MUSE- Jimin of BTS
On July 19, 2024, Jimin released his second solo album, ‘MUSE’. In his first solo album, FACE, he talked about confronting one’s inner self. The album was about self-reflection and making peace with himself by letting go of all the negative feelings. This new album is a change of tone, focusing on candidly sharing stories while portraying his journey of finding inspiration from his surroundings. It is a very lighthearted and bright album, filled with a sense of joy and playfulness, consisting of seven tracks. Throughout the making process of this album, Jimin has experimented with various genres for each of the album’s tracks. However, the primary theme of love gradually unfolds throughout the album.
The album begins with ‘Rebirth (Intro)’- a song that starts the theme of love. This track is about his quest to find honest, genuine love. It expresses the feeling of developing a crush on someone and taking small steps to get closer to them. The lyrics are straightforward yet impactful; they convey sincerity and innocence. The track is very easy to listen to and has a calming effect on the listener. A few sections in the song have strong notes in the background, and I felt like they sounded like slow heartbeats. The instrumental also reminds me of Disney Movie soundtracks; the song has some magical element, which makes the track sound very hopeful and gives a good feeling about what will come next. I think that this was the perfect opening track for the album.
The second track—‘Interlude: Showtime’—is a short instrumental track with a marching band feel. It uses the trombone in an upbeat, energetic way, contrasting with a song from his first album, FACE. The track makes me feel like I am in an amusement park; it sounds like something you could hear while getting on rides. This track naturally introduces the third track of the album, ‘Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (SGMB).’
SGMB is a jumpy, bright, and happy song featuring the Korean rapper Loco. The song is about releasing all the bottled-up emotions and confessing your love. The song sets the scene of a beautiful garden full of fluttering flowers and the dazzling sky. Smeraldo is a fictional flower with a few meanings; in Italian, it directly translates to ‘emerald,’ and according to the language of flowers, it means “non potevo dire la verità,” Italian for ‘the truth that wasn’t told.’ Through this song, Jimin encourages everyone to convey the truth- the feelings one has developed for someone.
Collaborating with Sofia Carson, the fourth track, ‘Slow Dance,’ is another easy listen on the album. Continuing the theme of love, a moment between a couple sharing a slow dance with their favourite song playing in the background, getting lost in the song’s tempo, is captured in the song. This song would be the perfect soundtrack to a classic rom-com movie, as the leads are “caught up in romance.” I love how Jimin and Sofia’s voices sound so great together and harmonise towards the song’s end. This song is like a cute, mutual confession of love. This track is my favourite from this album.
The fifth track opens powerfully, with Jimin metaphorically dancing under the moonlight. ‘Be Mine’ is a confident confession, conveying his eagerness to be close to his lover. The track has a clear Latin influence and Afrobeats-inspired beats. I think that Jimin’s voice suits and flows well with the overall style of the song. This song reminds me of his solo song ‘Filter’ from BTS’s 2019 album’ Map Of The Soul: 7’.
The title track, ‘Who,’ is a R&B track that reminds me of the kind of music released in the early 2000s. Throughout the song, Jimin asks a persistent question: ‘Who is my heart waiting for?’ This song is for the hopeless romantics with so much love but no one to give it to. This song is a quest to find ‘The One.’ I loved watching the music video for this track. It wasn’t flashy and over-the-top, but it wasn’t too simple either. Being known for his performances, Jimin has again performed outstanding choreography with this track. The moves flow very well with the rhythm and are satisfying to watch. I would say that it is another favourite from this album.
The last track, ‘Closer Than This,’ was released in December 2023. It is like a love letter to fans, reminiscing about past memories and looking forward to making new ones in the future.
Overall, MUSE is a charming album that complements Jimin’s image. It is an easy listen that will be on the loop for a long time.
