JONAKI & SHREYA BOSE
Solo songs by BTS members that showcase their musical eloquence
In light of the stellar , record-shattering music they make as a group , one can overlook that each BTS member is an accomplished and talented artist in their own right . The songs here explore their individual visions , and reveal the extent of their creative calibre . Listen , revisit , be smitten .
RM - Change ft . Wale
BTS have always distinguished themselves by delving into musical themes that most idols wouldn ’ t touch . Nowhere is this more apparent than in group leader and rapper RM ’ s collaboration with Nigerian- American rapper Wale .
In Change , RM and Wale swap verses condemning the social ills of their respective countries . Wale rages against “ alt-rights ”, “ racist police ”, and declares “ no faith in the government ”. RM laments a world plagued by “ mad teachers ”, divided spaces ” and those who “ kill people with fingers on Twitter ”. Swimming in old-school piano bars that punctuate a majestic , stomping beat , Change is emblematic of RM ’ s visionary musical prowess . He pens powerful words , raps admirably in English and makes crystal-clear the depth of his social , political , and cultural awareness .
Obviously , Change alludes to cross-cultural
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22 highonscore . com commonality : the world drives you down , no matter where you are . But at its heart , it portrays musical camaraderie between two people who have been knocked down , and keep getting back up .
Jin-Abyss
Two hours before his 28th birthday , Jin released Abyss on BTS ’ s Soundcloud as well as the Bangtan TV Youtube channel . If his anthemic track , Epiphany from BTS ’ s Love Yourself album highlights his exemplary vocal control with its poprock glory , Abyss harnesses his vocal strengths as a natural tenor , with stable breath control and an impressive falsetto .
In his note to ARMY via Bangtan Blog , Jin explained how he had experienced “ major burnout ”, and battled feelings of inadequacy , questioning whether he deserved all the accolades that came with BTS topping Billboard Hot 100 . His conversation with producer Bang Shi-
Hyuk led him to collaborate with singer-songwriter Bumzu , and they co-wrote Abyss , with BTS leader RM contributing to the chorus .
The acoustic soundscape and the piano instrumental , teamed with Jin ’ s emotional and airy vocals when he sings , “ With my breath held , I walk into my sea , I walk into it / I face myself , [ who is ] crying beautifully and sorrowfully ,” reveals the inner turmoil he is grappling with . Like Awake , Tonight and Moon ( his other solo tracks ), Abyss uses its rawness and vulnerability to attempt to comfort and heal .
Burn It - Suga / Agust D
Spitting majestic rhyme as Agust D , Suga embraces nihilism in his collaboration with MAX for his second mixtape . In brooding , beatific verse , he dives into his own demons and looks at the sides of himself he battles with as both artist and human :
“ The me , who got to taste success , ey / What ’ s the difference from me back then ? ey / Well , I don ’ t know , I ’ m not that much different , ey / Let ’ s burn it , the me in the past ”
But despite the turbulence of soul and mind , he erects a moment of positive assurance : “ I hope that you won ’ t forget that giving up is also courage .” In true Suga fashion , he is deeply empathetic to the agony of internal conflict , and what it takes to resolve a dark night of the soul . To himself , and his listeners , he asserts that one has the choice to either decimate themselves or become a beacon , a “ blazing sun ” risen from the purge of one ’ s creative , spiritual , psychological dross .
The track is testament to Agust D ’ s self-awareness , the dexterity of his selfanalysis , and the disarming vulnerability he brings to his art . With a chorus in MAX ’ s billowy voice , the song creates a sense of haunting . The sound denotes the sentiment , and the artist breaks himself to discover his own evolution .
J-Hope - 1 VERSE
We ’ ve all seen it : rapper J-Hope is love and light made manifest . Even RM said , during BTS ’ s 2018 Japanese Hulu special , We Love BTS , that , “ J-Hope always lights up the atmosphere .”
When a man like that drops a diss track , it ’ s natural to think that ’ s an out-ofcharacter move . Yet , when J-Hope dropped 1 VERSE in 2015 , it made something