Song of the Week delves into the newest songs we just can’t get out of our heads. Find these tracks and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist, and for our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Jimin of BTS brings us into the club with the main track of his new solo project.
The new solo release from Jimin of BTS begins with a whisper. “I didn’t think we could last forever,” a woman breathes over Jimin’s delicate background vocals. “I’m afraid everything will disappear,” a man’s voice replies. Jimin’s distinct falsetto leads the listener into the verse, but from there, things don’t stay quiet for long.
“Like Crazy” is the centerpiece of FACE, the debut solo project from Jimin, which is now available in full today, March 24th. The song is energetic, commanding, and more than a little bit intoxicating, and the music video underscores it all with a trippy night in a dark club. Champagne flows, bodies writhe, and Jimin alternates between participating in the revelry and wandering through the crowd like a sleepwalking outsider.
The press notes that accompanied FACE confirm that the title of the song is a nod to the 2011 film Like Crazy, a story of on-again-off again lovers separated by distance, visa troubles, and the constant flow of time. While the song doesn’t necessarily dive into the same themes, there’s a similar kind of yearning present here — Jimin of “Like Crazy” is clearly searching for something, filling his time with the distractions and people spotlighted in the music video. “This is gonna break me,” he cries in the chorus, a sharp contrast to the upbeat sound and technicolor presented onscreen. “Lost in the lights/ I’m out of my mind,” he repeats.
BTS’s second chapter has been filled with unexpected directions from the members’ solo releases: j-hope went dark and gritty on Jack in the Box, for example. RM, an expert lyricist with a singular artistic perspective, filled his album, Indigo, with strong, surprising collaborations. Jimin continues the trend of keeping ARMY on their toes with “Like Crazy,” leaning into a more mature story than some might have expected. Cheers to that.
— Mary Siroky
Contributing Editor