Coinciding with the release of his new solo album Indigo, BTS leader RM stopped by the NPR Tiny Desk to perform the first live cuts from the LP. Watch the stripped down performance below.
Beginning with a track off, mono., his 2018 solo mixtape, RM moved through the acoustic, melancholy “seoul” before sharing live takes on two songs from Indigo. He introduced “Yun (with Erykah Badu)” by sharing background on his favorite painter, Yun Hyong-keun, before launching into the smooth, R&B intro to the album. After musing about pieces from Monet and Van Gogh, he launched into “Still Life,” which features a characteristically joyful performance from Anderson .Paak on the studio album. “Shoutout to Anderson!” RM yelled midway through the bouncy live rendition.
Indigo follows RM’s previous solo mixtapes, 2018’s mono. and 2015’s RM. The record comes during BTS’ “second chapter,” a time for the septet to explore solo activities alongside work as a team. Recently, j-hope unveiled his solo album Jack in the Box, Jin teamed up with Coldplay on “The Astronaut,” and Jungkook debuted “Dreamers” during the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony.
Additionally, BTS have previously appeared on Tiny Desk as a septet, having done so in 2020 during NPR’s Tiny Desk (At Home) series. “I go by the name of RM of BTS,” he said. “It’s so good to be back on this legendary show, this time as a solo. Last time was as a team — I’m truly honored.”
Revisit our 10 favorite songs from RM’s solo career, read our review of Indigo, and catch the full NPR Tiny Desk performance below.