“I’m just beginning to paint the picture that is Kim Taehyung,” V says. Now, he is embarking on his own journey, setting the itinerary himself. Through BTS, he’s shown his versatility and charisma through DMX-esque hip-hop vocals, high-octane dance EDM, and fun party rap. They’re also a testament to his growth as an artist since joining Big Hit Entertainment at age 15. These were ideas V had started exploring through his original themes for Korean dramas like “Sweet Night,” for 2020’s Itaewon Class and “Christmas Tree,” for 2021’s Our Beloved Summer. Layover is also filled with complicated feelings that surround a sense of nostalgia, with its romanticization of the past and all its regrets. Layover builds on V’s previous solo tracks, which include 2019’s “Scenery” and “Winter Bear.” In 2020, he released the melancholic ballad “Blue & Grey” as part of BTS, using sparse images of flower-lined streets and snow to express his inner world of grief and loneliness.
He recognized that he was someone who needed to take detours, find new possibilities along the way, and just enjoy the journey. Just as V was experimenting with different genres and songwriting styles, he realized that he didn’t want to just dash furiously toward a final destination. Everything came just as BTS’s identity was in flux: The group reached new global success with 2020’s “Dynamite” and 2021’s “Butter,” but the members transitioned to focusing on their solo careers in 2022. While working on the project, V found himself contemplating the greater trajectory of his career. All of it has been in pursuit of finding the right direction for the debut solo album that eventually became Layover, out Friday. But he’s more than happy to admit that he doesn’t have it all figured out.įor the past three years, the 27-year-old musician and actor, born Kim Taehyung, has been continuously writing songs, showing them to fans in occasional video livestreams only to start over entirely. Sure, V has achieved idol status during his decade-long career with BTS, received recognition as an actor for his supporting role in the 2016 Korean drama Hwarang, and established his own identity as a singer-songwriter.
0 kommentar(er)
