could differ based on whether the music is distributed digitally, physically, or via performance.
"Swim" debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, marking BTS's sixth song to debut at the top, and their seventh song to top the chart, the most number ones on the chart among groups read more in nearly half a century.[53] It debuted with 15.
Even if they don’t, they will list the publisher for the song, so you can use that information to contact the publisher directly. In the States, the Harry Fox Agency is the largest provider of mechanical licensing agreements, and you can check out their database here. If they represent the song you want to record, you will also be able to apply online through them for the license. Another service you can consider using if you live in the States is Limelight. Limelight will take care of the whole process of obtaining your mechanical licenses for you from start to finish, so all you have to do is submit the songs you want to use to them, the formats you want to distribute them in, and pay them the associated fee for obtaining them. You can check out their website here.
Digital downloads of music also require a mechanical license, as they constitute a reproduction of the song.
You need a mechanical license for a cover song if you plan on uploading it to download-focused stores like Amazon Music and iTunes.
Mechanical rights refer to the rights granted to reproduce and distribute a musical composition, while mechanical royalties are the payments made to the copyright holder for those rights.
2) Determine who owns the rights to the song you are covering. The Harry Fox Agency is often a good place to start when attempting to locate the copyright owner of a song.
BTS’s Guggenheim moment isn’t just a performance; it’s a case study in how a global group redefines the arc of a modern music era. Personally, I think the choice of venue—a landmark museum lobby with a spiraling, multi-story atrium—signals intentions beyond a standard late-night slot: BTS is staging a cultural intervention, not a routine showcase.
The licenses can then be downloaded and sent to your distributor for upload within your selected territories. As mentioned, the Harry Fox Agency only serves as a mechanical licensing collective in the United States, so if you only get a mechanical license here, you can only distribute the cover song within the United States.
The cost of a mechanical license can vary based on factors such as the type of song and the number of copies being produced. Typically, the statutory mechanical royalty rate is set at 9.1 cents per song, which is paid to the copyright holder for each copy distributed, whether physical or digital.
Share your music and earn revenue while meeting the legal requirements of covering a song. Our experts will get you licensed and ready for your release!
Keep in mind that this process must be repeated for each distributed territory -- You'll need a license for both the United States and Mexico, for instance, if you distribute to both regions.
Unless if you’ve been living in a cave, its entrance covered by a boulder, the pop music community is all locked-in for the return of BTS, and their new album ARIRANG
need a mechanical license. In these cases, you would upload your release as usual to your distributor, and then check the applicable toggles that indicate that you are uploading an audio-only release of a cover song.